| Stephen Fullick has been proving a mystery for many years
and it was only in the middle of this month, May 2001, that I tracked
down a microfilm showing that Stephen was on the convict indent for the
ship Eden which set sail for Port Phillip, Victoria in 1849. I
obtained copies of his convict records and it showed that 'our Stephen'
was quite a 'lad' and the only Fullick convict (so far) to have spent
time in chains. The Eden
was an 'exile' ship and was refused entry to Port Phillip, following
action by the colonists who were incensed by, and distrustful of,
the decision of Earl Grey to rescind the Order-in-Council to abolish
transportation to NSW. The Eden subsequently disembarked its
passengers in Geelong, where many were transported to Portland, and in
Hobart, Van Diemen's Land.
Stephen was originally found guilty on the 2 December 1846 of
housebreaking & stealing money to buy shoes and he had previous convictions
which were taken into account. He was sentenced to 7 years
transportation and was transferred to Millbank Prison on 12 February
1847. At the time of sentencing, Stephen was described as being 19 years
old, could read and write, was single and a Shepherd/Mat Maker by
trade. He was the son of William Fullick and Elizabeth (nee
Diplock) born 15
March 1829 in Falmer, Sussex.
Extract from the microfilm of the Voyage of the Eden:
Male Transports to be Embarked on board the Eden from
Pentonville Prison, with a sub heading entitled Prisoners
recommended for Tickets of Leave.
The entry says that Stephen was:
Received When: 12 Feb 1847 Whence:
Millbank'.
In appearance, Stephen was a small man, as
were many of his contemporaries
Height: 5ft 1¼ins
Head: Medium
Complexion: dark
Hair: dark brown
Visage: Oval
Forehead: Medium
Eyebrows: Black
Eyes: Hazel
Nose: Medium
Mouth: Medium
Chin: Large
Native place: Near Brighton
Marks: Scar right knee
Stephen was sent to New Norfolk where, a few days after his
arrival in January 1849, he was found guilty of Larceny under £5 for
which he had his Ticket of Leave revoked and was placed in chains.
The chains were not removed until October 1849. On the 28th of April,
1849, there is a record of Stephen having been sent to Long Point,
otherwise known as Point Lesueur, a convict probation station on Maria
Island and from there to the probation station at Darlington. On his
return to the mainland, Stephen spent time in various
assignments, possibly seasonal farm work, and during his time with Mr
Olding of Prosser's Plains, he absconded with a fellow assignee, James
Horne, an 18 year old convict from Islington in London who was
transported on the China. The detailed descriptions kept of convicts
which were published in the Government Gazette when they
absconded, probably aided his early recapture, as no doubt did the
payment of a £1 reward! I am still trying to decipher some of the
records but it looks as if Stephen received a sentence of Hard Labour at
the Prison Barracks Hobart and a diet of Bread & Water. He was
subsequently assigned to Marsh Farm, Mr Hopkinson, Glenarchy
and Thomas Brooks, Glenarchy. Stephen finally received a Certificate of
Freedom in 1853 when , once again, he disappeared into a black hole.
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