Harold Charles Brennan (1905 - 1979)

Born 18 Jun 1905 in Calcutta, West Bengal, India

Died 1 Jan 1979 at age 73 in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia

Biography

Harold Brennan is Notable.

Harold Charles "Tiger" Brennan was born on 18 June 1905 in Calcutta, West Bengal, भारत..^[1][2][3]

He grew up on his father's tea plantation and was later sent to finish school in England.^[4] He arrived in Australia's Northern Territory during the early 1930s and established himself as a mineral prospector, working in wolfram mines in Wauchope and Hatches Creek.

At the outbreak of World War II, Tiger Brennan enlisted in the Australian Defence Force.^[1] According to his attestation paperwork, he was 34 years old, single, an unemployed mining manager, and already serving with the R.A.E. 3rd Company at Oakbank Racecourse in Adelaide Hills, South Australia. Tiger would go on to attain the rank of Major, serving in the European theatre^[5] and in New Guinea before being attached to the U.S. Army as a camouflage expert; for this, he was awarded the U.S. Medal of Freedom in 1948.^[6]

After the war, Tiger Brennan returned to his mining activities in the Northern Territory. In 1951, he discovered a large silver, lead, and zinc deposit in Arnhem Land^[7] , which became known as "Tiger Brennan's Find".^[8] However, by 1954, he abandoned his mining leases and became active in politics.

He was elected to the Northern Territory Legislative Council on 26 June 1955 and served for the next fourteen years, representing the districts of Batchelor, Elsey, and Victoria River.^[4] In 1972, he became Lord Mayor of the city of Darwin and served a three-year term which included the aftermath of Cyclone Tracy's infamous destruction of that city. According to some survivor accounts, Tiger Brennan slept through the cyclone^[4][9] and spent the next few days travelling around the ruins of Darwin shooting pet dogs with a rifle.^[10]

After his retirement from politics, he remained a frequent visitor to the Northern Territory's legislative body. Fellow legislator and first NT Chief Minister Paul A. E. Everingham remembered him:

"[Tiger Brennan] was a vocal and forthright member. He constantly castigated the 'blinking' bureaucrats in Canberra for impeding Territory progress and fought for autonomy and independence for the Northern Territory. He stood for the little man and sought to ensure that he was not overlooked in the needs of government, business and large organisations... You cannot categorise Tiger Brennan. He was always a fighter, particularly for the underdog. He was not a man who could be ignored. This Assembly and indeed the Territory community is diminished by his passing and is in debt to Tiger for his efforts on our behalf."^[4]

Tiger Brennan passed away on 1 January 1979 at Darwin Hospital in Darwin, Northern Territory.^[11] His funeral was held three days later at St. Mary's Cathedral and officiated by John Patrick Bishop O'Loughlin (1911-1985).^[12] He was survived by one daughter.^[13]

He is buried at Darwin General Cemetery in Jingili, Northern Territory.^[14]

The NT electoral division of Brennan^[15] and Tiger Brennan Drive^[16] are both named after him.

Research Notes

Unfortunately, I've found very little about Tiger Brennan's family of origin. His father is only listed as "T.H. Brennan" in his probate record. His 1939 enlistment records list his next-of-kin as a brother named Dr. Dennis John Brennan living in Kohat in what is now Pakistan. I have not found evidence that Dennis, or any other family member, ever visited Australia. Cursory research shows a large Brennan family living in that part of India but no info as to what the relationships might be. - Freeth-52 04:48, 4 May 2023 (UTC)

I'm pretty sure he is not Harold Brennan born to Thomas Brennan and Elizabeth Lucas in Benares (different birthdate and a completely different part of India). - Freeth-52 04:48, 4 May 2023 (UTC)

Interestingly, there was another "Tiger" Brennan living in Cessnock, New South Wales around the same time. Thomas "Tiger" Brennan appears to have also worked in mining, and had a short career as a boxer and rugby player. He died in 1949. Not sure if there is any family connection there. - Freeth-52 04:48, 4 May 2023 (UTC)

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} National Archives Australia: 6643581
2. ↑ National Archives Australia: 12027223
3. ↑ National Archives Australia: 12175598
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} Northern Territory Legislative Assembly, Condolence: Death of Mr. Harold Brennan, 2nd Assembly, 2nd Session, 1979, pp 767-770. https://parliament.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/367038/PR09-Debates-27-February-1979-8-March-1979.pdf
5. ↑ "Out Among The People (Boys Of The Bush)", The Chronicle (Adelaide, South Australia), 18 Sep 1941. p. 42. Accessed 4 May 2023. Trove https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/136972877
6. ↑ Medal of Freedom: Major Harold Brennan, SX1004. Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. 15 Apr 1948, p. 1899. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/232814185
7. ↑ "Geologists Will Report On New Silver-lead Find in N.T.", The Sunday Herald (Sydney, New South Wales), 18 Nov 1951. p. 3. Accessed 4 May 2023. Trove https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/18500112
8. ↑ "Rich N.T. Find May Be Exploited", Daily News (Perth, Western Australia), 10 Jul 1952. p. 10. Accessed 4 May 2023. Trove. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/265908559
9. ↑ Blackberry Farm (@burraview). 2014. "Tiger Brennan and myself were the only one that slept thru the cyclone that I know of. Stood me on firm ground after..." Twitter, Dec 25, 2014. https://twitter.com/Burraview/status/547907632149716992
10. ↑ Long, Christine. "Documentary reveals untold stories from Cyclone Tracy", The Age (Melbourne, Victoria), 12 Dec 2014. https://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/documentary-reveals-untold-stories-from-cyclone-tracy-20141212-125myx.html
11. ↑ Obituary - "Mr Harold Brennan", The Canberra Times, 2 Jan 1979. p. 3. Accessed 4 May 2023. Trove https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/136972877
12. ↑ "Farewell, old battler", The Northern Territory News, 4 Jan 1979. p. 1. Accessed 4 May 2023.
13. ↑ "Northern Territory, Australia, Probate Index, 1911-1994", database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 4 May 2023), Harold Brennan, d. 1 Jan 1979, Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. Age: 73. Residence: F7/41 Duke St Stuart Park, Northern Territory. Occupation: Retired/ex-MLC ex-Mayor. Ref. no. 79/105. Genealogical Society of the Northern Territory Inc; Darwin City, Northern Territory, Australia; Reference Number: 79/105; File Name: NTRS F404 1979-80 Singles; Folio: F404
14. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/179623450/harold-brennan: accessed 04 May 2023), memorial page for Harold Brennan (18 Jun 1905–1 Jan 1979), Find A Grave: Memorial #179623450, citing Darwin General Cemetery, Jingili, Darwin City, Northern Territory, Australia; Maintained by MRF53 (contributor 48582553).
15. ↑ "Division of Brennan", Northern Territory Electoral Commission. Accessed 5 May 2023. https://ntec.nt.gov.au/Electoral-divisions/Legislative-Assembly-division-profiles/2020-division-profiles/division-of-brennan
16. ↑ "Tiger Brennan Drive", NT Place Names Register. Registered 11 Apr 1984. Accessed 5 May 2023. https://www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/placenames/view.jsp?id=8050

See also:

• Wikipedia: Harold Brennan