Photo Taken by Shark Victim “Kitty” Macully

Kathleen “Kitty” Macully was a keen photographer. This photo was taken by her: –

(Source: State Library of SA, courtesy of ‘Grant GT’ on the Brighton South Australia and Beyond. The Lost History Tour Facebook page)

She was later to become Mrs “Kitty” Whyte and later died as SA’s first known shark attack victim in March 1926.

‘Grant GT’ recently showed this photo from the State Library of SA on the Brighton South Australia and Beyond. The Lost History Tour Facebook page

“Amazing photo I scanned yesterday at the State Library. It is of Brighton Beach just north of the Jetty taken in summer of 1905-1906 by Kitty, then Macully. It was taken from the (Brighton) Jetty and in it she has captured a couple swimmers in the water” he wrote.

One of the comments made in relation to the post reads, “Is that a fin to the right of the bathers in the water?” One or two others seemed to agree that there appears to be a shark right next to the two swimmers.

(Source: State Library of SA, courtesy of ‘Grant GT’ on the Brighton South Australia and Beyond. The Lost History Tour Facebook page)

That being the case, it would seem that Kitty had kind of photographed her own ending by shark attack some twenty years later.

As I wrote at Jean and “Kitty” Whyte (Daughter of shark attack victim died exactly 77 years to the day later), “Kitty” Whyte was SA’s first known shark attack victim. In March 1926, she had been giving swimming lessons to some children at Brighton jetty when she was attacked by a 3-4m shark She was subsequently rescued by two men in a boat, but she apparently died on the beach.” Most reports give the date as 18th March 1926.

An article of mine in November 2011, titled “Kitty Whyte” stated, “Kitty’s actual name was Kathleen. Her full name was Kathleen Duncan Campbell Whyte. She is often referred to as Mrs Primrose Whyte, after her husband Ernest Primrose Whyte. Her maiden name before she married Primrose was Macully. She was the daughter of Reverend Alexander Macully. Kitty was visiting Brighton from Yadlamalka Station near Port Augusta for her annual summer holiday. She had been giving swimming lessons to some children at Brighton jetty on 17th (18th?) March 1926. I think that some sources say that Kitty dived from the jetty into the jaws of a shark. At least one source, however, states that Kitty was already in the water when she was attacked by a 3-4m shark. (There is much speculation about the species of shark.) She was subsequently rescued by two men in a boat, but she apparently died on the beach. She was, however, taken to the nearest hospital, by which time she clearly had died.

Kitty was buried in a grave in St Jude’s cemetery at Brighton.

The inscription on the grave reads: – “Sacred to the memory of Kathleen Campbell Whyte, beloved wife of E. Primrose Whyte & loving daughter of late Rev. Alex Macully of Dunluce, Brighton & Mrs Macully of Dunluce, Glenunga (nr. Glenside), who passed away 18th March 1926, aged 35 years”.

This is followed by a quote by Sir Edwin Arnold: – “Perfect service rendered, duties done In charity, soft speech & stainless days: These riches shall not fade away in life Nor any death dispraise” (From The Light of Asia by Sir E. Arnold).

There is a family grave & headstone adjacent to Kitty’s. It includes the grave for Kitty’s parents and her husband, E. Primrose Whyte: –