Luke Fullam was an Irish Fenian sent out on the last convict transport to Western Australia in 1868, the Hougoumont.
The name ‘Fenian’ comes from a blend of féinne –a band of legendary Irish warriors – and Old Irish Féne – early settlers of Ireland.
The Fenian convicts were political prisoners, part of the secretive Irish Republican Brotherhood working to overthrow British rule in Ireland. These men were generally convicted of high treason, their death sentences commuted to life in prison and then transportation.
Luke, along with his brother Lawrence, was one of the oldest of the men convicted in the Brotherhood Uprising – already in his early 40s at the time of his arrest.
Official records describe him as, Unmarried, shoemaker from Drogheda Ireland. Literate, Roman Catholic, in the mob which appeared in arms in Drogheda marketplace on 4th March 1867.
Tried for treason and sentenced to 5 years with transportation to Western Australia, he was granted a free pardon soon after arrival in the colony from the Resident magistrate in Fremantle on 15 May 1869.
In Perth, Luke and Lawrence set themselves up as bootmakers – a trade in high demand – and set about building new lives.
After a day out at the races with his brother and friends, Luke was found to be missing. Suffering from consumption – common among those who travelled to the colony on crowded convict transports – he was not in good health as a result.
A search was conducted, and Luke’s body was found the next day in a paddock of Mr. Hardey’s, near the road. Luke’s cause of death was noted in the Melbourne Advocate as solar apoplexy, the result of exposure on the head from the sun.
The Mr. Hardey referred to here is John Wall Hardey – older brother of Joseph of Peninsula Farm –had approved the establishment of the racecourse on part of his property, Grove Farm.
Luke is believed to be buried in old Fremantle cemetery (Skinner Street) alongside his brother Lawrence and another Fenian comrade Patrick Keating.
Fenian prisoners were responsible for the construction of the notorious ‘Fenian’s Crossing’ in Maylands – a complicated intersection of both rail and road which caused many an accident before it was modified and reopened in April 1907.
Sources:
Rica Erickson (2009). The Brand on his Coat: Biographies of some Western Australian convicts. Hesperian Press.
Trove: Advocate (Melbourne, Vic: 1868-1954)/ Sat 2 Apr 1870/ Page 15/ WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Freeman’s Journal (Sydney, NSW:1850-1932) / Sat 2 Jul 1870 / Page 13 / NEWS OF THE RELEASED IRISH PRISONERS
Photograph of Luke (left) and Lawrence (right), courtesy of Drogheda Life | Best News & Advertising | Latest News | The Fulham Brothers, two Drogheda Fenians, deported to Australia
