Drawings by a prisoner who became the first person to be executed at Darwin’s Fannie Bay Gaol are currently on show at the NT Library, Parliament House.
A Little Bit of Justice: The Drawings of Charlie Flannigan will be exhibited until 27 June following the official opening yesterday afternoon.
“Library & Archives NT has worked with the South Australian Museum to bring Flannigan’s drawings to light after nearly 130 years,” said Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Chansey Paech.
“These are strong images that document the life of a hard worker who came to the Territory as our pastoral industry was still in the throes of development,” she said.
“A talented artist who showed great attention to detail, Flannigan produced these works while impeded by leg shackles and handcuffs.
“The drawings offer insight into Flannigan’s own life as well as the Territory’s history and exemplify the importance of preserving our past through art.”
Charlie Flannigan, an Aboriginal stockman from Queensland, came to the Northern Territory in 1883 as one of the drovers who brought the first herd of cattle to Wave Hill and Victoria River Downs stations. He was a well-regarded horseman and prize-winning jockey who had participated in race meets throughout Australia.
Nine years on in 1892, Flannigan’s fate was sealed when he fatally shot Auvergne Station manager Sam Croker. He fled to Western Australia but later turned himself into police and was transported by boat to the notorious Fannie Bay Gaol.
Flannigan’s death sentence caused significant controversy but despite the public outcry, he was hanged at Fannie Bay Gaol on 15 July 1893 after declaring, “I’m sorry for the life I led, but I’m sure it will be okay where I’m going.”
While awaiting his execution in solitary confinement, Flannigan, whose literacy was limited, created dozens of drawings that depicted his life and arrest. His art provides a unique insight into Northern Territory history and the life of a stockman in the late 1800s.
