Eric Melrose Brown (1919 - 2016)

Born 21 Jan 1919 in London, England

Ancestors

Husband of Evelyn Jean Margaret (Macrory) Brown — married 17 Jan 1942 in Belfast, Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK

Died 21 Feb 2016 at age 97 in Redhill, Surrey, England

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Melanie Paul [send private message]

Biography

Eric Brown is Notable.

• British Royal Navy officer and test pilot who flew 487 types of aircraft, more than anyone else in history.
• World record holder (as of December 2022) for the most aircraft carrier deck take-offs and landings performed (2,407 and 2,271 respectively).
• Was the first to achieve landings on an aircraft carrier of a twin-engined aircraft, an aircraft with a tricycle undercarriage, a jet aircraft, and a rotary-wing aircraft.
• Was a pioneer of jet technology into the post World War II era.

Life Events

Eric Melrose Brown was born on the 21st January 1919, in London, England, the adopted son of Robert John Brown and Euphemia Melrose^[1].

On the 19th June 1921, Eric, aged 2 1/2 years, was living with his family at 269 Leith Walk, Edinburgh, Scotland. Home at the time were his adoptive parents: Robert J Brown (43 years 6 months), employed as a ladies tailor for R. M. Forsythe, Edinburgh; and Euphemia (42 years 8 months), home duties. (Instead of "M" for married, or "S" for single, Eric's entry is marked as "BA", which denoted that both parents were alive.)^[2]

He married Evelyn 'Lynn' Macrory in Belfast in 1942^[3][4].

Eric Brown is a Military Veteran.
Served in the British Navy 1940-1970
Served in World War II

Hailed as the "Royal Navy's most decorated pilot^[5]," Eric flew over 400 different types of planes, and holds world records and aviation firsts in many categories^[6].

Awards^[6]

Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Air Force Cross (AFC)

King's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Captain Eric Melrose "Winkle" Brown passed away on the 21st February 2016, in Redhill, Surrey, England, aged 97 years.^[7]

Research Notes

Although a great deal has been published by and about Capt Brown, primary sources are somewhat scarce online due to statutory privacy restrictions. As of 14 Apr 2020, Eric's birth record is not visible at Scotland's People (see Uncertain Birth Date, below), nor is the 1921 census, which should list him with his family. The 1921 census should be released in 2021.

Profiles of Eric's parents were created here based on their names provided in his Guardian obituary, and the fact that only one marriage of a Robert Brown and Euphemia Melrose was registered in Scotland between 1900 and 1920. Eric's 1942 marriage certificate solidly links him to Robert John Brown of Galashiels, Selkirkshire.

Uncertain Birth Date

The Statutory Birth Register Index at Scotland's People lists no boys named Eric Brown registered in 1919 or 1920. There are boys with similar names in the index after 1920, but the registration locations do not coincide with the published information that Eric was born in Leith or Edinburgh. At this time, images of the registers are not available online after 1919, so it is not possible to confirm that any particular entry has the right parents.

Eric's own writing and secondary sources, such as his numerous obituaries and Wikipedia, consistently report the 1919 birth date. Eric's marriage certificate, however, provides a significant inconsistency. He gave his age in January 1942 as 20, suggesting he was born in 1921. This is the only official record I have found to verify his age, and it conflicts with most published information. For this reason, I marked Eric's birth date Uncertain, pending release of the 1921 Census or location of his birth registration or other contemporaneous records. Tardy-26 14:36, 16 April 2020 (UTC)

• The above birthdate inconsistencies have been resolved by the publication and release of the 1921 Scotland census, which records Eric as aged 2 1/2 years, the adopted son of Robert and Euphemia Brown. The census also records Eric's birthplace as London, England. Paul-5413 20:24, 8 December 2022 (UTC)

Sources

1. ↑ Fountain, Nigel. "Eric 'Winkle' Brown obituary." The Guardian, 22 Feb 2016 (https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/feb/22/eric-winkle-brown-obituary : Accessed 14 Apr 2020).
2. ↑ 1921 Scotland Census — Scotland's People “Advanced Search: Census returns”: Eric Brown; Scotland census 1921; database and images, accessed 8 Dec 2022), Registration District of Leith South, County of Midlothian, p. 13, line 25, Eric Brown (age 2 yrs 6 mo ; relationship: "adopted son"); citing "1921 ... Census 685/11 2/ 13." (payment is required to view the actual registry entry)
3. ↑ Marriage — Marriage registrations [database online] (https://geni.nidirect.gov.uk/search/marriage : Accessed 15 Apr 2020) General Register Office (Northern Ireland). Brown, Eric Melrose and Macrory, Evelyn Jean Margaret, 17 Jan 1942, certificate number M/1942/B1/510/7/185. Fitzroy Avenue Presbyterian Church, Belfast, Antrim, Northern Ireland. Groom age 20, Galashiels, Selkirkshire, Scotland, father Robert John Brown. Bride age 19, Belfast, Antrim, Northern Ireland, father Robert Macrory. Neither previously married.
4. ↑ Black, Rebecca. "Belfast woman who won heart of greatest pilot in British history Eric 'Winkle' Brown." Belfast Telegraph Digital, 24 Feb 2016 (https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/archive/people/belfast-woman-who-won-heart-of-greatest-pilot-in-british-history-eric-winkle-brown-34480125.html : Accessed 14 Apr 2020).
5. ↑ "Eric 'Winkle' Brown: Celebrated British pilot dies, aged 97." BBC News, 21 Feb 2016 (https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-sussex-35626854 : Accessed 14 Apr 2020).
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Wikipedia contributors, "Eric Brown (pilot)," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eric_Brown_(pilot)&oldid=950521873 (accessed April 14, 2020).
7. ↑ Death Registration — England & Wales births, deaths and marriages registrations, General Register Office United Kingdom, Southport, England, HM Passport Office online search Deaths: Name: BROWN, ERIC MELROSE; Year of Birth: 1919; GRO Reference: DOR Q1/2016 in SURREY (759-1J) Entry Number 513431533

• McFadden, Robert D. "Eric Brown, Record-Breaking British Aviator and World War II Combat Pilot, Dies at 97." The New York Times, 22 Feb 2016 (http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/23/world/europe/eric-winkle-brown-pilot-dies.html?smid=fb-share&_r=0 : Accessed 14 Apr 2020).

• Greenaway, Heather. "Son hails Great Scot 2015 war hero as best dad he could have had as we launch new search for Scotland’s unsung heroes." Daily Record, 17 Jul 2016 (https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/son-hails-great-scot-2015-8432808 : Accessed 14 Apr 2020).

• "New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24BP-759 : 15 March 2018), Eric M Brown, 1951; citing Immigration, New York City, New York, United States, NARA microfilm publication T715 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

See Also

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 14 April 2020), memorial page for CPT Eric Melrose “Winkle” Brown (21 Jan 1919–21 Feb 2016), Find A Grave: Memorial #158666312, ; Maintained by Daff (contributor 47503073) Unknown. Please note this memorial cites no sources and lists the burial location as 'Unknown.'

• Wikipedia : Eric Brown (pilot)
• Wikidata: Item Q348719