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The White Divers of Broome. The true story of a fatal experiment
In the tradition of Longitude and The Surgeon of Crowthorne comes a gripping work of narrative history, set in Australia's far north-west.
In 1912 Broome was as much Asian as Australian, filled with the smell of unfamiliar spices and a babel of competing languages. It was a frontier town, where racial tensions simmered uneasily between whites, Asians and Aborigines; age-long inhabitants of the land around Broome who had been originally forced to skin-dive for shells, but who were now displaced and discarded as it became harder to find.
In that year, twelve British Royal Navy-trained divers and their tenders were sent to Broome, urged on by a Federal Government deep in the grip of the 'White Australia' policy and anxious to rid the country of the last remaining Asian 'taint'. Their task was to master the perilous art of pearl-shell diving, and overcome the Asian stranglehold on the pearling industry, proving once and for all the supremacy of the white man over the coloured.
The White Divers of Broome tells the extraordinary story of this experiment, and its fatal aftermath. Set against the backdrop of Broome, it vividly conjures up a world where lanes and slums teemed with hawkers, noodle stalls, opium dens and prostitutes more redolent of Asia than Australia; and where pearl shell mattered more than human life.
The White Divers of Broome is a gripping narrative, and a window on a past that echoes with many of the same fears, prejudices and hopes as our society today.
Winner of the NSW Premier's Award for History 2001
Winner of the WA Premier's Book Awards' Non-fiction Book Award 2001
In 1912 Broome was as much Asian as Australian, filled with the smell of unfamiliar spices and a babel of competing languages. It was a frontier town, where racial tensions simmered uneasily between whites, Asians and Aborigines; age-long inhabitants of the land around Broome who had been originally forced to skin-dive for shells, but who were now displaced and discarded as it became harder to find.
In that year, twelve British Royal Navy-trained divers and their tenders were sent to Broome, urged on by a Federal Government deep in the grip of the 'White Australia' policy and anxious to rid the country of the last remaining Asian 'taint'. Their task was to master the perilous art of pearl-shell diving, and overcome the Asian stranglehold on the pearling industry, proving once and for all the supremacy of the white man over the coloured.
The White Divers of Broome tells the extraordinary story of this experiment, and its fatal aftermath. Set against the backdrop of Broome, it vividly conjures up a world where lanes and slums teemed with hawkers, noodle stalls, opium dens and prostitutes more redolent of Asia than Australia; and where pearl shell mattered more than human life.
The White Divers of Broome is a gripping narrative, and a window on a past that echoes with many of the same fears, prejudices and hopes as our society today.
Winner of the NSW Premier's Award for History 2001
Winner of the WA Premier's Book Awards' Non-fiction Book Award 2001
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First published August 1, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
September 17, 2016
An extraordinarily captivating and compelling story of the early days of Broome, a remote outpost of Australia in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Broome made its fame and fortune as a pearl fishing town and at the time before the first world war it was booming. This book superbly brings to life the era, the people and the risky culture of Broome and the pearlers. It is so beautifully written that it is a page turner, as fascinating as any work of fiction. Despite the many unpleasant aspects of the story, the author manages to inform the reader without repelling them. An enviable talent considering how much racism and careless inhumanity were embedded in the culture.
This is a horrifically brutal era of Australian history, when the ‘White Australia’ policy was the main theme under which government operated. Asians were considered undesirable and to be kept out of the country or grudgingly allowed into the country to perform the most menial of tasks. The traditional owners of the land, the Aborigines were treated as less than human and had the most shameful treatment from the White occupiers of the land imaginable. Embedded in this era, an experiment was made to import White men from England to work as pearl divers in Broome. Twelve British Navy trained divers were brought out to try and reduce the numbers of Asians and others working the industry.
The extraordinary story of the Navy divers trying to compete with Asian labour as pearl divers is the theme running through the book, but the majority of the reading time is actually given to the events, personalities, politics and situations around them. I was a little surprised how little of the story was actually about the White divers, or about diving in general. Despite my initial disappointment that so little time related to the actual pearl diving I ended up loving this book. It was fascinating, informative and generally a joy to read.
This is a horrifically brutal era of Australian history, when the ‘White Australia’ policy was the main theme under which government operated. Asians were considered undesirable and to be kept out of the country or grudgingly allowed into the country to perform the most menial of tasks. The traditional owners of the land, the Aborigines were treated as less than human and had the most shameful treatment from the White occupiers of the land imaginable. Embedded in this era, an experiment was made to import White men from England to work as pearl divers in Broome. Twelve British Navy trained divers were brought out to try and reduce the numbers of Asians and others working the industry.
The extraordinary story of the Navy divers trying to compete with Asian labour as pearl divers is the theme running through the book, but the majority of the reading time is actually given to the events, personalities, politics and situations around them. I was a little surprised how little of the story was actually about the White divers, or about diving in general. Despite my initial disappointment that so little time related to the actual pearl diving I ended up loving this book. It was fascinating, informative and generally a joy to read.
July 18, 2014
Read this book while on holidays in Broome. Fantastic read.So disturbing and shocking. Great use of primary resources such as current newspaper articles and government reports. Lots of parallels with what we know about the exploitation of African indigenous people as slaves in America and our own indigenous Aboriginals. Highly recommend- especially if you are exploring Broome and WA.
June 11, 2023
In 'The White Divers of Broome: The True Story of a Fatal Experiment,' John Bailey examines the macabre narrative of Broome's pearling industry in 1912. During the late 19th century, the affluent pearl beds situated off the coast of Broome in the Kimberley region of Western Australia were unearthed by white settlers, who relied on Indigenous expertise. At that time, individuals of Asian descent were employed as divers, or Indigenous people were coerced into engaging in exploitative labour as "black-birds" for their white employers. The prevailing misconceptions about the causes of decompression sickness, commonly known as the "bends," resulted in high mortality rates among the divers.
Following the establishment of the White Australia policy shortly after Federation in 1901, the federal government applied pressure on local pearling operators to substitute the existing workforce with white divers. This initiative was ostensibly founded on the belief that the divers' racial background would inherently render them equal to, if not superior to, their non-white counterparts. However, this ill-conceived "experiment" proved largely futile. Within a mere 12 months, one-third of the white divers perished, and the remaining individuals resigned.
This book also undertakes a socio-political examination of Broome during that era, revealing a frontier town plagued by adverse environmental conditions; racial prejudice and conflict; and a high mortality rate, including instances of murder, frontier violence, and sickness. Furthermore, it elucidates the enduring impact of global events on regional areas. For instance, perceptions of Japanese migrants were influenced by Japan's victory over Russia in the 1904-1905 Russo-Japanese War and their alliance with the British Empire during World War I. Conversely, the advent of inexpensive plastic textiles derived from oil ultimately decimated the pearling industry.
Bailey extensively relies on primary sources throughout this book, including newspaper clippings, first-hand testimonies from royal commissions, and hansard records. By employing clear and concise prose, the author ensures that this book is accessible to all readers. I recommend this book to individuals seeking to comprehend the historical intricacies of the largest town in the Kimberley region, as well as gain a broader understanding of Australian history. It is imperative to acknowledge Australia's deeply racist past, which continues to resonate in contemporary society. Recognising the past and evaluating our societal progress are crucial endeavours. However, Australia still has a significant journey ahead, particularly concerning reconciliation between Indigenous Australians and settler Australians.
Following the establishment of the White Australia policy shortly after Federation in 1901, the federal government applied pressure on local pearling operators to substitute the existing workforce with white divers. This initiative was ostensibly founded on the belief that the divers' racial background would inherently render them equal to, if not superior to, their non-white counterparts. However, this ill-conceived "experiment" proved largely futile. Within a mere 12 months, one-third of the white divers perished, and the remaining individuals resigned.
This book also undertakes a socio-political examination of Broome during that era, revealing a frontier town plagued by adverse environmental conditions; racial prejudice and conflict; and a high mortality rate, including instances of murder, frontier violence, and sickness. Furthermore, it elucidates the enduring impact of global events on regional areas. For instance, perceptions of Japanese migrants were influenced by Japan's victory over Russia in the 1904-1905 Russo-Japanese War and their alliance with the British Empire during World War I. Conversely, the advent of inexpensive plastic textiles derived from oil ultimately decimated the pearling industry.
Bailey extensively relies on primary sources throughout this book, including newspaper clippings, first-hand testimonies from royal commissions, and hansard records. By employing clear and concise prose, the author ensures that this book is accessible to all readers. I recommend this book to individuals seeking to comprehend the historical intricacies of the largest town in the Kimberley region, as well as gain a broader understanding of Australian history. It is imperative to acknowledge Australia's deeply racist past, which continues to resonate in contemporary society. Recognising the past and evaluating our societal progress are crucial endeavours. However, Australia still has a significant journey ahead, particularly concerning reconciliation between Indigenous Australians and settler Australians.
June 12, 2024
I bought this book at the airport after spending a few days in Broome just recently. It is a highly commendable work that rightly won a major literary award (WA Premier’s Award for Non-Fiction). Having experienced some of the history whilst also viewing many of the monuments of Broome the book provided great insight into the town’s dark pearling past. It was also a great learning exercise as, having discovered through my stay in the town, that I had the notion of Broome and pearling completely wrong. The industry was all about bringing up tons of pearl shell and little about actual pearls themselves.
Author John Bailey, to paraphrase his own words, took great joy in the completion of the work, but due to the subject matter (in essence the continued persecution and subjugation of Aboriginal people of the area and all other non Australians working in the pearling industry), found the process very arduous and emotionally draining. The work details incredibly alarming statistics relating to diving death rates and a profit at all cost mentality that drove the industry. Political influences such as the adoption of the White Australia Policy at the time, and how it needed to be shown that whites were superior to coloureds (in the end both unsuccessfully and with immense tragedy), is a cornerstone of the work.
A highly intelligent, immensely interesting and abjectly harrowing tale of the world of the pearling industry that was based in Broome from around 1890 through to the end of WW1.
Author John Bailey, to paraphrase his own words, took great joy in the completion of the work, but due to the subject matter (in essence the continued persecution and subjugation of Aboriginal people of the area and all other non Australians working in the pearling industry), found the process very arduous and emotionally draining. The work details incredibly alarming statistics relating to diving death rates and a profit at all cost mentality that drove the industry. Political influences such as the adoption of the White Australia Policy at the time, and how it needed to be shown that whites were superior to coloureds (in the end both unsuccessfully and with immense tragedy), is a cornerstone of the work.
A highly intelligent, immensely interesting and abjectly harrowing tale of the world of the pearling industry that was based in Broome from around 1890 through to the end of WW1.
September 22, 2018
Having recently relocated to Broome I am fascinated by the history of the place and the complex cross cultural experiences brought about through the pearling industry.
John Bailey presents some incredible insight, supported by primary sources that paint a rich historical scene. He pulls few punches when it comes to telling of the experiences of the Indigenous communities in this part of the community, which is refreshing. Whilst he also presents plenty of personal anecdotes covering different perspectives, however, it felt at times that the narrative of the English divers meandered wildly as differing elements were presented and from a mixed timeline, and it also felt that the ending was sudden and rushed.
This was definitely worth a read and deserves at least 3.5 stars from me. I know more than I did and I enjoyed reading this book.
John Bailey presents some incredible insight, supported by primary sources that paint a rich historical scene. He pulls few punches when it comes to telling of the experiences of the Indigenous communities in this part of the community, which is refreshing. Whilst he also presents plenty of personal anecdotes covering different perspectives, however, it felt at times that the narrative of the English divers meandered wildly as differing elements were presented and from a mixed timeline, and it also felt that the ending was sudden and rushed.
This was definitely worth a read and deserves at least 3.5 stars from me. I know more than I did and I enjoyed reading this book.
October 23, 2014
I have a few people who I trade books and book recommendations with regularly, but not all of them have the same taste as I do. It's good, because it means I read things I wouldn't normally read or didn't even know about. This was the case for The White Divers of Broome which landed in my hands while recently in Sydney visiting my aunt.
The White Divers of Broome documents the little known history of pearl diving in Broome, when in 1912 around the time of the introduction of the 'White Australia' policy, it was decided that the pearl diving industry (which until now employed mainly Japanese, Malay and some Aboriginal divers) should also employ White Australians. Asian labour was cheap and they were willing to do such a dangerous job. That year the White Experiment was launched. Twelve British Royal Navy-trained divers and their tenders were brought out from England to Broome to master the art of pearl shell diving and prove that the white man was just as adept as the Asian. The pearl shell masters were unimpressed and unwilling to take on the British men, because they were more expensive , demanded better conditions and the non-white crews were unwilling to work with them.
This is a fascinating slice of history, taking place before the first world war. Australia was still a young country, newly federated, with all sorts of issues still entrenched in British ways and customs. Pearl shell diving was very dangerous, somewhat undignified work, and the Government was unsure whether they wanted to leave it to the imported workers from Asia or whether they wanted whites to have all the jobs. It's an interesting contraction that they found themselves in and one that they obviously didn’t know how to solve.
This book was told partly in narrative form and partly as a simply recount of events and relay of information about pearl shell diving. What, in fiction, we would call an information dump was necessary because how many people know how pearl shell diving was conducted in the early 1900s? Without it I would have had no idea what was going in but at times it felt like too much information at once. It also wasn’t a narrative that ran in a chronological order, but rather drifted between times and events, following one series of happenings before switching to something else. Not everything in the narrative was relevant to pearl shell diving but it all helped to paint a vivid picture of Broome during an uncertain time for all.
As you may have realised by the tagline, The true story of a fatal experiment, it didn’t exactly go well for the English divers. The waters off Broome were much different from what they were used to diving in England, and even with new pumps they were trying out and the sure fire method of slowly rising from the deep in stages to prevent the bends, it wasn’t always enough. So it makes you wonder, though we are told that there were Japanese and the Malay divers who were also paralysed or even died, it wasn’t at as high a rate as the English. Or is that because their deaths and paralysis weren’t as well documented and were able to be ‘replaced’? Were the Japanese and Malays really better divers? Did they really lead the English into poor diving waters to make a point? The book ends leaving the reader with a few questions that I guess we will never really know the answer to. That’s history for you!
An interesting look into a part of history I knew nothing about before reading. Now I feel like I know all about pearl shell diving! (Kidding, still don’t know why it’s necessary, but you know, that's history. Just cause we don't like it now doesn't mean it didn't happen).
The White Divers of Broome documents the little known history of pearl diving in Broome, when in 1912 around the time of the introduction of the 'White Australia' policy, it was decided that the pearl diving industry (which until now employed mainly Japanese, Malay and some Aboriginal divers) should also employ White Australians. Asian labour was cheap and they were willing to do such a dangerous job. That year the White Experiment was launched. Twelve British Royal Navy-trained divers and their tenders were brought out from England to Broome to master the art of pearl shell diving and prove that the white man was just as adept as the Asian. The pearl shell masters were unimpressed and unwilling to take on the British men, because they were more expensive , demanded better conditions and the non-white crews were unwilling to work with them.
This is a fascinating slice of history, taking place before the first world war. Australia was still a young country, newly federated, with all sorts of issues still entrenched in British ways and customs. Pearl shell diving was very dangerous, somewhat undignified work, and the Government was unsure whether they wanted to leave it to the imported workers from Asia or whether they wanted whites to have all the jobs. It's an interesting contraction that they found themselves in and one that they obviously didn’t know how to solve.
This book was told partly in narrative form and partly as a simply recount of events and relay of information about pearl shell diving. What, in fiction, we would call an information dump was necessary because how many people know how pearl shell diving was conducted in the early 1900s? Without it I would have had no idea what was going in but at times it felt like too much information at once. It also wasn’t a narrative that ran in a chronological order, but rather drifted between times and events, following one series of happenings before switching to something else. Not everything in the narrative was relevant to pearl shell diving but it all helped to paint a vivid picture of Broome during an uncertain time for all.
As you may have realised by the tagline, The true story of a fatal experiment, it didn’t exactly go well for the English divers. The waters off Broome were much different from what they were used to diving in England, and even with new pumps they were trying out and the sure fire method of slowly rising from the deep in stages to prevent the bends, it wasn’t always enough. So it makes you wonder, though we are told that there were Japanese and the Malay divers who were also paralysed or even died, it wasn’t at as high a rate as the English. Or is that because their deaths and paralysis weren’t as well documented and were able to be ‘replaced’? Were the Japanese and Malays really better divers? Did they really lead the English into poor diving waters to make a point? The book ends leaving the reader with a few questions that I guess we will never really know the answer to. That’s history for you!
An interesting look into a part of history I knew nothing about before reading. Now I feel like I know all about pearl shell diving! (Kidding, still don’t know why it’s necessary, but you know, that's history. Just cause we don't like it now doesn't mean it didn't happen).
February 5, 2018
This is an account of life in Broome in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In particular it follows life in the pearling industry, the getting of shell, or mother of pearl is the basis, plus the riches from finding pearls. We think these days it's all about the pearl, but the actual shell was worth a lot, that's what divers brought back in their sacks from the seabed. Bailey produces a tragic story, with much more than the sorry tale of nine English divers brought out to see if white men could do as well as Asiatics on the job. The industry begins with cruel exploitation of Indigenous men and women. The need to go deeper for more shell led to Japanese divers coming to the fore, they were very successful for their employers. Set at the time of the White Australia policy being made law, employers were adamant only coloured people could do this job. Broome was in the iron fist of white businessmen determined to make a profit from the cheapest most compliant labour force. The law was on their side, workers suffered gaol and hard labour if they gave trouble. It's a terrible record of the cruelty inflicted in the name of profit.
January 28, 2013
An outstanding researched and presented novel on a little known part of Australia's history.
January 24, 2014
Interesting. A little known chapter in Australian history. I'm drawn to the pearling industry & all things to do with it's history, so I enjoyed it a lot.
April 2, 2022
This book has left me feeling more disturbed than I was expecting. It leaves you feeling quite gutted. Maybe I should have given it 4 stars, for telling so thoroughly a tale worth telling. I love any book that cites primary sources of information...a decent bibliography. I think I wasn't prepared for having the breadth and depth of the nastiness behind the White Australia Policy discussed in forensic detail. Apart from that, my curiosity about the history of this remote part of the world has been satisfied...at least the modern history. I now see the history of Broome (since European settlement) as the wild west on steroids. It was a fascinating read, unputdownable for sure! But my overall impression is how dark and sinister is the intersection between unrestrained commercial greed and white privilege. I am glad to have this gap in my knowledge filled so competently.
May 2, 2018
In his introduction the author describes the writing of the book as a 'drawn out wrestle with the devil'. This wrestle is apparent in the text, where the author has been unable to resist including large amounts of research, which while interesting, is not directly relevant to the story of the 'white' divers who came to Broome to try to remove the stranglehold the Japanese divers had on the pearl diving industry. The history of diving for pearl shells in Australia is undoubtedly fascinating and this book may have been better if the author had decided to write on the industry as a whole, with perhaps a chapter on the 'white' divers.
January 12, 2023
An enjoyable and informative read about Broome in the early 1900’s & the perils of pearl diving but the main take away for me was the prevalent racism of the period. The support and development for the White Australia Policy, mandated by the people and enforced by the government was an eye opener for me. The level of disregard for the lives and welfare of indigenous and non-white population was deeply troubling to read about. Open and institutional racism as described here is a dark stain on our nation and in my view a stain we have yet to fully acknowledge and make recompense.
June 27, 2018
I wish I had of found this book when I was in Broome Feb 2018. I just happen to find it at a swap bookshelf at a coffee shop after I was home. So interesting and full of history, of the life of the town, good and bad. If your planing a trip to Broome, and like to know some of the history of the Town, I recommend reading this first.
January 24, 2021
Originally bought this book when we were in Broome in '02 but didn't pick it up and start reading for three years. Australia, in its recent past, has had many god-awful, indefensible policies and this touches on some of them. The treatment of aboriginals and all non-whites. Then too, life was damn hard for everyone, just not quite so bad if you were white.
April 15, 2020
Read this as part of my research on history of Broome. This is a very informative book with the stories not widely known; however wish I could see more of what other Asian divers or crew thought of the white divers (wonder if those accounts are available?)
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October 21, 2023After 1901 formation of Commonwealth of Australia, the government tried to get rid of all coloured people. A group of Navy divers from Britain were brought over to replace the Japanese and Malays in Broome. They all failed. 3 died, the rest moved on.
October 27, 2019
A must read for anyone living in WA. But slow at time but an incredible story and critical history lesson that still reflects current attitudes in Australian society
January 13, 2025
Bit too much history on the town of Broome for my liking, not enough on the pearl diving itself. Didn't enjoy as much as John Bailey's other works like Mr Stuart's track.
February 17, 2025
Such an interesting look at the history of Australia's Broome. I learned so much.
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September 27, 2025I dont know much about Australian history and the story of racism around Broome and the pearling industry was shocking. Interesting but sad read
January 1, 2019
3 Stars = Okay. I liked the book. It was worth reading.
April 11, 2022
Couldn't put it down, then again I live here
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews