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OBITUARY.
We regret to have to announce the death of the Venerable Archdeacon Browne, which occurred at his residence in Launceston on the 18th June, and we need not say, cast quite a gloom over that town The late Archdeacon was about the oldest clergyman of the Anglican Church in the island, and the work which he did during his early ministry in the North was one of a truly evangelical missionary. The deceased was the eldest son of the late Henry Browne Esq., of Ballinvoher and was bom in Mallow
County Cork in the year 1800, consequently he had at the time of his death exceeded by several years the allotted period of human existence. He was educated at Charleville, a few miles from Mallow, and among his schoolfellows was his brother archdeacon, the Venerable Archdeacon Davies. From Charleville Mr Browne, on the 6th October, 1817, went to Trinity College Dublin, and it was at that time intended that he should study for the medical profession. After ia short residence in college, however,Mr Browne relinquished the idea of following the profession just mentioned and turned his attention to theological subjects, to which he gave his unremitting consideration. In 1821, he graduated as Bachelor of Arts,, and in 1828 took the higher degree of M A and LL D , the latter honour being conferred upon him somewhat pre- maturely in consequence of his coming out to Tas- mania, and partly, no doubt, because he was an Honor-man of his university Mr Browne was appointed to the curacy of Whitechurch, on the Blackwater, in the year 1824, and was raised to the priesthood the same year. He was appointed Colonial Chaplain in Tasmania under the sign manual of George IV, on the 4th of February, 1828. He started from the Cove of Cork in a vessel called tho Coronet on the 1st May of that year, arriving in Hobart Town on the 6th of October, and on the 1st November the Gazette noti-
fied his appointment to Launceston. A few years after the Venerable Archdeacon Davies (though, of course not then Archdeacon) joined Dr Browne, and for a considerable period they two were the only ministers of the Anglican Church in Northern Tasmania , and from the time of his arrival up to his retiring upon Government pension, Archdeacon Browne was always most earnest and assiduous in the performance of his duties , the only breakage in a long chain of years having been occasioned through severe illness consequent on a fall from his horse in 1838 or 1839. The reverend Dr. was then seriously injured, and he was obliged to take two years rest. On his recovery he resumed the active duties of the ministry and continued therein until 1854 when he obtained a two years leave of absence, and took the opportunity of visiting England, Constantinople, Venice, and other places of interest on the continent of Europe. On his return Dr Browne again entered upon his duties, and as we have already stated, continued
to discharge them zealously and faithfully until he received the Government pension about eight years ago. Two or three years later, owing to changes made in the Church, he was appointed Archdeacon of Launceston, the duties of which position though the emoluments attached to it amounted to only £50 per annum - he discharged with un- remitting attention up to the time of his death. About the years 1851 - 52, during the bishopric of Bishop Nixon, the clergymen in the North thought it necessary to protest against the high Church in- fluences which wore sought to be introduced into the Protestant Church, and the deceased divine not only headed the movement, but signed what was then known as the famous " solemn declaration." He was always recognised as the head of the low church party, and his liberal views on church government made him many friends. But Archdeacon Browne did not confine his influence to church matters only. He took a very active part in conjunction with the late Rev. John West (subsequently, and until his decease, editor of the Sydney Morning Herald), and all the leading colonists in the North of Tasmania to induce-almost to coerce-the British Govern- ment to discontinue transportaion; and for which purpose Mr. J. A. Jackson was maintained as paid agent of the colony in London Archdeacon Browne also initiated in Launceston a movement in the direction of funeral reform, and his views on that subject are well worth quoting, believing, as we have reason to do, that they form
the substance of the desire the aged divine expressed, as to the arrangements to be observed in relation to his own obsequies. Funerals, he advocated, should be conducted in the most inexpensive way consistent
with decency ; there should be no scarfs, crape, or
gloves given to any one ; the cofhn should be carried not on men's shoulders, but between them as they walk on either side of it ; that a funeral should not be later than 10 am., and should proceed direct to the cemetery, and, as much as could be, in silence.
The venerable Doctor did not live to see these reforms achieved, but of their wisdom none can have an honest doubt. He has, however, died full of honors ; and many poor people, as well as his fellow workers in the vineyard of truth, will miss by his removal a generous friend, a leader, and adviser. The deceased was twice married, and had four children by each marriage, all of whom are living with the exception of the second son by the first marriage, who died in Victona in January last. The eldest son is our respected fellow citizen, Mr. Justin McC Browne, and another son (the eldest of the second marriage) is the Rev. W. H. Browne, LL.B, who, has been appointed Curate of St. James's, Hatcham (near London) the Vicar of which is the Rev. A Tooth, who was some months ago imprisoned for disregarding an inhi- bition of the Bishop of Rochester to abstain from ritualistic practices. Two of the deceased's daughters are respectively married to His Honor Mr. Justice Dobson and Mr. Birnie, director of public works at Williamstown, Victoria. The other members of the family are unmarried. In concluding our notice we may mention that the late Archdeacon, though he was subjected to a severe attack of indigestion on Wednesday last, was much better on Friday, and his demise was therefore not altogether expected.
Mi. William Knight, merchant, expired at his residence, Sandy Bay, near Hobart Town, on Saturday, the 30th June. The deceased was a very old colonist, having arrived in this country in 1827 in a vessel named the Hugh Crawford, commanded by Captain Langdon. Mr. Knight was born in Ken- sington, in the county of Middlesex, in the year 1809, and his family was very highly connected, the father of the deceased having held the position of registrar of the above-named county. Soon after his arrival in Hobart Town, Mr Knight having satisfied him- self that there was an opening here for a commercial business, proceeded to England with a vlew to making arrangements fr starting operations in this city in that line. He lreturned to the colony in a vessel called the Promise, partly owned by himself, and brought with him a valuable cargo of general merchan- dise. He immediately commenced business on, the Old Wharf, and his active commercial talents soon secured for him a huge connection. He continued to apply himself unremittingly to the develop- ment of that connection, and in the course of a few years he was reputed to be among the leading merchants of the city. In the year 1810 Mr. Knight married Miss Fletcher, daughter of Com- missary General Fletcher, and granddaughter of Joseph Hone, brother of the well-known London publisher, William Hone. By this marriage 10
children were born, of whom eight - four sons and four daughters are now living. The deceased never took part in politics but he nevertheless felt a deep interest in some of the most important questions that agitated the colony between 20 and 30 years ago, and especially in regard to the anti-transporta- tion movement. He was as ardent opponent of the sudden cessation of transportaion, and advocated its gradual diminution so as not to check too pre- cipitately the large Imperial expenditure on which for a considerable length of time the colony had mainly subsisted . He believed in the principle of moderation and that only by acting upon that prin-
ciple would the colony be able to accomodate itself to the withdrawal of that expenditure. In com- merciial circles. Mr Knight was regarded as a safe authority. He was one of the principal shareholders in the Derwent and Tamar Fire, Life, and Marine Assurance Company, was for several years a director of the compan; and when he retired from the Board, he received the public thanks of the shareholders for the energy he had dis- played in the successful management of their affairs. Notwithstanding that retirement he con- tinued to take a lively interest in life assurance matters, as exemplified in his connection with the Australian Mutual Provident Company, Mr Knight having taken the agency of that company in Tas-
mania while it was in its infancy, and, by constant and unwearied attention to its affairs, brought it into the high position which it now occupies in the confidence of the general public. The business under his management had grown so extensively that a short time ago the Board of Directors in Sydney, with the concurrence of the deceased gentleman, appointed a board of local directors to superintend the operations of the company in Tasmania, Mr Knight hold- ing the position of a director of the board. The deceased was appointed a director of the Bank of Van Diemen's Land about 9 years ago and he con- tinued to discharge the important duties of that position till within the last fortnight. He was a man who never obtruded himself into public notoriety, but he did a vast amount of good in his own quiet way; his aicts of unostentatious charity being extended in all directions, and his goodness in very many cases being directed in such a way that its source was completely unknown to the recipients.
The death of Mr. Jas Hurst, long lessee of the Government Coal Mines at Port Arthur, took place at his residence, British Hotel, Liver- pool street Hobart town, on the 28th June. Mr Hurst was a colonist of 40 years standing and was a native of Oldham, Lancashire. He has held a lease of the coal mines for the last 29 years, pre- vious to which he superintended them for the Government. He built the Swansea pier about 20 years ago, and his name has been brought prominently before the public recently in connection wlth the Sandfly coal mines, which he was opening up with a vlew to working. The Sandfly tramway, for the purpose of conveying coal from the mines to North West Bay, is now in course of construction, and a locomotive for this tramway has lately been completed to Mr Hurst's order by Mr Clark of the Excelsior Foundry . Notwithstanding Mr Hurst's demise this work will be proceeded with. The deceased was in his 73rd year. He leaves a widow, and three sons and two daughters.
Among the music loving public of Tasmania and more especially that of the metropolis, no name was more familiar in years gone by than that of Camille Del Sarte. But it has now to be recorded on
the roll of the departed; for on Monday last the 2nd July, the distinguished music-master, after a very short illness, breathed his last at his residence in Macquarie street, bronchitis being the immediate cause of death. Camille Del Sarte was a native of Paris but hu arrived in this colony from the island of Java about 22 years ago. Soon after his arrival here he pur- chased what now forms the residence of the Venerable Archdeacon Davies and for some years the deceased resided there. He had not been long in Hobart Town before his name as a practical and theoretical teacher of music became a household word in Tasmania, and so rapid was his early suc- cess in these branches of the divine art that in 1836 he had built for the purposes of his profession and at his own cost that substantial building in Har-
rington street, now known as the Oddfellows Hall, but which was originally known as Del Sarte's Rooms. The speculation was not, however, the success its enterprising proprietor had antici- pated, and eventually he parted with the pro- perty. At the time of the volunteer movement Mons. Del Sarte held the position of band master in the Artillery corps and within the last two years he was entrusted with the conductorship of the Hobart Town City Band. About the year 1869 the deceased left Hobart Town and took up his abode in Sydney, and there for a time he had an excellent practise. Unfortunately, however, he was induced to enter into mining speculations and these turning out unremunerative, Mons. Del Sarte lost a considerable sum of money. He remained in Sydney about seven years and only returned to Hobart Town between two and three years ago Monsieur Del Suite was married, and we regret to say he has left behind him a sorrowing widow and five young children totally unprovided for. The deceased was about 60 years of age.
Our Swansea correspondent writes -"Our town-
ship has been thrown into a state of excitement during the week owing to the sudden death of J A Graham,Esq on Sunday, 24th June after about a weeks illness in the 60th year of his age. He was one of the ablest men in the district, and was in business here for a great number of years."