Patrick Brownsey 1948–2023 | Te Papa’s Blog

Pat was a stalwart of the museum, beginning in 1977. He was a curator of botany and expert on New Zealand ferns. But he was so much more, including curating Te Papa’s stamp collection, and at various times managing the natural history team and the museum’s acquisitions process. Significantly, he was a role-model, mentor, and friend to many. This blog is a tribute to his wide-ranging contributions to Te Papa and its people.

Botany at Te Papa

Pat was a curator or researcher in botany from 1977 until his retirement in 2021. Among his numerous publications, he co-authored the definitive book on New Zealand ferns, completed the Fern and Lycophyte series for Flora of New Zealand, and described many new species. He won the Allan Mere in 2008 and the Nancy Burbidge Medal in 2017, the highest awards for botanists in New Zealand and Australasia, respectively.

His 11,665 plant collections are the third most in Te Papa, with the 7,841 mosses more than anyone else. Astonishingly, he identified nearly 10% of the whole plant collection.

Mike Bayly, former Botany Researcher: In 1996 Pat, and collaborators at VUW and Industrial Research, raised funding for a FRST-funded postdoctoral fellow. That was my first job out of university and it was the first time botany at Te Papa had supported such a position, stepping it along the path to being the thriving research hub it is today. As an early career botanist, I couldn’t have landed in a better environment than the one Pat created at Te Papa, and I am forever grateful for the opportunities he gave me. He was a wonderful manager, mentor and friend, from whom I learnt so much about botany, being a researcher and managing projects and collaborations. Pat set a strong example of how to be a great botanist, leader and friend and I will miss him terribly.

Wendy Nelson, former Curator Botany: When Pat started at the National Museum, the herbarium was in a very poor state. There were boxes and parcels of specimens crammed into shelves in a room with a single naked lightbulb hanging on a long cord from the ceiling. According to Nancy Adams and Fiona Pitt, in the first year of Pat’s appointment they embarked on a major operation unpacking, rehousing and documenting the collections that had been languishing in backrooms and even in the basement of the old museum. Over the following years, Pat implemented a whole sequence of steps transforming the accessibility of the collection and ensuring their long-term care. When we began the process of databasing of the collections, the scale of the job seemed insurmountable – but Pat understood the importance to holding the vision and then working stepwise to the goal.

Phil Edgar, Head of Natural History (formerly Manager Collection Information Services): Pat was an early believer in the value of databasing the specimens in the collection to make them accessible to researchers worldwide. Though the mid 2000’s Pat was a great support to me as we invested in new collection databases, developed the museum’s collections online facility, and looked to build our digitisation efforts. Pat could see the power of what was to come – the ability to join up the world’s herbaria to form one digital collection accessible to all – but was never daunted by the big task that lay ahead of databasing the “backlog” of 300,000 specimens. Pat professed a “chip away at it” philosophy, ensuring databasing was a part of the Botany team’s work each year. As a result, 95% of the New Zealand collections are now databased and available online.

Alison Kellow, former Botany Researcher: I don’t remember meeting most people, but I do remember first meeting Pat. It was at a party to celebrate the opening of Te Papa – he was so warm and welcoming that I’ve never forgotten. When I later moved to NZ, Pat generously welcomed me to the botany department to write up my PhD, then gave me my first herbarium job. I now run a small university herbarium and teach plant systematics – thanks to his willingness to give me a go. I’ll never forget Pat’s wonderful professional mentorship but mostly his warmth, friendship and support during some difficult personal times.

Leadership at Te Papa

Pat was manager of the natural history team from about 1989 to 1995 and subsequently Senior Curator Natural History through to 2011. In or out of management, he was a steadying influence for staff through internal upheavals. Between about 1994 and 2002, he oversaw the museum’s acquisition of all new collections, taking on the role during a period of low institutional emphasis on research.

Alan Tennyson, Curator Vertebrates: I knew Pat since long before I joined the staff of Te Papa and, according to Te Papa’s database, provided him with a fern specimen as far back as 1991. This may be because my mum, as a biology teacher, had previously taken courses with Pat on how to identify native plants. To me, Pat seemed like a permanent fixture of the museum. Since I’ve been a museum staff member, I’ve had many managers, including Pat. Pat stood out as being extremely supportive and sensible. In his quiet way, he was a fierce advocate for our natural history team and Te Papa’s collections. I never heard a bad word said about Pat – he was a genuinely nice person and we were very lucky to have had him as a colleague.

Wendy Nelson, former Curator Botany: Pat was my manager in my years at Te Papa – by far and away the best manager I have had through my working life. His integrity, humour, insightfulness, wise counsel could always be relied on. He has been a great sounding board, someone whose advice I have valued greatly. Within the herbarium under Pat’s leadership there was a really collegial atmosphere, a communal purpose and a sense of family. Pat was key in establishing the culture of marking birthdays and other celebrations, with shared morning teas and lunches, with great discussions and chat. Pat’s commitment to his own family meant that he understood the place of family in the lives of his colleagues.

Sandy Bartle, former Curator Birds [extract; original in comments]: Dr. Patrick Brownsey provided strong leadership and extensive support [during] a very difficult period for science staff which occurred during the transition [from the National Museum to Te Papa] and two major translocations. Pat deeply understood the three main activities of museum curators: research and publication, development of collections and exhibitions. Not only was he professionally active in all three as Curator of Botany and Honorary Philatelist himself, but he freely gave vast amounts of time and support to all other Natural History curators as well.

For a number of years he managed the entire Natural History Team as the Senior Curator. [Even after this] his straightforward but tempered advice on matters both great and small was usually sought by both senior managers and curators. I think he was relieved to be able to then better concentrate on his own discipline, but he continued to play a lead role in all strategic decisions regarding natural history at Te Papa for over 20 years.  His particular skill in this area was quiet diplomacy. He was no rabble-rouser, preferring to help resolve issues by calm discussion. In this respect he was a skilful negotiator and, though deeply loyal to the Te Papa mission, also supported science staff in theirs.

No-one with Pat’s overall scientific expertise, breadth of vision and diplomacy now exists in Te Papa and Pat was a very unique and special person to whom many of us ultimately owe our careers. He will be impossible to replace because his involvement extended right from the government policy bodies right down to the practice of science at Te Papa and he leaves a very great legacy which will never be forgotten. Pat was a humble person, never one to “blow his own trumpet” and I’m honoured to sound it softly in his memory.

Rebecca Rice, Curator Historical New Zealand Art: The first time Pat and I ‘properly’ engaged was over a paper I was working on that explored the work of nineteenth-century women botanical artists titled ‘My dear Hooker: the botanical landscape in colonial New Zealand’. In it I imagined how different these women’s lives and careers may have been if they had been part of early colonial botanical networks – if they had been privileged to communicate with “My dear Hector” (as Hector was addressed by Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker) and to receive letters addressed in turn to, for example, “My dear Hetley” (Georgina Hetley, author and artist of The Native Flowers of New Zealand, 1889). Luckily for us, times have changed. “My dear Brownsey” was always willing to engage, to offer feedback and advice, informed by his vast knowledge that extended across the usual disciplinary boundaries. He was always generous towards these women whose work has, for so long, been forgotten to histories of both science and art. He took them seriously. He took me seriously. Thank you, Pat. “My dear Rice”.

Manuela Angelo, former Library Manager: Patrick had a close affiliation with the museum’s library. He served on the Library Committee, he advocated for the library at senior management level, when the opportunity presented itself, and he advised on the library’s collection development policy and the binding programme. He understood the importance of the library and its resources, within the museum – i.e. the contribution the library made in supporting scholarly research, exhibition programmes / front of house activities (assisting the public gain a better understanding of the museum’s Collections by providing access to its holdings/resources) and the wider community (national and international) through interlibrary loan and the exchange programme.  He also had a sense of humour and was very modest. I have great respect for Patrick – I think of him as the museum staff’s “elder statesman”. It was an honour to have known him and worked with him. His wisdom, ideas, and counsel were always worth listening to. His was the voice of reason, and he also had something else, which nowadays is very much lacking to my mind, common sense.

Stephanie Gibson, Curator New Zealand Histories & Cultures: When I arrived at Te Papa in 2000, Pat was one of the most impressive staff members I had the good fortune to work with – he was a botanist one minute, a philatelist the next, and much to my amazement, single-handedly managed collection development across all the curatorial teams (it now involves many people). He was gracious, supportive, and very kind – particularly to a new staff member. I was so lucky to learn from him. One of the highlights of my career was assisting him on Stamped – Celebrating New Zealand’s Postal History, a wonderful exhibition here at Te Papa in 2005. Te Papa was incredibly lucky to have a botanist whose other passion was philately. Pat was a great communicator and champion of history, and it was fascinating to see New Zealand history through his philatelic eyes – it enriched our work immeasurably and we are so grateful he was part of the New Zealand Histories & Pacific Cultures team over the last two years.

Stamps at Te Papa

A personal passion for stamp collecting saw Pat curating Te Papa’s vast collection of stamps and postal memorabilia. He was involved in about 90% of the museum’s philatelic accessions, including the mammoth New Zealand Post Collection, collectively encompassing several hundreds of thousands of objects. This contribution was informal until he took on a one-day-a-week paid contract with Te Papa’s history team from 2021. For his wide-ranging contributions to New Zealand philately, Pat won the New Zealand Medal of Philatelic Excellence in October 2023, the highest award by the Royal Philatelic Society of New Zealand.

Andrea Hearfield, Kaitiaki Taonga Collection Manager Humanities: I’ve worked with Pat since I became the Collection Manager responsible for the Philately collection at Te Papa in 2012. For me, as someone who didn’t know much about stamps, Pat was always happy to answer any questions I had and help me get my head around the technical details of databasing stamps. Pat definitely had a skill at highlighting the kōrero or stories behind the objects in the Philately collection. No matter how small the items seemed he could clearly and entertainingly explain why they were important. This definitely instilled in me an appreciation of the how special the collection is. When he showed visitors the collection you could see his enthusiasm spreading to them too.

Frith Williams, Head of Experience Design and Content: Pat was the Curator of the very first exhibition I worked on when I joined Te Papa in 2005, 3 months pregnant and new to the sector. The museum was a daunting place to come into, and I often felt out of my depth. Pat was welcoming, kind, positive, and reassuring. He wasn’t just skilled and diligent at his own role, he also made everyone in the team feel that their work was valued. He was a safe and calm presence, like a buoy in rough waters (with a quietly cheeky streak). He remained the same in all our encounters – a true gem of a human being. It was clear how much he meant to his natural-history colleagues, and I can see how he’s rubbed off on them too – like magic dust. Thank you, Pat, you made the museum a better place.

Mark Stocker, former Curator of Historical International Art: I first met Pat in 2013, not long before I joined Te Papa. He went the extra mile to help me with my article for Tuhinga on New Zealand’s iconic 1931 Smiling Boy health stamps. Pat went on to become both an intellectual and something of an emotional support for me. When I first started, I couldn’t stand the open plan location with staff split up in an unholy mix of job specialities and there wasn’t even a quiet study room. I had espied the Botany Bubble and knew this was where I could get serious work done. Pat was crucial in making me an honorary member of the Botany team. He was warmly supportive of my blogs on Te Papa’s fabulous stamp collection and we talked about me writing a longer article on the elegant 1919 NZ Victory issue. When I was a casualty of the 2018-19 restructure, he gave me staunch moral support. You never forget these things. Other people can testify to Pat’s botanical prowess but everyone will testify to his humanity – he epitomised old-fashioned virtues of fair-mindedness and decency; a gentleman, at ease with himself and the world. I also admired his imperturbability in the slightly crazy if never boring place that is Te Papa, the sort of person who never needed to raise his voice. Pat, you’re now in the fernery in the sky, when you aren’t having a good chat with King George V about the Royal stamp collection. You’re having a ball, though we’re all missing you down here!

Pat’s contribution to Te Papa has been legendary – he was an advocate for the museum, its collections, and its people. Many have learnt from him, and he will be greatly missed.

Kua hinga te tōtara o Te Waonui a Tāne.
He kapua pouri ki runga i a tātou, kai te ao huaota, kai te taiao.
E te Pāpā, e te Rangatira kua riro koe ki tē pō uriuri ki te pō tangotango, haere haere atu rā!

The above expresses the sadness felt by ourselves and the natural environment realm at the passing of a leader of great importance.

We welcome the sharing of more memories of Pat in the comments.