in search of Fishers Ghost: Campbelltown N.S.W

[KANACKI]

in the annals of Australian ghost lore. The following tale is one of most famous and oldest ghost stories in Australia.

Truth of the story has been debated by historian and academics for well over 192 years or so. it is the tale of murder and an unquiet spirit pointing the ways to his own mortal remains that has fascinated many Australians for many generations.

It is tale going back in time to early days of colony in Sydney when todays bustling suburbs was isolated country outposts freshly cut from unforgiving bush.


On 17 June 1826 an English-born Australian farmer from Campbelltown named Frederick Fisher (born 28 August 1792 in London) suddenly disappeared. His friend and neighbour George Worrall claimed that Fisher had returned to England, and that before departing had given him power of attorney over his property and general affairs.

 Later, Worrall claimed that Fisher had written to him to advise that he was not intending to return to Australia, and giving his farm to Worrall.

Four months after Fisher's disappearance a respectable local man named John Farley, ran into the local hotel in a very agitated state. He told the astonished patrons that he had seen the ghost of Fred Fisher sitting on the rail of a nearby bridge. Farley related that the ghost had not spoken, but had merely pointed to a paddock beyond the creek, before disappearing. The following picture below is a historic illustration of Farley seeing ghost of fisher pointing down the paddock.

Initially Farley's tale was dismissed, but the circumstances surrounding Fisher's disappearance eventually aroused sufficient suspicion that a police search of the paddock to which the ghost had pointed was undertaken - during which the remains of the murdered Fisher were discovered buried by the side of a creek.

 George Worrall was arrested for the crime, confessed, and subsequently hanged. Fred Fisher, whose lands he had coveted, was buried in the cemetery at St. Peter's Anglican Church in Campbelltown.

It has been suggested that Farley invented the ghost story as a way of concealing some other speculated source of his knowledge about the whereabouts of Fisher's body, but this cannot be confirmed. the following old black and white photograph below was the paddock where fishers body was found by aboriginal trackers.

For those guests who cannot see the picture I suggest you join the forum to see amazing thing relating to the paranormal.

Was there any truth to the matter?

Contemporary police and court records do not mention the ghost story. The legend of Fisher's ghost has since entered popular folklore and the creek beside which the body was discovered is known as Fisher's Ghost Creek, although it has now, however, been converted into mostly a storm water drain. The picture below shows the location of the creek before it became an urban storm drain.

Ironic such a historic paranormal event was almost consigned to history.

Yet today Campbelltown still celebrates Fisher ghost festival every year. The only place as far as I know celebrate an alleged paranormal event back in the dark days of its history.

Old Kanacki had to did deeper in the history of this classic Australian ghost yarn?

To be continued....

Kanacki

[KANACKI]

Academics have debated this story for years. Urban legend or some real truth behind the legend?

Old Kanacki had to dig deeper into the past...

Kanacki

[KANACKI]

The principle hypothesis presented by academic is the story was created from a real murder and morphed into a moral story preached from pulpit. Some claimed the ghost story took hold around the 1850's almost 25 year after the event?

It is true in later half of the 19th century the story became popularized, with moral plays poems and through popular literature.  It was well on the way of ingraining its self in our culture history and folklore.

But what was true and what was not? Did the event as so told in the story ever did really happen?

Kanacki dug deeper....into history

To be continued.....

Kanacki

[KANACKI]

Digging deeper I found a map of the general outline of George Worrel's farm the murderer and fishers land The victim next door and the location of the creek in the top left hand corner where Fishers body was found.

This may was alleged created in the case against George Worrel in 1826. To show the general layout of the murder scene.

Kanacki

[KANACKI]

On the 23rd September 1826 the Sydney gazette and New South Wales advertiser posted a reward for discovery of the Body of Fredrick Fisher. This edit was issue from the Colonial secretaries office.

You can see the actual edit posted below. For those gusts unable to see? I suggest you sign up to the forum.

One interesting comment in regards to this Edit. Why did the authorizes presume Fisher was dead?

Was it because of the claims of Convict named John Farley would claimed to have see the ghost of Fisher sitting on his Fence point across George Worral's property next door?

Kanacki

[KANACKI]

Some academics claim that the Ghost story first was told in the 1850's as a moral tale of murder and retribution for the evil doer? Told from the pulpit at church to enforce the eternal damnation in the minds of any would be person considering the mortal sin of murder because of greed and desire.

But fact the origins of the story is much older....

To be continued.....

Kanacki

[KANACKI]

In the legal documents of the court case. There is no account given of John Farleys encounter with a ghost?

You can see the account below.

George Worroll stood capitally indicted for the wilful murder of Frederick Fisher, on the 17th of January last.[1]

Mr. Daniel Cooper deposed that the prisoner came to him several times, prior to the deceased being found, respecting some papers, which were the title deeds of a farm belonging to Fisher, in the district of Campbell Town; these papers were in witness's possession and prisoner said if witness would give them up he would satisfy a debt due to witness about £80.  Witness pressed him to state what had become of Fisher; but prisoner, in an indifferent manner, said he had gone out of the country to avoid a prosecution for perjury.  In another conversation which witness had with the prisoner, he said that Fisher had given him a power of attorney to act for him; but witness never saw any such document.[2]

James Coddington, is overseer of a farm belonging to last witness, in the district of Campbell Town.  On the 8th of last July, he was in the township, and met the prisoner, who proposed selling him a young horse, which witness partly agreed to buy; however, having some scruples that the horse formerly belonged to Fisher, who was then reported to have absconded - witness requested to see prisoner's authority for selling the animal, when he presented a bill of sales and receipt for 134l. for four horses, signed "Frederick Fisher."

Thomas Hammond, knew deceased - remembers prisoner coming to him about the mouth [sic] of July last, and offer to him some building boards for sale, which he stated to belong to Fisher - but must be sold to ratify an execution.  Prisoner said that Fisher had left the Colony, and assigned as a reason for his departure, that he was apprehensive of a criminal prosecution being entered against him - prisoner said he would produce his power of attorney to sell - but failed to do so.

In August following, prisoner came with witness to Sydney, in a gig, and put up at the Emu Inn.  On the road, witness mentioned to prisoner, that it was the opinion of a good many persons, Fisher had been murdered.  The prisoner treated the subject with levity - observed him turn pale, and affect to smile.  The conversation on that subject ceased.  It had been arranged between witness and prisoner to stay at the Emu Inn that evening, and return to Campbell Town next morning - but prisoner without stating his intention to any one, left the house, and was not seen until next morning; when he appeared, he said, he had been to Parramatta and back.

A receipt deposed by the last witness, to have been shewn to him by the prisoner, purporting to be Fisher's, was here handed to the witness, and denied by him to be Fisher's receipt.

Mary Talbot deposed, that prisoner received monie from witness, on Fisher's account. - Prisoner said that Fisher was not in the Colony.

Jane Hopkins deposed, that on the 17th June last, prisoner and deceased left the house wherein they both lived, at about the same time - saw deceased about nine o'clock on that evening - he gave some trifle of money to some men on the farm, to go and get something to drink.

Newland, a constable, was employed to search for the body of Fisher - saw sprinkling of blood, on some paling, about 50 rods from prisoner's house - some blacks accompanied him to a creek, at a short distance - Gilbert, the black native, jumped into the water, and with a corn husk swept the surface of the water - then put it to his nose and declared that he could smell "a white man's fat."[3]   The body was found, buried close to - his features, though decomposed, were identified by several persons to be the body of Fisher.  Proof was adduced that the prisoner made a declaration that two persons were guilty of the murder, and confessed he was present, though not an active agent in the business[4] - Guilty. - To be executed on Monday.[5]

to be continued.....

Kanacki

[KANACKI]

Execution, 5 February 1827

Source: Australian, 7 February 1827

 

EXECUTION. -  Monday morning George Worrell, who was convicted on Friday last of the wilful murder of Frederick Fisher, a settler living at Campbell Town, underwent the awful sentence pronounced upon him, in pursuance of his conviction.  The culprit, during his trial, appeared wholly indifferent as to its issue, and that sameness of demeanor was observable upon the retirement of the Jury. 

Criminals in his situation are generally remarked to betray some emotion of alarm upon the return of the Jury, but this was not the case with this unfortunate man.  As the Jury re-entered their box, after having retired for consideration, prepared to give the fatal verdict, the prisoner stood boldly forth, and without betraying the slightest visible change of countenance, heard the fatal verdict of guilty recorded.  His demeanour was afterwards precisely the same, but savoured of sourness, which precluded the society of those who were desirous of conversing with him. - As the awful hour which was fixed for his final dissolution drew on, he expressed a strong desire to be visited by a Protestant Clergyman.  The Rev. W.Cowper promptly attended to the request, and administered to him spiritual consolation.

The Rev. Minister was unremitting in his exertions to bring the culprit to a proper sense of his awful condition.  The criminal, aroused to a sense of religious duty, communicated to his Clergyman that what he had stated to the Magistrates upon his examination, was wholly false, and confessed he alone was the murderer.  It will be recollected by our readers that the prisoner attempted to relieve himself from the imputation of murdering the deceased Fisher, by stating that two persons were guilty of the murder, and that he was present, though not an active agent in the business. 

In accounting for his motive in perpetrating the awful deed, he said, that he and Fisher (the deceased) left the house together, with an intention to go into the township to enjoy the evening.  They were perfectly good friends and had been so for some time before - that having walked together a distance of about 30 rods from the house, he observed some stray horses among the wheat crop, one of which was within a short distance of him, when he laid hold of a rail, which lay on the ground, and thereupon aimed a blow at the horse; it struck his companion Fisher.  The latter, by the force of the blow, fell to the ground.

  The night was dark, but he quickly discovered his mistake, and in raising Fisher up, found that he was in an almost lifeless state.  Fearful of communicating the circumstance to any one he watched by the insensible man for some time, when finding life was extinct, he raised him on his back, and in that position carried the deceased to a distance of about fifty yards.  For that night he left the mangled victim among some rushes, which grew on a marshy spot of ground, and which was strongly impregnated with alum.  Having done this, he returned to his home.

 There was a jovial company of hard working labourers, who had met to spend the evening - but he escaped to rest.  "Ah," said the wretched man, "the evening before this fatal occurrence I was happy; I could boast of being a free man; I had my two or three servants at command, and my orders were obeyed; I was possessed of property; I had a relative who was dear to me, but now how can I dare to meet the face of an honest man to-morrow."  The man died penitent, but left the confession of his guilt to be made known by a person who sat up with him the previous evening.  A few moments only sufficed for his dissolution. [6]


To be continued.....

Kanacki
 

[KANACKI]

I should out of interest show be low was the historical references.

[1] The Sydney Gazette reported the case on 5 February 1827, noting that the prosecution was conducted by W.H. Moore, Acting Attorney General.  Worroll was defended by Mr. Rowe.  The Gazette spelt his name Worrall, and the Monitor Worral (3 February 1827).

Fisher's estate was subsequently advertised for sale: see, for example, Sydney Gazette, 8 March 1827.

This is the famous Fisher's ghost trial, which is so well known in the Campbelltown district.

[2] According to the Sydney Gazette, 5 February 1827, Cooper said that the victim and the defendant usually lived next to one another, but at the time of the victim's disappearance he was living on the defendant's premises.

[3] The Sydney Gazette, 7 April 1825, noted that the magistrates could reward Aboriginal trackers, but that they were too miserly in doing so on some occasions.  On trackers, see also R. v. Styles and Shepherd, Sydney Gazette, 6 January 1831; Australian, 14 January 1831.

[4] According to the Sydney Gazette, 5 February 1827, Forbes C.J. said in his charge to the jury "that when a train of circumstances all meeting in one point were brought together it was almost impossible to have any stronger evidence, more particularly in cases like the one before the Court, where the crime was usually perpetrated in such a way as to preclude the probability of obtaining direct proof."

[5] In this case, as in many other murder cases, the trial was held on a Friday and the prisoner condemned to die on the following Monday.  This was consistent with the provisions of a 1752 statute (25 Geo. III c. 37, An Act for Better Preventing the Horrid Crime of Murder).  By s. 1 of that Act, all persons convicted of murder were to be executed on the next day but one after sentence was passed, unless that day were a Sunday, in which case the execution was to be held on the Monday.  By holding the trials on a Friday, judges gave the condemned prisoners an extra day to prepare themselves for death.

[6] The account of the execution published in the Sydney Gazette, 6 February 1827, said that he "also acknowledged that it was his full intention to hang the two men who were apprehended, in order to save himself, but now he acquitted them, or any other, of having any participation in the crime".

The Monitor (10 February 1827) described the discovery of the murder after an interval of four months as being "almost miraculous".  The Monitor said that he did not die instantly, but that he showed symptoms of life five minutes after he was hanged.  It went on to say that his "body, we understand, was given to one of our Sydney practitioners, as a subject for anatomical and phrenological experiment; the sentence of law having awarded dissection."

Under (1752) 25 Geo. II c. 37, s. 5 (An Act for Better Preventing the Horrid Crime of Murder), the judge was empowered to order that the body of the murderer was to be hanged in chains.  If he did not order that,  then the Act required that the body was to be anatomised, that is, dissected by surgeons, before burial.  The most influential contemporary justification for capital punishment was that of William Paley, The Principles of Moral and Political Philosophy, 1785, reprinted, Garland Publishing, New York, 1978, Book 6, chap. 9.  He argued that the purpose of criminal punishment was deterrence, not retribution.  As Linebaugh shows, the legislature's aim in providing for anatomising was to add to the deterrent effect of capital punishment.  In England, this led to riots against the surgeons: Peter Linebaugh, ``The Tyburn Riot against the Surgeons", in Hay et al. (eds), Albion's Fatal Tree: Crime and Society in Eighteenth-Century England, Penguin, London, 1977.

Kanacki

[KANACKI]

One could imagine why a prosecution would never mention a witness saw a ghost? The deference would of ridiculed such claim which would most likely collapse the case against Worral.

Yet the fact remains the John Farley was a real person. He has 50 acres given to him and 1000 acres in which he was looking after government after government cattle near Campbelltown in 1826 around the time of the murder.

John Farley was not a witness to the prosecution because he never knew who murdered fisher. He was only instrumental in raising curiosity after his claimed encounter with the Ghost of the missing  Fisher. Which lead to his body being discovered by Black trackers.

It as mention his encounter was known to locals at the time.

Digger deeper there is a newspaper account 3 years after Worrells execution. Date 1830

To be continued....

Kanacki

[Simon2]

KANACKI, a very interesting story, to date and I look forward to the additional information you are going to provide.

One point that is clear to me, is that it is most unusual for a well-known local person, John Farley, to tell people that the Ghost of Frederick Fisher pointed to him, where his remains were buried.

John Farley could have told a different tale, but the fact that he talked about being told by the "Ghost of Frederick Fisher", where his remains were added strong truth to the tale as John Farley stood to be called "Mad", etc.

[KANACKI]

Hello Simon.

Exactly...

Here is the newspaper report below dated 1836 that mentions Fishers ghost only 10 years after the event. So disproves some academics theories it was a legend created in 1840 and 1850's because it would not of been mentioned in a 1836.

You can see the actual newspaper below,

Kanacki

[Simon2]

Well KANACKI, I think it would be worth a visit to see for ourselves whether "Fishers Ghost", truly exists, even with all the changes in Campbelltown.

Unfortunately, as you know I am working on a couple of "projects", with the help of Spirits and sometimes Angel(s) and cannot spend my time on smaller Paranormal projects like this one.

[KANACKI]

Hello Simon.

I doubt the haunting exists to day as I suppose Fishers ghost served his purpose of getting body discovered and his murderer caught. With those two things achieved most likely Fisher ghost slipped into the afterlife.

However many a family had a fun time trying to find the exact location of these events. As you can see below. Today urbanization has buried over the site. The story is part of our  cultural folklore now only remembered in half remembered story and festival in November each year.

Ironic to think a disliked petty criminal remembered for his murder and haunting for all time.
Which now has morphed into a multicultural festival in keeping of changing demographics and social engineering of the times.

Kanacki

[Simon2]

KANACKI, quite correct in relation to the spirit of Fisher, having closed the open issue in the physical world would have moved on to, hopefully have a wonderful break in the spiritual world.