Thomas Duggan

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Dianne Jones on 22nd September 2023

FOOTNOTE: As of 22 September 2023, the location of Thomas Duggan's grave, in the Roman Catholic section of East Perth Cemetery, remains unknown. From the Cemetery's online records: NAME: DUGGAN, Thomas DATE OF DEATH: 24 December 1913 BURIAL DATE: 27 December 1913 AGE: 92 years Death Certificate Number: Subiaco 1 ARRIVAL DATE: 10/01/1868 per Hougoumont BIOGRAPHY/HISTORY: Convict No 9720; School Master Goomalling; Late of St John of God Hospital Subiaco (https://www.eastperthcemeteries.com.au/). --00--

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Dianne Jones on 11th February 2023

27 December, 1913: FUNERAL OF THOMAS DUGGAN DUGGAN.—The Friends of the late Mr. Thomas Duggan, schoolmaster, late of St. John of God Hospital, Subiaco, are respectfully invited to follow his remains to the place of interment, the Roman Catholic Cemetery, East Perth. The Funeral is appointed to leave Messrs. Bowra and O'Dea's Private Mortuary, 195 Pier-street, Perth, at 10.45 o'clock THIS (Saturday) MORNING, arriving at East Perth Cemetery at 11 o'clock. BOWRA and O'DEA, Undertakers, 195 Pier-street, Perth. Telephone 308. (From the West Australian, p1, at https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/26893758) --00-- 22 January, 1914: A MEMORIAL FUND Published in "The West Australian", p9: “GOOMALLING. A public meeting was held at the homestead (the residence of Mr. G. Slater) on the 18th inst., to devise means of raising a memorial to the late Mr. Thomas Duggan, who died in St. John of God Hospital, Subiaco, recently, in his 92nd year. Mr. Duggan was one of the exiles from Ireland after the Fenian rising in 1867, and shortly after his arrival settled in Goomalling as a school teacher in the families of Messrs. Slater, Lynch, Chitty, and Eaton, spending 30 years of his life among them, the nine first years being given to the education of the Slater family, where his memory is much revered. When the news of his death reached Goomalling his old friends and pupils decided to do him honour, and were prepared to erect at their own expense a suitable memorial, but as there was a probability of a wider movement being initiated the public meeting decided to co-operate with the Celtic Club and other Irish societies. The meeting was presided over by Mr. W. Slater chairman of the Roads Board, and a former pupil of the deceased. A resolution was carried unanimously-- 'That in the opinion of this meeting a fitting memorial should be erected to the memory of the late Mr. Duggan for his services to his country and as the schoolmaster who did so much for the education of the children of Goomalling for a period of 30 years.’ The secretary was instructed to convey the resolution to the Celtic Club and to Mr. D. Mulcahy, of Fremantle, and to intimate that the committee appointed would gladly cooperate with any movement to do honour to the memory of the late Mr. Thomas Duggan...” (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/26895758). --0--

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Dianne Jones on 11th February 2023

6 May, 1905: THOMAS DUGGAN FALLS ILL Published in the "The WA Record", p17: SERIOUS ILLNESS OF MR. DUGGAN. We regret to say that Mr. Thomas Duggan has become so seriously ill as to have necessitated his removal from the cottage in North Perth to the St. John of God Hospital, Subiaco. His condition was reported by his companion in exile, Mr. Keilley, who has been most faithful and assiduous in his attentions to Mr. Duggan while they have been living together at North Perth. Dr. O'Connor at once directed his removal to the hospital. Two members of the Duggan Keilley Fund committee -- Messrs. P. J. O'Connor and Grattan Grey -- paid the old patriot a visit a few days ago. It was the intention of the Committee, at Mr. Duggan's request, to send him home to his relatives in Ireland (Ballinhassig, County Cork), by this month's trip of the Mongolia, advantage being taken of the circumstance that a grandson of Mr. Duggan is employed on that steamship, and would look well after his grandfather on his journey to his native land. We regret to say there is now little likelihood of this arrangement being carried out, and it is painful to think that the poor old gentleman appears destined never again to see his sons and daughters and his native land. For months past he has been looking forward most ardently to this consummation of his hopes but now there appears to be little or no prospect of his wishes being realised. Messrs. O'Connor and Grey found him very weak, and in the course of conversation Mr. Duggan said that he had abandoned all hopes of ever seeing his relatives or native land again. To his friends it will be consoling to know that at St. John of God Hospital every care is being taken of Mr. Duggan. He has a splendid ward all to himself, and the good Sisters of the institution leave nothing undone that can minister to his comfort. Everything he requires is cheerfully supplied, and he wants for nothing that can make him feel that he is in the midst of sympathetic friends. Dr. O'Connor is also most attentive to his patient. Some days ago a case of grapes reached the "Record" office for the Fenian exiles from Mr. J. Lyhane, of Donnybrook. Some of the grapes were sent to Mr. Duggan at St John of God Hospital, and some to the cottage in North Perth. The exiles desire to express their gratitude to Mr. Lyhane for his welcome donation, and the Committee also return their thanks to that gentleman for his kindly act. Mr. Duggan being now at St. John of God Hospital, Mr. Keilley is the sole occupant of the cottage in North Perth. The other exile, Patrick Killeen, is at present working for Mr. C. P. Doheny, at Guildford, and when he comes to Perth he makes the cottage his home. With the exception of Mr. James Kearney, who we are glad to say is a prosperous farmer in the Lower Blackwood district, these three men — Messrs. Duggan, Keilley and Killeen — are the only members of the Fenian Brotherhood transported to Western Australia in 1868 who are now in the land of their exile. A few others are still in Victoria, New South Wales, and other parts of Australasia, but the four we mention are the only ones now in this State out of the band of about sixty political prisoners who set foot on its shores in company with John Boyle O'Reilly thirty-seven years ago. Mr. Duggan is now in his 84th year. (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/211978330) --0--

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Dianne Jones on 11th February 2023

8 April, 1905: A COTTAGE & A CIVIC RECEPTION Published in “The W.A. Record” (Perth), p23: The Fenian Exiles. Messrs. Duggan and Keilley introduced to Mr. Redmond. After the civic reception of Mr. Redmond by the Mayor and Councillors of Perth, a large party of gentlemen assembled at the Celtic Club to do honour to Messrs.Thomas Duggan and James Keilley, two of the Fenian prisoners who were transported to Western Australia with John Boyle O'Reilly in 1867. There were amongst those present the four members of the committee through whose exertions a cottage for the accommodation of the exiles has been erected, at North Perth, and where they now reside — Messrs. M. O'Dea, J. P. Doheny, P. J. O'Connor and J. Grattan Grey. Mr. Duggan was introduced to Mr. Redmond by Mr. Grattan Grey and Mr. Keilley by Mr. O'Dea. Mr. Redmond expressed the delight he felt in meeting such self-sacrificing patriots as Messrs. Duggan and Keilley. Mr. P. J. O'Connor, in a few well-chosen words, proposed the health of Messrs. Duggan and Keilley. Mr. Redmond, in supporting, the toast, expressed the pleasure he felt at the Irishmen of Western Australia looking after these two old gentlemen and seeing to their wants. It was a trait of Irishmen to take care of those who had rendered service to their country, and to him it was a most pleasing recollection that he was one of those who saw the late Mr. James Stephens installed in the house which had been provided for him by his countrymen. There were differences of opinion as to the policy of physical force, instead of constitutional methods for having Ireland's wrongs redressed, but there could be no two opinions about the patriotism and self-sacrifice of such men as Messrs. Duggan and Keilly. (Cheers.) There was no doubt whatever that the Fenian movement was the prelude to the success of the Home Rule agitation. He was exceedingly glad to meet these two members of the Brotherhood, and hoped they would be spared for many years to come. The toast was drunk amid loud cheers. Mr. Duggan expressed his thanks for the honour which had been done to his comrade and himself, and said he would never forget the kindness that had been shown them on this occasion. Mr. Keilley also responded. Mr. Thomas Duggan is now 83 years old. The committee hopes to be in a position to carry out his wishes and to send him to his relatives in Ireland in May next. Some, of them reside at Ballinassig, County Cork, where Mr. Duggan was a schoolmaster at the time of his arrest. He has been an exile in Western Australia for nearly 38 years. Mr. James Keilley is 77, and it is probable that he will prefer to spend the rest of his life in this State. Another of the exiles who is living in the cottage, Patrick Kileen [Killeen], is about sixty years of age, and a native of Queen's County. (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/211976933) --00--

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Dianne Jones on 11th February 2023

5 November 1904: FUNDRAISING & A LETTER FROM THOMAS DUGGAN JNR Published in “The W.A. Record” (Perth), Saturday, p12: Duggan-Keilley Fund. Amount already acknowledged … £15 17s 4d Amount sent to Melbourne "Advocate" ... £32 14s 0d LETTER FROM MR. DUGGAN'S SON IN IRELAND. By last Wednesday's, mail, Mr. Grattan Grey received the following letter from the son of Mr. Thomas Duggan. The letter speaks for itself: Ballinhassig, 4/10/04. Mr. Grattan Grey, Sir,— I should be very ungrateful were I not to write and thank you for the interest you took in my father. I had no idea that he was so badly off until I saw a paragraph in the Cork "Echo" partly copied from an Australian paper which stated that you appealed for help for him and another of the Fenian prisoners. His letters for some time past were necessarily short as he was not able to write himself; this, and probably a delicacy about letting me know he was so badly off are the reasons why I knew nothing of his great poverty. Of course I suspected he could have but little; at the same time I had no reason to think that he had not enough to bring him home, where he is most welcome. Last May I had a letter saying he had lost his position and not to be surprised should he turn up in Ireland. I naturally concluded he had enough to pay his fare and wrote immediately to say how happy we would be to see him. On the day on which I saw the paragraph in the "Echo" I wrote saying any help he required to come home, I would send. Apologising for the length of this letter and again thanking you for your great kindness, I am, yours obediently, THOMAS DUGGAN. (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/211979730) --00--

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Dianne Jones on 11th February 2023

HARD TIMES FOR THOMAS DUGGAN: 16 July, 1904: Published in the “WA Record”, p4: A Most Deserving Appeal To the Editor W.A. Record. Dear Sir. — I crave the shelter of your hospitable columns to bring before your readers a case in which their charity and patriotism could not be better employed, and the neglect of which would be a standing reproach to the Irishmen and women of West Australia. The habitues of the Celtic Club will have noticed two old men who have, on the invitation of friends, been given the advantage of the splendid reading room and library of the club. Their names are Thomas Duggan and — [James] Kiely, two of the Fenian prisoners transported to this colony after the collapse of the ill-fated rising in Ireland in 1867. It will come as a surprise to their many friends to learn that of these two old men whom history links with the past, one has had to seek the shelter of the Destitute Asylum, and the other is subsisting mainly on the charity of a well-known Irishman in Perth. Whatever opinions we may hold of the scheme of attempting to wrest the government of Ireland from our brutal and incompetent English oppressors, there is only one opinion among honest Irishmen as to the place these undisciplined but heroic Irishmen occupy in the affections of the Irish race. Their conception of their duty to Ireland, their noble idea of throwing off the yoke of England, their demeanour in the dock when brought face to face with the full force of English tyranny, the bribed informer, the wicked jury, the partisan judge, all combined to rescue their names from the obloquy that attaches to unsuccessful rebellion. Previous to the rising of '67, Duggan was a schoolmaster in County Cork, and his great crime consisted in writing an anonymous letter to that brilliant organ of Fenianism, The Irish People. When the office of the paper was seized, Duggan's letter was found, and the handwriting sworn to by the school inspector. Kiely's crime was the same as Boyle O'Reilly's, swearing in some of Her Majesty's soldiers as members of the T.F.B. For this they were transported to Western Australia, and when the gallant rescue of the Fenians was effected at Fremantle, Duggan, who was away in the country, and Kiely, who was afflicted with an unfortunate deafness which rendered the communication of plans at the gaol extremely dangerous, were both left behind. Duggan taught school in the Eastern districts for many years, and was the tutor of many of the men who have reached eminent positions both in the Church and State in Western Australia. At the time when there were no priests to visit the outlying districts he was the means under God of keeping the Faith alive in many a Catholic home, teaching the catechism and reciting the rosary. To the old and new colonists I appeal not to allow these men to eat the pauper's dole in their declining years. It may be said the Home for the Aged is an excellent institution, and there is little difference between public and private charity, but, while admitting that, I think we should let these two old men feel in the few years or months they may be amongst us we can, even if we have to deny ourselves something, show them that we are not unmindful of the sacrifices they have made, and the sufferings they have borne, and that we are not out of sympathy with the enterprise in which they risked their lives and liberties. I wonder what our brethren in America, who spent thousands of dollars in the rescue of the Fenians, would think if we allowed the comrades of John Boyle O'Reilly, John O'Leary, and Michael Davitt to die in the poorhouse and be buried in paupers’ graves? Only those who have been inclined in their youth with Irish ideas on this subject can realise all that this means to an Irishman brought up as these men have been. I have every confidence in appealing to your readers for their generous assistance, and would ask you, Mr. Editor, to take charge of any subscriptions you may receive towards this worthy object. I am, Sir, yours truly, J.P. DOHENY Guildford, July 11th ‘04. [The object referred to in Mr. Doheny's letter is a very deserving one, and we will be most happy to take charge of any contributions that may be forwarded. We trust that our correspondent's appeal will meet with a hearty and immediate response. In the meantime Mr. Doheny’s generous contribution of one guinea is acknowledged, and all other donations will be announced in The Record; as they come. --Ed. W.A.R.] --0--

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Dianne Jones on 11th February 2023

THIRTY YEARS LATER -- ANOTHER LETTER FROM THOMAS DUGGAN: Published in "The W.A. Record" (Perth), Saturday, 7 May, 1898, p8 THE FENIANS IN WEST AUSTRALIA. (By one of Themselves.) At our special request Mr. Thomas Duggan, now residing at Margerin near Northam, has kindly contributed to our columns the following reminiscences of a historic event. The details, coming as they do from one who personally took part in the stirring times referred to, have an additional interest. Mr. Duggan excuses the brevity of his recollections by the length of time that has elapsed, and the preoccupation of a life time passed in the bush. He writes as follows: — We embarked at. Portland on the 12th of November, '67 and arrived at Fremantle 9th January, '68, the late Rev. Father Delaney being our Chaplain. We got up a newspaper of which John Boyle O'Reilly and John Flood were co-editors. I may say, without vanity, that it was I who suggested the name and motto for it, "Wild Goose" and the motto, "They will come again when South winds blow." [In his book, Peter FitzSimons gives John Flood the credit for the name, and motto.] I was also writing a serial story for it called "Queen Cliodhna and the Flower of Ireland," which I heard when a boy in Irish, and which I was amplifying into a serial. The paper was written on board and read out for the men by Denis Cashman. Father Delany and Ed. Kelly also contributed to it. There were, as far as I can recollect, 38 civilians of us, and 17 soldiers. It may be one or two more of each class; it is nothing less, as I can recall the names and features of that number. A few days after our arrival in Fremantle, the civilians divided into two parties. One party was sent to Guildford, of which I was one; the other party was stationed about midway between us and Perth on the Swan. When we were liberated in April or May (I forget which) '69, some people in Guildford were afraid of lodging us for fear of the Governor, though it was at a pensioner's house the most of us stopped. We went to the priest who was then in Guildford and told him about what we heard. He told us to come to his own house, that he was not in dread of the Governor. He is now one of the New Norcia priests. During our time in Guildford, one of the first visits we had was from our now respected Bishop, then Father Gibney, and J. T. Reilly, Esq., now of Northam. When we got the contribution from the Eastern Colonies through Joseph Winter, Esq., the most of us went to Melbourne, and from thence to Ireland or to America. Two of us were kept in prison after the others were liberated, namely Cornelius Kane, and James Kearny, now of the lower Black Woods. Some of us chose to remain in the colony, namely Hugh Brophy, Joseph Nunan, Dan Bradly, James O'Reilly Jeremiah Aher, Luke and Larry Fulham, Cornelius O'Mahony, and Thomas Duggan. Cornelius O'Mahony and Joseph Nunan were well known in Perth for some years, where they got married. Hugh Brophy, Jer. [Jeremiah] Aher, and Dan Bradly, afterwards went to the other colonies, as did also Con. [Cornelius] Kane when he got out of prison. James Kearny also got married here and is now doing well farming at the Lower Black Woods. Luke and Larry Fulham (2 brothers) both died, as did also poor dear Joseph Nunan. The three are buried in the old Perth Cemetery. One of the soldier prisoners, Corporal Keating, of the 5th Dragoon Guards, died in Guildford Hospital. Poor fellow, his is the loneliest grave of all. I do not suppose there is one in the colony who knows in what part of the churchyard he is buried. Cornelius O'Mahony went to Melbourne some years ago, where he died. Dan Bradly also died there, as did Con. Kane a year or two ago. Concerning those who went away at first I have not heard much. Michael Cody I heard kept an hotel in Melbourne. Hugh Brophy also located in Melbourne, where he followed his profession of contractor and builder. I saw in an American paper about 12 months ago of the death of Denis Cashman in Boston, U.S.A. Tom Bains (who belonged to the Pope's Brigade before he joined the Fenians), made his way to Queensland, where Mrs. Kevin O'Doherty ("Eva" of the “Nation”) made up a subscription of £100 for him. I do not whether you have ever heard of Joe Nunan's [Noonan] famous escape from the police out of a railway carriage on its way to London. He was handcuffed in the apartment between two police sergeants armed with rifles. It was late in the night, and he told his guards the handcuffs were too tight, and were paining him. They unscrewed them a little. After some time he found he could work his hands out of them. He did so, and immediately jumped up, knocked down the sergeant who was between him and the window, and before the other man could prevent him he dashed j through the window, and the train at full speed. After his jump he was unconscious for some time. When he came to he found his hat was lost and blood trickling down his face. He bound his handkerchief around his head and went back along the railway hatless. It was then about daybreak. He made his way to the nearest town, inquired for an hotel, went in as he was, asked for a room and writing materials, wrote to his brother in Ireland for money, and remained at the hotel waiting to get an answer. The hue and cry was out next day about the Fenian escaping from the railway car, and nearly killing a police sergeant. On the second evening after he was sitting in his room when a posse of policemen fully armed entered the room and arrested him. The majority of the Fenians belonged to the mercantile, citizen, and farming class. The majority of them were well educated. Some of the best scholars I have met in the course of my life were some of my fellow prisoners in Portland. (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/211845687) --00--

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Dianne Jones on 11th February 2023

FREE PARDON: 15 May, 1869: Thomas Duggan received his Free Pardon [granted in February that year] from the RM at Swan (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930 for Thomas Duggan; Convict Department, Registers; General Register for Nos 9059-9598 cont., 9599-10128 (R15-R16)). For the circumstances of the Pardon, see the article from "The Freeman's Journal" below. Thomas Duggan is #9 on the list of Fenian prisoners in Australia. --00-- 22 May, 1869: Published in "The Freeman's Journal", p6: THE RELEASE OF THE POLITICAL PRISONERS. OFFICIAL LIST OF THE FENIANS UNCONDITIONALLY DISCHARGED. A friend in London has forwarded to us for publication, the following important and valuable document: — Return to an address of the House of Commons, dated 25th Feb., 1869, for a return of the names and sentences of the Fenian convicts now proposed to be released, distinguishing between those confined in Australia, and those in Great Britain and Ireland, ordered by the House of Commons on the 24th Feb., 1869.— Sir F. Heygate... II. THOSE CONFINED IN AUSTRALIA. 1 Jeremiah Ahern ... 7 years 2 Hugh Francis Brophy ... 10 years 3 John B. S. Casey ... 5 years 4 Denis Cushman ... 7 years 5 Thomas Cullinane, alias Bowler, death commuted to penal servitude for life 6 David Cummins ... 7 years 7 Thomas Daly ... 5 years 8 Simon Downey ... 7 years 9 Thomas Duggan ... 10 years 10 Patrick Dunne ... 5 years 11 Maurice Fitzgibbon ... 5 years 12 James Flood .... 5 years 13 Thomas Fogarty ... 5 years 14 Laurence Fullane [Fullam]... 5 years 16 Luke Fullane [Fullam]... 5 years 16 Eugene Geary ... 5 years 17 John Goulding ... 5 years 18 Denis Hennessy ... 7 years 19 David Joyce, death, commuted to penal servitude for life 20 John Kenneally ... 10 years 21 Patrick Lahy ... 5 years 22 Eugene Lombard ... 7 years 23 Morgan McSwiney ... 7 years 24 Robert May ... 5 years 25 Michael Moore ... 10 years 26 Joseph Noonan ... 7 years 27 Michael Noonan ... 5 years 28 Jeremiah O'Donovan ... 5 years 29 Cornelius O'Mahony ... 5 years 30 James Reilly ... 5 years 31 Patrick Riordan ... 7 years 32 John Sheehan ... 7 years 33 Patrick Wall ... 5 years 34 John Burnett Watts ... 7 years (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/115432416). --00--

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Dianne Jones on 11th February 2023

THOMAS DUGGAN'S LETTER FROM FREMANTLE: Published in “The Advocate” (Melbourne), Saturday, 16 January, 1869, p11, THE FENIAN PRISONERS at https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/169266373). Note: The names of men who were transported to WA per the Hougoumont appear in upper case -- my emphasis -- in this article. “THE LIFE OF FENIAN PRISONERS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA. In confirmation of the statements we make in our leading article that the Fenian prisoners are treated with a rigour amounting to cruelty we publish the following :— ‘August 12, 1868. My Dear Pat,—I will endeavour, in the limited space at my disposal, to condense a few particulars of our prison life both here and in Portland. As I have not much paper, I will only state a few facts. It would be impossible for me to describe our sufferings in Portland, more particularly through the severe winter of '66 and '67. If I had room and could properly picture it, it would read more like some horrid chapter in romance than as the bitter realities of life. Should any of you be under the impression that the governor of that Bastile of British tyranny acted in any way kind to us, I would have you banish the erroneous idea from your minds. Is it known how he punished Mr. Luby on bread and water in penal cells, for not being able to do as much work as strong hearty young men? How Mr. O'Leary was in like manner punished for not being able to roll a barrow of stones and brick? How if you spoke to the man working next you, you would be confined upon bread and water, whilst the thieves and burglars of England were allowed to do so, or at least their doing so was passed over? How he confined James O'Connor for three days in a black hole for not saluting him though he stood to attention with his cap off. How Martin Hanley Carey got a month in penal cells for saying we should not be asked to clean a closet which was used by other convicts, &c. To state the number of times he punished us for the most frivolous charges, particularly O'Donovan Rossa, James O'Connor and Michael O'Regan, would far exceed the limits of this paper. On one occasion JERRY [JEREMIAH] O'DONOVAN placed a small slip of paper with some pencilling on it on the block where I was at work, and told me to read it when I could; I took it in my hand without looking at it. We were seen by the warder in the charge, brought before the governor, and because I would not tell who placed it on the block (though he knew as well as myself) I got twenty-four hours on bread and water and poor JERRY got forty-eight. You will scarcely credit what I am going to state about the cold of that winter. I counted on one day sixteen blood-splits between the two joints of one of my thumbs, pointed them out to one of my comrades and told him to keep an account of it. From this you can form an idea of the state of my hands, others of my comrades were far worse. CORNELIUS KANE had to go into hospital with sore hands caused by cold. Michael O'Regan and Thomas Hayes were a fortnight confined to their cells with sore hands though they had to work there. JOHN KENEALY [or KENNEALLY] at one time went to the doctor with his hands very bad; one was worse than the other. He got a glove for that hand, and was told when the other would be as bad as that he would get a glove for that also. You never would imagine that what I am now going to state would happen in any civilised country in the latter half of the nineteenth century, much less in that vaunted land of freedom, Great Britain. In the depth of that severe winter when we would come in from a hard day's work with our limbs aching with cold and the blood bursting from our hands, we would often have to strip naked in the hall, step into our cells without a particle of clothing and there remain shivering with cold, whilst the warder was examining our clothes with the most minute exactness. Sometimes we would have to strip in our cells, throw our clothes out in the hall and remain mother naked whilst he was quietly prosecuting his search when he would throw them into you one by one. This continued twice a week through the month of January. It was discontinued in February, and was commenced again in the bitter cold days of March; of course they never found anything to justify them in their search. There was nothing we felt more keenly than to have to submit to such unwarrantable persecution though the degradation of it will recoil more on its authors than on us. It was during that winter we got the greatest amount of punishment in penal cells. Rossa, during the month of January, spent twenty-three days in separate confinement, James O'Connor a fortnight, and so on with the others. Perhaps you would wish to known how they manage when they are going to give you bread and water. You come into your dinner without knowing whether you are to be reported or not; if you are so unlucky as to be, you are brought before the governor with your shoes off, the charge is made by the officer, it is no use for you to contradict him; perhaps, if you do, the governor would insult you by telling you as he told Terry Byrne, “you were were [sic] a convict, he would not believe one word from you.” Your sentence is passed and you are put into a cell without your cap, shoes, or belt, and minus your dinner. A warder will then come and order you to strip naked, when he will carefully examine your clothes, and after his search lock your door, and leave you there to your hungry cogitations. At night you will get eight ounces of bread and a pint of water, and the same next morning. It would take the pen of a Dickens to portray, in their proper colours, the privations suffered and the annoyances and cruelties perpetrated within the walls of a convict prison. A commission came down from London in May,'67, to inquire into our condition. Now, I can safely say, from what I saw in a scrap of a newspaper afterwards, that if the governor of the prison and his chief warders were the exclusive members of that commission, they could not have given a more favourable report, as far as the prison authorities were concerned. Of course the gullible public took their statements as perfectly correct, and that the unruly Fenians had no just cause of complaint. Far away down the rolling waves of the Atlantic, across the broad tracks of the Indian Ocean, to the end of burning sands, on the shores of Western Australia, there lies a charnel house of despotism where some of your dear friends are pining away in silent and bitter agony, for loving Erin with that devotion for which her sons are distinguished. I suppose you are already aware that we are divided into two parties, that six or seven of our men are employed in the convict prison of Freemantle [sic], and that the soldiers of our party are scattered about mixed up with different gangs of other convicts throughout the colony. Our party which now consists of nineteen men (one, [BARTHOLOMEW] “MORIARTY”, got a conditional pardon and is now at liberty) are employed at quarrying stones. JOHN KENEALY and I are employed loading a cart with them, when quarried, that bears them to a boat which transports them on the Swan wherever they are wanted. It is heavy work under the burning skies of this country, but still it is preferable, as far as prison life is concerned, to Portland. The winter, which is the rainy reason here, is now over, and what a winter. Like a wet July in Ireland. I believe after next month, we will have no more rain for six or eight months, nothing but a burning sun over our heads, and burning sands under our feet. This colony is a miserable place to live in, though, notwithstanding the great heat, it has a fine healthy climate. With an area nearly as large as France, it has only a population of 20,000, and half the number are convicts. This country, along the sea-coast is one vast bush and inland sand plain. By ‘bush’ you must not understand the term as it is used in Ireland; it means a forest. The prevailing diseases of the country are diarrhoea and ophthalmia. I had an attack of diarrhoea since I came here, which stuck to me for three months, and so had a good many more of my comrades. I am also troubled with sore eyes, though they are not very bad, still they gave me some uneasiness; the torments and plagues of this country are ants, flies, fleas, and mosquitoes. You can form no idea of their number. Perhaps you imagine that we have a great deal of liberty here. True, we are not confined within the walls of a prison. As an instance of the liberty which we have I will give you an example. I went one Sunday afternoon with a comrade picking mushrooms, to a cultivated portion of land opposite our camp, and where we could be seen from the door of our officers' hut. We were not long there when we were pounced on by four policemen, arrested within four hundred yards of our camp for being so far from it, marched into Guilford, and kept in a small dark cell for two days, when we were brought up before a magistrate, who sent us back to our party. Such is the liberty a convict has in Western Australia. If a civilian is seen speaking to him, he the said freeman is fined £5:—I remain, my dear Pat, yours as ever, THOMAS DUGGAN.’ --0--

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Dianne Jones on 11th February 2023

17 January, 1868: From the Perth Gazette & WA Times, p2: The voyage of the Hougoumont is stated to have been a very quiet one, the convicts, especially the Fenian prisoners, of whom there are fifty-seven [sic], having been especially well behaved, and amenable to the regulations of the ship. A newspaper conducted by two of the political prisoners, was well got up, and contributed greatly towards ameliorating the monotony of the voyage. The following are the names of the Fenians: Michael Moore, Dublin; THOMAS DUGGAN [my emphasis], Ballincollig; Jeremiah O'Donovan, Ballincollig; John S. Casey, Michelstown; John Kennealy, Cork; Cornelius O'Mahony, Macroom; Cornelius D. Keane, Skibbereen; James Flood, Dublin; Hugh F. Brophy, Dublin; Patrick Dunn, Dublin; Denis B Cashman, Waterford; Thomas Banes, Dublin; John B. Walsh, Dublin; Patrick Doran, Dublin; George Connelly, Dublin; Michael Cody, Dublin; John Flood, Dublin; Thomas Bowler, Ballymacody; David Joyce, Ballymacody; Eugene Lombard, Cork; Morgan Sweeny, Cork; Simon Downing, Cork; Eugene Geary, Glanmire; David Cummings, Youghal; Jerehiah Hyher [Aher], Ballymacody; Luke Fullam, Drogheda; Lawrence Fullam, Drogheda, Patrick Wall, Drogheda; Robert May, Drogheda; Joseph Noonan, Killarney; James O'Reily, Cahirciveen; John Goulding, Cahirciveen; Patrick Teahy, Thurles; Thomas Fogarty, Tipperary; Thomas Fennell, Kilballyowen; John B. O'Reily, 10th Hussars; Robert Cranston, 61st Foot; James McCoy, 61st Foot; Martin Hogan, James Wilson, Patrick Keating, 5th Dragoon Guards; Thomas Hasset, 24th Foot; Thomas Delany, John Lynch, William Forley, 5th Dragoon Guards; - [Thomas] Darrah, 2nd Queen's; James Reily, 53rd Foot ; Michael Harrington, 61st Foot ; John Donoghue, 24th Foot ; Patrick Killeen, John Foley, Artillery; John Shine, 60th Rifles; James Kearney, Macroom; B. Moriarty, Millstreet; Patrick Riorden, Killmallack; Daniel J. Brady, Cork; Denis Hennessy, John Sheehan, Thomas Daly, Maurice Fitzjohn, Michael Noonan, Kilmallock (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/3756842). --00--