George Townley Fullam

290 Foundation 

VERBATIM 

GEORGE TOWNLEY FULLAM  (1841-1879) Masters Mate, CSS Alabama This is the first of three small pieces I am contributing to the 290 Foundation web site. Each will be about CSS Alabama personnel, but with a difference in that they shall have a human interest about them; and hopefully contain information not readily available elsewhere.  George Townley Fullam was born in Hull, East Yorkshire in 1841 and attended the Charterhouse School in that city. I too was born in Hull and our paths join, albeit tentatively. My mother Margaret Collier (1931-2013) worked at Booth’s printers in Hull in the 1940’s. A fellow worker was Brian Fullam, the grandson of George Townley Fullam. Also working there was my aunt Rhodda Jackson. About ten years ago my aunt , now living in Orange County, California, told me of how she knew Brian Fullam and how she knew of his connection with the War of ‘61. Knowing of my interest she gave me his contact details. I contacted him and he called around to see me and let me borrow the book his grandfather wrote ‘The Journal of George Townley Fullam’ edited by Charles Summersall. We met on several occasionsafter that and we had some interesting conversations. I quickly realised there must be a lot of interest in George as he had a virtual waiting list for people to read the journal. In the belief George must be mentioned on a headstone or memorial somewhere in Hull, I set off on one of my many quests to find what I could. There was a possibility of a family monument in the city; but a search of recorded monumental inscriptions revealed nothing. So what did I find ? There is a plaque in his old school, now being used as a museum/listed public building. The plaque however states he was an old boy and also mentions his loss at sea and other members of his family. I was subsequently informed the family had a monument in a small ( very small) cemetery in the old town. There was an old cemetery in Hull, a very small one and only about ten yards from the Registry Office. It still survived in 1971 as I remember going in there at that time when I worked close by; but by 1982 it had all been grassed over and turned into small public garden. In fact I had my wedding photographs taken there. It was here that the Fullam family had a memorial stone with George’s name on it. Sometime between 1971 and 1982 during redevelopment the stone was probably used as part of the pathway in the new creation. Either that or it was simply disposed of, probably unceremoniously. George’s time on the CSS Alabama is covered comprehensively in his journal; but some years ago, a lady from Kentucky told me I should not regard him as a hero as he had been involved in a controversial incident when the ship sank. Apparently, rescued by the Federals, he was given a boat to go and rescue other shipmates but instead rowed to the safety of the Deerhound. I knew nothing of this incident but know that fear and circumstances can lead to unexpected decisions and behaviour. I have not heard of this incident since; but the information did come from a source that has always been very accurate! Being a merchant seaman from Hull has always been one of the most dangerous jobs on the planet, with a terrifying ten-percent in fatality rate. Sadly in December 1879 George Townley Fullam became one of those statistics, losing his life with the entire crew of the Marlborough, which sank in the Bay of Biscay.                                                                                                     Kindly submitted by John Collier, Commander SCV Camp 2161 'Cap't John Low'. John Collier is an Hon. Member, 290 Foundation (BVI) Inc.