Daryl Ciubal/AIATSIS - here

This is more of Fernando's fascinating life story.

Anthony Fernando (1864-1949) stated that he was born on 6 April 1864 at Woolloomooloo, Sydney. His mother was Aboriginal, and his father likely of South Asian origin. Following the witnessing of a murder of an Aborigine by two white men, the refusal of his evidence and the men’s acquittal, Fernando left Australia in disgust.

He embarked on a life of protest against the treatment of his people. He travelled throughout Asia and Europe working as a welder, servant, trader and toymaker. He settled in Italy for a while, adopting the solid working-class name of Anthony Fernando. He frequently came up against British authorities who disputed and didn’t recognise his Australian citizenship – as there was no record of his birth. He was interned in Austria during the First World War.

After the war, from his base in Italy, Fernando made representations to the League of Nations and petitioned the Pope. In 1923, following his arrest for distributing pamphlets declaring that the British race was exterminating his people, he was deported to Britain.

He briefly returned to the continent, but by 1928 he was back in London making speeches at Hyde Park and protesting outside Australia House. He was famous for pinning toy skeletons to his outer garments and handing them out to passers-by saying: “this is what Britain has done to my people.” In January 1929, described as a toy hawker, he appeared at the Old Bailey charged with drawing a revolver in response to a racial taunt. When Fernando appeared in court, he received a sympathetic hearing and was given a suspended gaol sentence.

In January 1938, Fernando was back before the courts, this time accused of assaulting a fellow lodger. Unrepentant, he continued protesting at the treatment of his people. He was sentenced to three months imprisonment. Later, Fernando retired to an old men's home in Ilford, Essex, where he died on 9 January 1949.