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Devoured by a shark: sketch of the shark
Devoured by a shark: sketch of the shark

Devoured by a shark: sketch of the shark

Publisher (1873 - 1889)
Date14 January 1885
Object number00006063
NameEngraving
MediumPaper
DimensionsOverall: 196 x 284 mm
ClassificationsArt
Credit LineANMM Collection
Collections
DescriptionAn engraving published in the Australasian Sketcher, 14 January 1885 titled 'Devoured by a shark: sketch of the shark'. It depicts a carcass of a large shark with the figure of a youth behind it. The accompanying article on the reverse gives an account of the yachting accident and subsequent death of Hugh and William Browne. The Browne brothers and a friend had been sailing their yacht IOLANTHE on Port Phillip Bay when they disappeared. William Browne's body was later found at Brighton. When a great white shark was caught at Frankston Pier two weeks later, its stomach contents revealed the arm, waistcoat and watch of Hugh Browne.HistoryOn the evening of Saturday 13 December 1884, William and Hugh Browne, sons of Hugh Junor Browne left the Yarra River in a small boat called IOLANTHE. They were accompanied by a man named Murray, employed by Mr Browne. The men intended to fish on Saturday night and then to visit friends in Frankston. There was rough weather on the Saturday and Sunday which caused anxiety for their safety, especially when they failed to return home on Monday as promised. Despite searches by the government vessel DISPATCH, nothing was found of the men or boat until the following Saturday when the body of William Browne was found washed up on the beach at Brighton. The body was badly mutilated and was missing the left arm. The coroner, Mr Chandler, ruled William had drowned. The following week a large shark (pictured) believed to be a great white shark, was caught in Port Phillip Bay and hauled onto Frankston Pier. Once ashore the shark’s stomach was cut open and amongst its stomach contents were found 'portions of a coat, vest and trousers and in one of the vest pockets were found a gold watch and silver chain, and in the trousers pocket the sum of 10s in silver, two keys and a pipe. Farther search being made, a human arm and a portion of a skull were found in the stomach." (The Age, Melbourne. Monday 29 December 1884, page 4). The contents were found to have belonged to Hugh Browne. The shark was later exhibited at Messrs. Hall's stables in Swanston Street. The case of the Browne brothers received further attention as their father was a renowned spiritualist who claimed the boys had appeared to him prior to the catching of the shark. A medium, George Spriggs had claimed that the boys spoke through him telling their parents what had happened and that they were happy in their new spiritual form. The author of 'Sherlock Holmes' Sir Arthur Conan Doyle later wrote about the accident and subsequent apparitions and believed it was solid evidence for the existence of a spiritual realm. SignificanceThe Australasian Sketcher was an early Victorian illustrated newspaper based in Melbourne. Part of its focus was "the picturesque phases of our public and social life in the aspects in which they are capable of pictorial illustration. Prominent and striking events, public ceremonials and amusements, great gatherings, new buildings, works of art, the fashions, interesting features of natural scenery or of animal or vegetable life, will form the subject of illustrative views and descriptive letterpress."
As such its pages reflect a snapshot of Australia at that time in diverse areas of what was seen as interesting or important.