A GIANT FAMILY FROM AUSTRALIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9130, 11 August 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

A GIANT FAMILY FROM AUSTRALIA.

Ax English newspaper has the following -. — The Oceana steamship, which arrived at Plymouth from Australia, brought among her passengers three children of enormous dimension.?, known in Australia a.- the Snell giant family. They are Australian born, out the children of Devonshire parents. The father, .Mr. William Snell, was formerly a baker in business at Exeter, where lie married a Miss Elizabeth Snell, also the daughter of a baker. About eighteen years since he resolved to emigrate, and proceeded to Victoria, in Australia, as a selector. There he selected a farm in tiipjisland, at iiunyip, a small country township, fortyeight miles from Melbourne, and entered upon the farming business, in which he has been tolerably successful. In Victoria live children were born, and among them are the three of giant dimensions. Clara Elizabeth was fourteen years of age on the Ist o December last. She Stands oft Din high, and weighs "28 stone olb. Her girth round the waist is HO inches, six inches more than Tom Jennings, a publican and magistrate at Launceston, Hobart, Tasmania, who is, however, .'vt stone in weight, about oO years of age, and the largest man in Australia. Her arms are *22 inches in girth, and the calves of her legs '21 indies. Thomas Snell is oft lin in height, was 10 years old last month, and weighs 13 stone 21b. Anna was 8 years of age on the 7th insb. and weighs 12 stone 21b. Mr. and Mrs. Snell arc about middle height, and of ordinary dimensions, r .ther inclining to be slight. Miss Clara, who is intelligent and well-informed, lifts two cwt of flour with ease. The three children have been subjects of interest to the Australian medical profession. Several private exhibitions of them to medical practioners and students alone, in various parts of the southern colonies, have been given. Mr. and Mrs. Snell and family proceeded to Exeter to visit their relatives and friends there. From Exeter they will go to London, where the giant children will be exhibited, and afterwards they will make a tour of the provinces. They have also engagements in America, and will return by that route to their home in Australia.