Reginald Spencer Browne

Major R. Spencer Browne. Commander of the 1st battalion of the Qld Mounted Infantry, 1901

Major General Reginald Spencer Browne, CB (13 July 1856 – 9 November 1943) was a journalist, newspaper editor, and an Australian Imperial Force general in the First World War.

Early life and career Reginald Spencer Browne (a.k.a. Browne, R. Spencer; Browne, Spencer; Spencer-Browne, Reginald ) was born at Oaklands, Appin, New South Wales on 13 July 1856, the son of a pastoralist. His father, also born in Australia, was a superintending officer of yeomanry. Browne was educated at Appin, Corowa and in England. He became journalist, working for several newspapers including the Albury Banner and the Deniliquin Pastoral Times, before becoming sub editor of the Townsville Herald in 1877, editor of the Cooktown Herald in 1878 and editor of the Brisbane Observer in 1881. In 1882 Browne joined the Brisbane Courier, and stayed there nearly all of his working life, until 1936. Browne was demobilized on 17 December 1918, and was formally retired on 20 October 1921 as an honorary major general.

Post-war For two years (1921–1922) Browne was State president of the Queensland branch of the Returned Sailors and Soldiers Imperial League of Australia. From 1925 to 1927, he contributed weekly articles to the Courier on his memories of people and events in 19th century Queensland. These were collected and published as A Journalist's Memories in 1927. The book is considered a reliable source of much information on the history and legends of Queensland.

Personal In 1881 Browne moved to Brisbane and married Violet Edith Fanny Sutton of Maryborough on 13 October. She died soon afterwards. On 7 August 1889 he had married Catherine Fraser Munro (d.1942), a noted musician and amateur actress. He had been interested primarily in pastimes like polo, shooting and fishing, but henceforth shared wide cultural interests with his wife.

He died, childless, in Brisbane on 9 November 1943, and was cremated.

Publications Romances of goldfield and bush by R. Spencer Browne, London : Gordon and Gotch, 1890. The heroic Serbians : an appeal for help by Spencer Browne, Weymouth : Sherren, 1916, 1917, 1918. A Journalist's Memories by Spencer Browne, Brisbane : Read Press, 1927. The men of Queensland / Stanley Bruce Kennard: notes and recollections by Spencer Browne, Brisbane : H.J. Diddams, 1927. The sheep industry by Spencer Browne, Brisbane, 1942. Brisbane Theatre of the Old Days by Reginald Spencer Browne, in In The Early Days by J.J. Knight, n.d. Foundation of the Brisbane Courier by Reginald Spencer Browne, n.d.

Manuscripts George Essex Evans: an appreciation by Spencer Browne, 1931. "Address delivered at Essex Evans Memorial, Toowoomba, 18 June 1931." Songs of the sixties by Spencer Browne, [1940–41?]. "A lecture delivered at...on...with musical accompaniments provided by Mrs Spencer Browne."