The Pensioner Guards were English military personnel who served on convict transportation ships en route to the Swan River Colony between 1850 and 1868, and were given employment and grants of land on arrival.[2] Their initial employment lasted for six months, or the duration of the voyage, whichever was the longer time. After this they became "pensioners" and had to serve 12 days per year as well as whenever called upon.[3] They paraded annually in Perth at the Pensioner Barracks. Part of their purpose was to fulfil a promise by the British government to send free settlers to the colony to dilute the convicts, and to maintain law and order in the colony.[4]
Many enlisted in the British Army as boys, around 15–17 years of age, and served in many parts of the world including India, Afghanistan, China, Crimea for about 21 years before being pensioned off. This meant a number of guards were under 40 years of age and had young families when they came to Western Australia. As an incentive they were promised a two-roomed cottage[5][6] and a plot of land sufficient to grow crops, vegetables and keep livestock. It was a chance for a new and better life and a large number of families remained as settlers.[7][8]
In 1858, many of the Enrolled Pensioner Guards in the colony contributed to the Indian Relief Fund that had been set up in England following the Indian Mutiny of 1857.[9] Many of the EPGs had served in India with the British Army before their retirement. The mutiny led to the ending of the East India Company in 1858, and the establishment of the British Raj.[8]
A settlement for the Pensioners was established near Lake Coogee in 1876, and ruins of two stone cottages from this time are extant,[10] along with a well on the shore of the lake. This location was chosen as it lay on the main route from Fremantle to Albany, but was never popular and although a few cottages, gardens, and orchards were established the settlement did not flourish. John Hyland, James Cunningham, and John Gilbride were involved in this settlement.[10] The site lies within the buffer zone of the Woodman Point wastewater treatment plant.
After 1880, they were known as the Enrolled Guards.[1][11]
Fremantle shipwright Thomas William Hamilton was the son of a pension guard[13]
Membershipedit
The strength of the force was estimated at seventy souls.[14] Membership included the following guardsmen when Disbanded March 31, 1887.[15] In 1857, while the 12th Regiment were still present as Garrison, at least 130 pensioner guards paid to support a Crimean war nursing fund.[16]
^ abState Library of Western Australia. . Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
^Vines, Freda (1967), An attempt to estimate the number of members of the Enrolled Pensioner Force who came to W.A. as guards on convict ships between 1850 and 1868, from C.S.O. records in Battye Library, retrieved 12 November 2015
^"Pensioners in Convict Ships". The Inquirer. Perth, WA: National Library of Australia. 20 March 1850. p. 3. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
^Gray, Laura; Sauman, Irene. "1 Surrey St Conservation Management Plan". Town of Bassendean. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
^Bridges, Paul; Humphrey, Val (2002), Pensioner Guard Museum Project : a vision for a community museum, P. Bridges?], retrieved 12 November 2015
^Broomfield, Warwick; Bassendean (W.A. : Municipality). Council; Heritage Council of Western Australia (1993), The Pensioner Guard Cottage, Surrey Street -Bassendean : report and heritage assessment, distributed by Heritage Council of W.A.], retrieved 12 November 2015
^Broomhall, F. H. (Frank H.); Hesperian Press (1989), The veterans : a history of the Enrolled Pensioner Force in Western Australia 1850-1880, Hesperian Press, ISBN978-0-85905-103-3
^ ab2 Cottages (ruins), State Heritage Office, retrieved 12 November 2015
^"Old Perth". The West Australian. Vol. XLVII, no. 9, 082. Western Australia. 4 August 1931. p. 6. Retrieved 30 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Early Shipwrights". The West Australian. Vol. XLVIII, no. 9, 241. Western Australia. 6 February 1932. p. 7. Retrieved 30 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
^ ab"When Sentries Stood in Perth Streets". The Daily News. Vol. LIV, no. 18, 486. Western Australia. 16 June 1934. p. 14 (Late City). Retrieved 30 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
^"The Enrolled Guard". The Inquirer and Commercial News. Vol. XLVII, no. 2680. Western Australia. 6 April 1887. p. 5. Retrieved 30 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Nightingale Fund". The Inquirer and Commercial News. Vol. XVII, no. 834. Western Australia. 21 January 1857. p. 4. Retrieved 24 January 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Fruit Export From Albany". Western Mail. Vol. 54, no. 2, 770. Western Australia. 30 March 1939. p. 50. Retrieved 30 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
^Wikipedia citation"Old Colonial Days". The West Australian. Vol. XLIX, no. 9, 692. Western Australia. 22 July 1933. p. 4. Retrieved 30 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Old Colonist's Funeral". The Daily News. Vol. LV, no. 18, 675. Western Australia. 24 January 1935. p. 7 (Late City). Retrieved 30 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
^"The "Dudbrooke" from England". Inquirer. Vol. XIV, no. 659. Western Australia. 9 February 1853. p. 3. Retrieved 30 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
^"LOCAL". The Express. Vol. 1, no. 42. Western Australia. 19 February 1870. p. 3. Retrieved 30 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Old Bunbury Identity". Great Southern Herald. Vol. XXXVIII, no. 1, 962. Western Australia. 18 September 1940. p. 6. Retrieved 30 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
^"In Memoriam". Victorian Express. Vol. V, no. 36. Western Australia. 9 May 1883. p. 3. Retrieved 30 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
^"York Centenary". The West Australian. Vol. XLVII, no. 9, 118. Western Australia. 15 September 1931. p. 6. Retrieved 30 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
^ abc"The Month". The Herald. Vol. XII, no. 7. Western Australia. 16 March 1878. p. 3. Retrieved 30 December 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
January 01, 1970
pensioner, guards, were, english, military, personnel, served, convict, transportation, ships, route, swan, river, colony, between, 1850, 1868, were, given, employment, grants, land, arrival, their, initial, employment, lasted, months, duration, voyage, whiche. The Pensioner Guards were English military personnel who served on convict transportation ships en route to the Swan River Colony between 1850 and 1868 and were given employment and grants of land on arrival 2 Their initial employment lasted for six months or the duration of the voyage whichever was the longer time After this they became pensioners and had to serve 12 days per year as well as whenever called upon 3 They paraded annually in Perth at the Pensioner Barracks Part of their purpose was to fulfil a promise by the British government to send free settlers to the colony to dilute the convicts and to maintain law and order in the colony 4 Pensioner GuardsGate remnant of the pensioner barracks buildingActive1850 c 1900 1 Many enlisted in the British Army as boys around 15 17 years of age and served in many parts of the world including India Afghanistan China Crimea for about 21 years before being pensioned off This meant a number of guards were under 40 years of age and had young families when they came to Western Australia As an incentive they were promised a two roomed cottage 5 6 and a plot of land sufficient to grow crops vegetables and keep livestock It was a chance for a new and better life and a large number of families remained as settlers 7 8 In 1858 many of the Enrolled Pensioner Guards in the colony contributed to the Indian Relief Fund that had been set up in England following the Indian Mutiny of 1857 9 Many of the EPGs had served in India with the British Army before their retirement The mutiny led to the ending of the East India Company in 1858 and the establishment of the British Raj 8 A settlement for the Pensioners was established near Lake Coogee in 1876 and ruins of two stone cottages from this time are extant 10 along with a well on the shore of the lake This location was chosen as it lay on the main route from Fremantle to Albany but was never popular and although a few cottages gardens and orchards were established the settlement did not flourish John Hyland James Cunningham and John Gilbride were involved in this settlement 10 The site lies within the buffer zone of the Woodman Point wastewater treatment plant After 1880 they were known as the Enrolled Guards 1 11 Contents 1 Historical connections 2 Membership 3 Other members 4 See also 5 ReferencesHistorical connections editHistorical connections to pensioner guards include Tunney Western Australia named after James Tunney son of Sergeant John Tunney who was an enrolled pensioner guard and had settled in the area Patrick Stone a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly was enrolled pensioner guard Owen Hackett was an enrolled pensioner guard and his pensioner cottage is now heritage listed Francis Kirk was an enrolled pensioner guard and his pensioner cottage is now heritage listed James Forbes was an enrolled pensioner guard who owned property in what is now Toodyay Henry Burton was an enrolled pensioner guard who lived in the now heritage listed Eliza s Cottage Bentley Hill now Bentley Western Australia is named in honour of John Bentley who was an enrolled pensioner guard The West Australian writer Joseph Healey was the son of a pensioner guard 12 Fremantle shipwright Thomas William Hamilton was the son of a pension guard 13 Membership editThe strength of the force was estimated at seventy souls 14 Membership included the following guardsmen when Disbanded March 31 1887 15 In 1857 while the 12th Regiment were still present as Garrison at least 130 pensioner guards paid to support a Crimean war nursing fund 16 Sergeant Major Timothy McCarthy 18th Foot Sergeant John Litton 38th Foot Sergeant Matthew Goodbody 29th Foot Sergeant William H Mansbridge 14th Foot Lance sergt Thomas Finnigan A H C Corporal Edwin Attwood 66th Foot Corporal Henry D Naylor 13th Dragoon Guards Corporal John Calvert 83rd Foot Lance Corporal Michael Daley 10th Foot Lance Corporal John Seery 43rd Foot Lance Corporal Thomas Bishop R C Rifles Private Donald McKenzie R Brigade Private George Dunn 13th Foot Private Edward Green 18th Foot Private Richard Barrett ELC Private Patrick Farrell 88th Foot Private John Doyle 55th Foot Private John Cadden 27th Foot Private John Connolly 29th Foot Private George Rutley R A B 14 Private Patrick Meer 89th Foot Private Stephen Ryan 2nd Foot Private Joseph Jarvis 5th Foot Private Thomas Stewart 87th Foot Private Bernard McGrath 106th Foot Private Matthew Ritchie 41st Foot Private James Thacker 1st Foot Private Michael Kenney 24th Foot Private James Teapler 37th Foot Private Alexander Meeklum 77th Foot Private Michael Walsh 10th Foot Private Patrick Herrick 81st Foot Private Timothy Kennedy 54th Foot Private Edward Delaney 97th Foot Private Alexander Sweeney B Artillery Private William Ryan 61st Foot Private Henry Cook 35th Foot Private William KEAN 88th Foot Private Daniel Carty 21st Foot Private Michael Brown 22nd Foot Private James Callaghan 30th Foot Private John Murphy 95th Foot Private Patrick Sullivan 95th Foot Private Joseph Mellows 64th Foot Private Hugh O Hanlon 57th Foot Private Michael Fennell 59th Foot Private Lawrence Byrne 12th Foot Private Thomas Watson 61st Foot Private Nicholas Walsh 10th FootOther members editSergeant Robert Morgan Royal Artillery 17 Private William Butchart 78th foot 18 19 Private John Gallgher 92nd foot 20 Sergeant Major T McCarthy 18th foot James Cunningham Thomas Minorgan William Latimer Sergeant Donohue R Sergeant Quinn P Sergeant Litton J Capt M S Smith 44th foot and police commissioner 14 Private McGovran 21 Captain Finnerty 22 Private Gorman 23 THomas Joseph Walsh 50th and 95th foot 24 Sergeant Haydon Corporal Ashworth 25 Commandant Colonel Harvest recalled to England 1878 26 Captain Bourke staff officer or active professional of which force recalled to England 1878 26 Major Johnson Surgeon recalled to England 1878 26 See also editHackett s Pensioner Cottage Kirk s Pensioner Cottage Pensioner Guard CottageReferences edit a b State Library of Western Australia Pensioner Guards Archived from the original on 21 February 2014 Retrieved 17 August 2013 Vines Freda 1967 An attempt to estimate the number of members of the Enrolled Pensioner Force who came to W A as guards on convict ships between 1850 and 1868 from C S O records in Battye Library retrieved 12 November 2015 Pensioners in Convict Ships The Inquirer Perth WA National Library of Australia 20 March 1850 p 3 Retrieved 18 October 2015 Gray Laura Sauman Irene 1 Surrey St Conservation Management Plan Town of Bassendean Retrieved 8 August 2021 Bridges Paul Humphrey Val 2002 Pensioner Guard Museum Project a vision for a community museum P Bridges retrieved 12 November 2015 Broomfield Warwick Bassendean W A Municipality Council Heritage Council of Western Australia 1993 The Pensioner Guard Cottage Surrey Street Bassendean report and heritage assessment distributed by Heritage Council of W A retrieved 12 November 2015 Enrolled Pensioner Guards display material provided by Army Museum Fremantle Pensioner Guards State Library of Western Australia http www slwa wa gov au dead reckoning government arch permanent dead link a b Taylor Robyn 2015 Owen Hackett Toodyaypedia Lotterywest Toodyaypedia Part II draft Newcastle Gaol Museum Collection Shire of Toodyay Broomhall F H Frank H Hesperian Press 1989 The veterans a history of the Enrolled Pensioner Force in Western Australia 1850 1880 Hesperian Press ISBN 978 0 85905 103 3 a b 2 Cottages ruins State Heritage Office retrieved 12 November 2015 Western Australian Genealogical Society Enrolled Pensioner Guards 2000 Quarterly newsletter Enrolled Pensioner Guards ISSN 1443 945X Old Perth The West Australian Vol XLVII no 9 082 Western Australia 4 August 1931 p 6 Retrieved 30 November 2020 via National Library of Australia Early Shipwrights The West Australian Vol XLVIII no 9 241 Western Australia 6 February 1932 p 7 Retrieved 30 November 2020 via National Library of Australia a b When Sentries Stood in Perth Streets The Daily News Vol LIV no 18 486 Western Australia 16 June 1934 p 14 Late City Retrieved 30 November 2020 via National Library of Australia The Enrolled Guard The Inquirer and Commercial News Vol XLVII no 2680 Western Australia 6 April 1887 p 5 Retrieved 30 November 2020 via National Library of Australia Nightingale Fund The Inquirer and Commercial News Vol XVII no 834 Western Australia 21 January 1857 p 4 Retrieved 24 January 2021 via National Library of Australia Fruit Export From Albany Western Mail Vol 54 no 2 770 Western Australia 30 March 1939 p 50 Retrieved 30 November 2020 via National Library of Australia Wikipedia citation Old Colonial Days The West Australian Vol XLIX no 9 692 Western Australia 22 July 1933 p 4 Retrieved 30 November 2020 via National Library of Australia Old Colonist s Funeral The Daily News Vol LV no 18 675 Western Australia 24 January 1935 p 7 Late City Retrieved 30 November 2020 via National Library of Australia The Dudbrooke from England Inquirer Vol XIV no 659 Western Australia 9 February 1853 p 3 Retrieved 30 November 2020 via National Library of Australia LOCAL The Express Vol 1 no 42 Western Australia 19 February 1870 p 3 Retrieved 30 November 2020 via National Library of Australia Fremantle The Perth Gazette and Independent Journal of Politics and News Vol 13 no 671 Western Australia 4 October 1861 p 3 Retrieved 30 November 2020 via National Library of Australia Old Bunbury Identity Great Southern Herald Vol XXXVIII no 1 962 Western Australia 18 September 1940 p 6 Retrieved 30 November 2020 via National Library of Australia In Memoriam Victorian Express Vol V no 36 Western Australia 9 May 1883 p 3 Retrieved 30 November 2020 via National Library of Australia York Centenary The West Australian Vol XLVII no 9 118 Western Australia 15 September 1931 p 6 Retrieved 30 November 2020 via National Library of Australia a b c The Month The Herald Vol XII no 7 Western Australia 16 March 1878 p 3 Retrieved 30 December 2020 via National Library of Australia Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pensioner Guards amp oldid 1223489006, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
