John Flood (1841–1909) stands as one of the most compelling figures in Gympie’s history, embodying the intersection of revolutionary spirit, convict exile, and dedicated civic service. His journey from an Irish Fenian revolutionary to a pillar of the Gympie community illustrates the transformative nature of the colonial experience for many who sought refuge in Australia during the late 19th century.
John Flood’s Revolutionary Beginnings in Ireland
Born in Sutton, Dublin, in 1841 to parents Patrick Flood (ship owner) and his wife Elizabeth Kemp, he was one of nine children. He was educated at Clongowe’s Wood College in County Kildare and afterwards worked under Irish lawyer Daniel Wilson Nolan and was described as ‘Mr Flood, the clever and dashing young attorney.’
Flood abandoned his law career and instead pursued journalism.
Irish Republican Brotherhood (Fenian)
Flood became deeply entrenched in the Irish Nationalist Movement. He first gained notoriety for his role in the 1865 rescue of Fenian leader James Stephens from the Richmond Bridewell, an daring act that earned him the nickname “Smuggler”. He continued his work in the Irish Republican Brotherhood by shipping guns and ammunition from the USA to Ireland.
What is a Fenian?
A Fenian is a member of the 19th century Irish Nationalist Movement that was dedicated to overturning English rule in Ireland. They were active in the 1850’s as a result of growing resentment towards the British control in Ireland. The Fenian’s were active in Ireland, the USA and the UK. Members had to swear an oath of loyalty to independent Ireland:
‘I, A B, in the presence of Almighty God, do solemnly swear allegiance to the Irish Republic, now virtually established;
And that I will do my very utmost, at every risk, while life lasts, to defend its independence and integrity;
And, finally, that I will yield implicit obedience in all things, not contrary to the laws of God, to the commands of my superior officer. So help me God! Amen.‘ (O’Leary p. 121)
The Irish Republican Brotherhood were a forerunner of today’s Sinn Fein.
On the 11th February 1867 in London, Flood attended a large crowd of ‘Fenians’ (Irish Republican Brotherhood) who attempted to storm Chester Castle in order to seize its cache of arms and ammunitions. The intention was to ship these back to Ireland to assist the Brotherhood. However a mole allerted Police to Flood’s participation. Flood escaped and tried to slip back into Ireland unnoticed however Police received another tip off and he was arrested on the River Liffey in Dublin and was charged with high treason. He awaited his trial at Mountjoy Prison in Dublin.
Three months later Flood went to trial. The charge of high treason was withdrawn but instead he was convicted of treason felony and was sentenced to 15 years transportation together with 61 other Fenial political prisoners. The ship departed England on the 10th October 1867.
The Hougoumont Ship that transported John Flood to Western Australia
John Flood’s Exile and Arrival in Australia
Following his sentencing, Flood was transported to Western Australia aboard the Hougoumont and arrived in Fremantle on the 9th January 1868. During the arduous voyage, he served as the editor of The Wild Goose, a shipboard journal that offered a rare glimpse into the intellectual and political life of the Irish exiles. Flood wrote under the pen name ‘Binn Eadair’ and contributed sermons and editorials.
Flood was assigned a clerk position under the superintendent of the penal settlement in Fremantle and was released on the 13th March 1871 on conditional pardon. He launched his journalism career writing and editing a radical nationalist weekly publication called ‘The Irish Citizen’. But gold fever hit, and he and his assistant editor on The Irish Citizen left to prospect for gold in Queensland. He settled in Gympie in 1881.
The Wild Goose written by John Flood on the Hougoumont
John Flood’s Civic Leadership in Gympie
Upon his arrival in Gympie, Flood quickly integrated himself into the town’s growing industrial and social fabric. He founded the firm of John Flood and Co., specializing in mining secretarial work, and later established the Gympie Newspaper Co., which transformed the Gympie Miner into a prominent morning publication. Flood applied for candidacy of the Member for Wide Bay in the Queensland Parliament but failed to be elected. Instead he was elected to the Widgee Divisional Board (predecessor of Widgee Shire Council) and served as the chairman from 1889 to 1892, and then again in 1893 to 1897. .
He also held the following positions:
- Captain of the local company of Queensland Irish Volunteer Corps
- Established the paper ‘The Irish Citizen’ in Sydney
- Editor of ‘Brisbane Courier’
- John Flood & Co, mining secretaries, Gympie
- Owner of the paper ‘The Gympie Miner’
John Flood’s Home, Family and Legacy in Gympie
John Flood was married three times. His first wife he married in Ireland, but upon his conviction, he was forced to leave both his wife and children behind in Ireland.
His second wife was Mary O’Bryne from Tasmania. They were married in Cooktown. It isn’t known what happened to Mary.
John Flood married his third wife, Susan O’Beirne (sometimes recorded as O’Byrne) on the 13th August 1877. Susan was a native of County Leitrim, Ireland and the couple married in Cooktown. They had six children together, four boys and two girls however only two girls would survive to adulthood and by the time he passed away in 1911, his wife had passed away too.
John Flood and his family built ‘Roseholme’ which stood on Ramsey Road where the Southside Shopping Centre is now. He called the home ‘Roseholme’ for his fine rose garden. The house was typical of the Queenslanders of the day, boasting wide verandahs and high ceilings. In an ironic twist a tradesmen’s entrance is visible on the side of the house. After his death, the house passed out of the family, was renamed “Laurel Lodge” and destroyed by fire in 1917. Another fine relic of our past was therefore lost forever and all that remains are some grainy photographs to remind us what once was a fine residence.
Death and Legacy of John Flood
John Flood passed away on the 22nd August 1909 at ‘Roseholme’ and is buried in Gympie Cemetery. He was 68 years of age. Flood had been ill for quite some time and then he lapsed into a diabetic coma. He was attended to by local Doctors, Dr Cuppaidge and Dr Ahern.
A magnificent Aberdeen granite memorial consisting of a Celtic cross was erected over his grave and was unveiled by Irish MP William Redmond in 1911.
The respect he commanded in Gympie was evident at his passing in 1909, when a dark marble monument topped with a Celtic cross was erected in the Two Mile Cemetery in his honor. Today, John Flood is remembered not just as a pioneer of the Gympie goldfields, but as a man whose unwavering principles and dedication to his community left an indelible mark on the region’s history.
Decedents of John Flood
Children of John Flood and Susan O’Beirne (1853 – 1897)
- Eileen Mary Flood 1878 – 1881
- Rosalie Gertrude Flood 1879 – 1961, entered a convent in 1913 and adopted the name ‘Sister Patricia’
- Valentine Patrick Flood 1883 – 1889
- Kathleen Flood 1881 – 1890
- Mary Frances Flood 1886 – 1946 married Claude Francis Morgan in 1916, one child Mira (Moira) Jean Martin Morgan.
- John Oscar Flood 1889 – 1892
Surnames Associated with the Flood Name
Family Connections: Morgan, Bason
Work and Social Connections:
- Lt General Allan Joseph Boase
- Sir Horace Tozer
- Rev Father Horan
- Robert Acton
- Elworthy
- William Tatlock Chippindall
- Fullerton
- O’Neill
- Myles
Sources:
- The Catholic Advocate Brisbane Sat 23 Sep 1911
- Convict Records
- The Fenians Story
- Dictionary of Irish Biography contributed by McCabe, Desmond
References
-
People Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, “Flood, John (1841–1909) – Irish nationalist and newspaperman,” biographical entry including birthplace, conviction, transportation on Hougoumont and later life in Gympie.
-
Obituaries Australia (linked from People Australia), obituary entry for John Flood, detailing his career as revolutionary, convict exile, newspaperman and mining secretary in Gympie.
-
J. M. O’Connor, “John Flood 1835–1909: An Irish Patriot in Queensland,” Journal article (Informit), narrative study of Flood’s Irish background, Fenian involvement, transportation, and public life in Gympie and Queensland.
-
The Brisbane Courier (Brisbane, Qld.), various issues – reports of the Fenian trials, transportation on Hougoumont, and later references to John Flood’s activities in Queensland, accessed via Trove, National Library of Australia.
-
The Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld.), various issues – coverage of Irish political prisoners, local politics, Gympie public affairs and John Flood’s role as councillor and community leader, accessed via Trove.
-
The Gympie Times and Mary River Mining Gazette (Gympie, Qld.), various issues – notices, editorials and reports relating to John Flood’s work as newspaper owner/editor, mining secretary, and Shire Council chairman, accessed via Trove and Gympie Regional Libraries.
-
Gympie Regional Libraries, Local History Collection – rate books, cemetery registers (Gympie Two Mile Cemetery), and electoral rolls consulted for confirmation of Flood’s residence, offices held and burial details.
-
Irish court and transportation records – Dublin Assizes proceedings for the 1867 insurrection trials, and Western Australian convict records for Hougoumont arrivals, as cited in the article for sentencing and transportation details.
Recent Comments