The Argus/1905/Death of Mr. J. J. Shillinglaw

DEATH OF MR. J. J. SHILLINGLAW

One of the most important authorities on the early history of Australia. Mr. John Joseph Shillinglaw, died yesterday at his residence, Cowper-street St. Kilda, at the age of 73 years. Since 1898 Mr. Shillinglaw has been confined to his bed with rheumatic gout and for some time previous to that date was a sufferer from the same complaint. A few years ago, however, Mr. Shillinglaw was one of the best-known men in Victoria, having been closely associated with Melbourne since the gold-digging days, and having been one of the first to make a (minute) study or early exploration.

Mr. Shillinglaw was born in London in 1831 and was the eldest son of a gentleman who for long held the position of librarian to the Royal Geographical Society. As a youth, he was associated for eight years with Admiral Washington, hydrographer to the British navy, but left England at the age of 22 to migrate to Australia with his father and brothers. Within a few weeks of his arrival, Mr. Shillinglaw was appointed clerk of courts at Williamstown, and two years later he was handed over the (illegible) of the water police—in those days a very important branch of the police department. The adoption of certain Imperial laws relating to seamen, in 1856, led to Mr. Shillinglaw being chosen as Government shipping master, and he filled this position with great credit until a general scheme of (entrench)ment, in 1869, caused him to retire with compensation. Throughout his official career, Mr. Shillinglaw had engaged in literary work, his descriptions of the scenes in Hobson's Bay in the early fifties when hundreds of ships lay at anchor, and crews were deserting by the dozen to go digging, still standing as graphic and dramatic pieces of literature, and enduring memories of that stirring time. On leaving the Government service, it was only natural that Mr. Shillinglaw should turn to literature, and in 1870 he founded "The Colonial Monthly," a magazine to which he contributed vivid sketches. After following literature for five years, Mr. Shillinglaw was reappointed to the public service as secretary to the police superannuation and medical board. Subsequently he held the position of secretary to the Royal Commission on vegetable products, and when this concluded its labours Mr. Shillinglaw was appointed secretary to the old Central Board of Health, of which the late Dr. Youl was chairman. It is in this position that he was best known to the present generation. During his official career Mr. Shillinglaw proved himself a most valuable officer. He was instrumental in securing the foundation of the first sailors' home and was an enthusiast in whatever department he happened to be serving. The general public, however, remember him better by his association with the history, literature and art of Australia than in his administrative capacity. His first book, a work on Artic discovery, was published before he left England. Though he was only 20 years of age, this work earned most favourable notices from the critical reviews of the day. In 1856 Mr. Shillinglaw published a guide for Victorian shipmasters, and in 1856 he edited "Cast Away on the Aucklands" a work of adventure, which "The Times" praised as being "as interesting as Robinson Crusoe." But his greatest work, as far as this state is concerned, is the "Historic Records of Port Phillip," compiled by order of Parliament from documents discovered in 1876. Mr. Shillinglaw was an indefatigable searcher after records and relics of the early days, and he leaves behind him an immense collection of papers and books, which should yet prove of great value. Among these is the Prayer-book of Captain Cook, and a hoof of the first horse which crossed Australia, a relic which Mr. Shillinglaw frequently said he intended bequeathing to the Marquis of Linlithgow. The documents also comprise a large number referring to that great navigator Matthew Flinders.

Personally, Mr. Shillinglaw was most popular. A great reader, and a conversationalist who was brilliant and educative without pedantry, Mr. Shillinglaw made every acquaintance a friend. He was on intimate terms with that brilliant literary coterie of the sixties at the head of which stood Marcus Clarke and Kendall, and there was scarcely a scientific, literary, or artistic movement in which he was not interested. It is many years since he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

His wife predeceased him by several years. He leaves three sons, all of whom live in Melbourne.