The information available on ‘Professor’ Fuller is scanty, and there is an impression that more should be available. No connection has been drawn to any known performer, either from Europe or the United States. However, this short story tells as much as we know, and awaits future updates.

The first appearance of Professor Fuller is a brief advertisement in the Argus, July 13, 1866. The ‘great magician from London’ is due to give his first performance at the Canterbury Hall, Melbourne on the fourteenth. Canterbury Hall was a name used at some stage in its history since opening in April 1841 as the ‘Royal Pavilion Saloon’ next to the Eagle Tavern in Bourke Street. It was quickly renamed as the Theatre Royal, and later still the Royal Victoria. We can assume that it was little more than an ante-room of the tavern. No further commentary on his performance can be found.

By July 31, Fuller had moved to Castlemaine, in the process magically transforming himself into “The American Illusionist and Ventriloquist”. He was part of Miss Kate Sedwick’s company with an ‘evenings at home’ show at the Mechanics’ Institute, on August 1 only.  Fuller took part as a humorous singer in Part 1, then featured in Part 2 with Natural Magic and Spirit Rapping. The naivety or boldness of their venture is breathtaking, as on the previous night Professor Joseph Jacobs, the “Wizard Jacobs”, had made his last appearance at the Castlemaine Theatre Royal prior to returning to Melbourne. There can be no chance that Fuller’s magic would have drawn an audience just one day after the juggernaut which was Jacobs.

These shows were most notable for featuring a performer named Henry B.Wilton whose appearance as a singer was reported as being a complete disaster, and with good reason.  Wilton, whose full tale is documented in the essay “H.B. Wilton and the Somatic Conjurer”, was an ex-convict named John Patey who, only a month ago, had beaten a hasty retreat from Launceston, Tasmania, before the law could apprehend him; and this was one of his earliest attempts at performance, under an assumed name.

The Bendigo Advertiser of August 6 was unkind to Professor Fuller, saying, “Miss Kate Sedgwick sang, and showed she had a sweet voice to delight a small party; the magical efforts of Professor Fuller, would not astound a crowd of the commonest little ragamuffins.”  Of Wilton, Fuller and the whole company, the Advertiser was scathing about their Part Three farce, ‘Handy Andy’ saying “it was soon apparent that the farce was a farce indeed … the audience hissed and shouted and chorused and roared till the performance was brought to a premature end, when there was a general clearing out, and no time was lost in turning off the gas.”

Curiously, there was another Fuller performing in Australia, but there seems to be no relationship whatever.  W.H.Fuller, under the management of George Coppin, was a champion ice and roller skater and had a successful tour with his roller skating, during 1866.

Professor Fuller returned to the Canterbury Hall in Melbourne for three nights from August 23, and little else is heard of him during the rest of 1866. Possibly he found magic unprofitable, as from December he started to advertise in the local Melbourne newspaper, ‘The Telegraph’:-

Mid-May 1867 brings us a little more information about Fuller playing at ‘The Varieties’ (probably the small hall at 90 Bourke Street) with sleight-of-hand, “assisted by a most melodramatic-looking clown, being the operator. Some of the illusions are very cleverly done.”

Then, on May 21, the Tasmanian Times (Hobart) wrote:-
“We are sorry to learn that the Californian Wizard, Professor Fuller, who we had received information was about to visit Tasmania with the Christy’s Minstrels, that are expected to arrive here next month, is prevented from coming by a still more important engagement, which compels him almost immediately to return to Europe. Mr. Fuller is the ne plus ultra of Wizards, even when considering the merits of Anderson, Frikel, Bosco, Houdin, Hambourger and Stodain (sic.). Belonging to what is termed the severe school, he trusts not to gorgeous paraphernalia and complicated mechanism – a plain floor and a common deal table are sufficient with him. No loose sleeves, attendant sprites, &c. does he need, and yet his performances are simply wonderful. We trust that he may yet find time to pay us a flying visit.”

And with his best ever review, wholly unseen and totally unwarranted, Professor Fuller vanishes from our sight.