Joseph Luker

Joseph Luker (c. 1765 – 26 August 1803) (also spelt Lucar and Looker) was a convict transported to Colony of New South Wales on the Atlantic as part of the Third Fleet. After the completion of his sentence he joined the fledgling police force of the colony, where he became the first officer killed in the line of duty.

Transportation[]

Luker and an accomplice James Roche, on 23 June 1789, were apprehended with 84 pounds of lead that had been removed from the guttering of the house of George Dowling. They appeared before the court of the Old Bailey on 8 July, where they were found guilty and sentence to 7 years transportation.^[1]

On 27 March 1791, Luker departed from Portsmouth, England aboard the Atlantic, part of the Third Fleet, arriving in Australia on 20 August 1791.^[2] His sentence expired in 1796 and Luker as an emancipist joined the fledgling police force. He married Ann Chapman in 1797.

Murder of constable Luker[]

On the evening of 25 August 1803, Mary Breeze’s brothel was robbed, the thieves getting away with a portable desk, containing legal documents and 24 guineas, this is one of a number of robberies that had taken place in the area. Breeze reported to theft to Constable Luker, whom lived on the same street as her establishment. He told her that he believed he knew who was involved and would investigate once his patrol started at midnight.^[3]

Luker’s body was found before dawn, behind Breeze’s establishment at Back Row East (now Phillip Street, Sydney). He had received 16 wounds to he head, the guard of his own weapon was embedded in his skull. Found near his body was the wheel of a barrow and Mrs Breeze’s desk, both covered in blood.^[4]

Surgeon John Harris of New South Wales Corps took custody of the body, to carry out an inquest. Harris concluded that at least four weapons had been used, three of which were identified the desk and wheel as well as Luker’s own cutlass. He concluded that for the guard of the weapon to be embedded so far into his skull that it had been swung while the assailant was holding the blade.

Investigations and trial[]

Luker had implicated fellow Constable Isaac Simmonds in the robbery when talking with Breeze the evening before. Simmonds was quickly apprehended, bloody clothes were found in his room. A witness had also identified him earlier trying to clean blood of the desk.^[5] An associate of Simmonds and Luker, Constable William Bladders was also found with blood stained clothes, and the bloodied frame of a barrow was found in the yard opposite his lodgings.^[6]

Another constable, John Russell was implicated in the robbery. Joseph Samuel and Richard Jackson also were apprehended for their involvement in the robbery.

Simmonds and Bladders were charged with wilful murder. Simmonds was acquitted at trial for insufficient evidence after convincing the court that the bloodstained clothes was from nosebleeds he regularly got. Bladders was also acquitted, after convincing the court the blood was from his earlier slaughtering of a pig.^[5]

Russell, Samuel and Jackson were charged with breaking and entering. Russell was acquitted on insufficient evidence. Jackson admitted the robbery and turned state’s evidence against Samuel. Samuel pleaded guilty to the robbery but denied any involvement in the death of Luker. Samuel was found guilty of breaking and entering, he was sentenced to be hung.^[7]

Samuel was scheduled to be executed 26 September 1803. When asked for any last words, he again claimed his innocence of Luker’s murder and accused Simmonds, whom he said that while they were in a cell awaiting trail, had claimed responsibility while they conversed in Hebrew. After three failed attempts to hang Samuel, twice the rope snapped and once it unravelled, Governor King claimed divine intervention and commuted his sentence to life imprisonment, he was eventually sent to work in the coal mines at King’s Town (modern day Newcastle).^[8]

Burial and Memorials[]

Luker was interred at the Old Sydney Burial Ground on the 28 August 1803, the procession was followed by all members of the constabulary, with four constables as pall bearers including Simmonds.^[9] With the construction of Sydney Town Hall in 1869, Luker and two other policemen buried at the site were reinterred at Rookwood Cemetery.

Luker is now commemorated in the National Police Memorial at King's Park, Canberra.^[10]

References[]