Joseph Nunan
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Joseph Denis Nunan (some say Noonan) (February 1842 – 18 May 1885) was an Irish born patriot and builder transported to
Fremantle Fremantle () () is a port city in Western Australia located at the mouth of the Swan River (Western Australia), Swan River in the metropolitan area of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth. The Western Australi ...
for wounding a policeman. He became an architect and building contractor involved in significant buildings in
Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...
,
Fremantle Fremantle () () is a port city in Western Australia located at the mouth of the Swan River (Western Australia), Swan River in the metropolitan area of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth. The Western Australi ...
and
York York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...
. He never gave up his
Fenian The word ''Fenian'' () served as an umbrella term for the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) and their affiliate in the United States, the Fenian Brotherhood. They were secret political organisations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries ...
beliefs and died before he could return to Ireland.


Life

Nunan was born in
Rathcormac Rathcormac () is a small town in north County Cork, Ireland. Previously situated on the main Cork to Dublin road (the N8), it was bypassed in 2006 by the M8. The former N8 through the town's main street is now the R639 regional road. Rathcor ...
, a small town in north
County Cork County Cork () is the largest and the southernmost Counties of Ireland, county of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, named after the city of Cork (city), Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster ...
where he learnt the building trade from his father Denis Noonan. Joseph and his brother Frank established a building company that was able to successfully contract for the construction of buildings locally and in
County Kerry County Kerry () is a Counties of Ireland, county on the southwest coast of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. It is bordered by two other countie ...
. Nunan became a member of the
Fenian Brotherhood The Fenian Brotherhood () was an Irish republican organisation founded in the United States in 1858 by John O'Mahony and Michael Doheny. It was a precursor to Clan na Gael, a sister organisation to the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB). Membe ...
in 1864. This was an Irish patriot organisation who were trying to establish Ireland as a country that was not under the rule of
Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...
. Nunan was named as a suspect when Constable William Duggan, who was carrying messages, was shot near
Glenbeigh Glenbeigh or Glanbehy () is a village and civil parish on the Iveragh peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. The parish includes Rossbeigh beach, Coomasahran Lake and a number of important rock art sites. Owing to its natural heritage, history a ...
in February 1867. Nunan fled to England, but he was identified and arrested in London by an Irish policeman. He escaped on the return railway trip to Dublin by jumping through the window of a train reputedly travelling leaving behind his two escorts. Nunan was again apprehended near
Atherstone Atherstone is a market town and civil parish in the North Warwickshire district of Warwickshire, England. Located in the far north of the county, Atherstone is on the A5 national route, and is adjacent to the border with Leicestershire which ...
and taken back to Ireland. At his trial in
Tralee Tralee ( ; , ; formerly , meaning 'strand of the River Lee') is the county town of County Kerry in the south-west of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town is on the northern side of the neck of the Dingle Peninsula, and is the largest town in ...
there were pleas of mercy for him, in particular, and Nunan was sent to Australia for seven years on 8 August 1867. During the voyage Nunan wrote humorously for the ship's newspaper ('' The Wild Goose'') about his escape from the train and he also organised social events for his fellow convicts. The newspaper was issued and read aloud weekly on board. There were over 250 convicts aboard the ''
Hougoumont Château d'Hougoumont (possibly originally Goumont or Gomont) is a walled manorial compound, situated at the bottom of an escarpment near the Nivelles road in the Braine-l'Alleud municipality, near Waterloo, Belgium. The site served as one o ...
''; more than sixty of these were fellow Irish nationalists. Most of these were there as a result of the March 1867 abortive
Fenian Rising The Fenian Rising of 1867 (, ) was a rebellion against British rule in Ireland, organised by the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB). After the suppression of the ''Irish People'' newspaper in September 1865, disaffection among Irish radical n ...
. Nunan was taken to the convict establishment in Fremantle where he had to remain until 1869. In May the British Government under
William Gladstone William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British politican, starting as Conservative MP for Newark and later becoming the leader of the Liberal Party. In a career lasting over 60 years, he was Prime Minister ...
decided on a more conciliatory approach to Irish politics and Nunan was amongst those who were pardoned. Nunan could have returned to County Kerry but he elected to remain in Western Australia. He undertook to superintend construction of the new convent building in Victoria Square for the Sisters of Mercy, which had been designed by
Richard Roach Jewell Richard Roach Jewell (1810 in Barnstaple, Devon, England – 1891 in Perth, Western Australia) was an architect who designed many of the important public buildings in Perth during the latter half of the nineteenth century. He was employed to sup ...
. Nunan was already known as an expert in design and he had been approached by Father Patrick Gibney who was the new resident priest in
York York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...
to build a new larger church for his growing congregation.


Architect

Nunan established another general contracting company with another builder from Dublin who was also a pardoned, Fenian, ex-convict. The two of them were able to employ ex-convicts to contract for many building contracts. They were particularly successful in winning contracts from the Catholic Church. In 1870 the construction of a police station was completed at Greenough Flats.Greenough
Australian Heritage Directory, accessed 18 August 2013
This was one of Nunan's buildings, but the design has also been credited to
Richard Roach Jewell Richard Roach Jewell (1810 in Barnstaple, Devon, England – 1891 in Perth, Western Australia) was an architect who designed many of the important public buildings in Perth during the latter half of the nineteenth century. He was employed to sup ...
.Ray Oldham
'Jewell, Richard Roach (1810–1891)'
Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, accessed 19 August 2013.
On 21 June 1871 Nunan married Anne Marie Farelly at St Mary's Cathedral in Perth. The following year his partner Hugh Brophy moved to Melbourne, but Nunan continued to take on work. Before he died in 1885 of tuberculosis he had built or designed the Greenough Police station, the Edwards building for the
Christian Brothers School The following is a list of the schools, colleges, and other educational institutions founded, run or staffed (in any capacity) by the Congregation of Christian Brothers (sometimes called the Irish Christian Brothers) since 1802. Some schools no l ...
in 1882–83, St Patrick's Boys School in Perth and what has been called Nunan's best work, St Patrick's Church in
York York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...
. He also built a store and house for
Walter Padbury Walter Padbury (22 December 1817 – 18 April 1907) was a British-born Australian pioneer, politician and philanthropist. Early life Padbury was born in Fawler in the English county of Oxfordshire on 22 December 1817 and baptised on 11 Ja ...
near his flour mill in
Guildford Guildford () is a town in west Surrey, England, around south-west of central London. As of the 2011 census, the town has a population of about 77,000 and is the seat of the wider Borough of Guildford, which had around inhabitants in . The nam ...
. He is also said to have been involved with the building of Jewell's
Perth Town Hall The Perth Town Hall, situated on the corner of Hay and Barrack streets in Perth, Western Australia, is the only town hall built by convicts in Australia. Upon completion it was the tallest structure in Perth. History Designed by Richard R ...
. Nunan died in
Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...
wanting to leave and return to his native Ireland where his affections still lay. Nunan continued to be a Fenian as he and Brophy had served as treasurers for funds gathered from Irish sympathisers in Australia. The five hundred pounds was mainly in Nunan's control and was intended to help Fenians after they were pardoned or had finished their sentences in Australia. There was disagreement that accused Nunan of failing to deliver funds promptly and fairly and that this had led to hardship.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nunan, Joseph Denis 1842 births 1885 deaths Convicts transported to Western Australia People from Rathcormac, County Cork Settlers of Western Australia Irish emigrants to colonial Australia Christian clergy from County Cork