ADDITIONAL DETAILS

Local History Claims
In his book ‘The Williams’, H G Cowin writes: Following the advice of his brothers, David and John Grainger, who a few years previously had arrived in the Colony, Henry Grainger of the 23rd Fusiliers, decided to migrate. The three brothers had fought together at the Crimean War and the Indian Mutiny and wished again to be near each other. Given the incorrect statement that David Grainger had fought in the Crimean War and Indian Mutiny we must wonder how the author connected David with a John or with Henry Grainger. The only John Grainger we can identify in the Colony concurrent with David’s time of arrival and settlement, is a man whom, according to various sources, was born between 1802 and 1807 in Steyning, Sussex, and was a servant to Captain Thomas Bannister when they arrived on board the Atwick (1829); this John Grainger later purchased a Town Lot and lived in Fremantle. He died in 1879.  This version of the Grainger brothers has been picked up by newspaper articles and the State Heritage Council.

The Reality
Four Grainger Redcoats were baptised in Streatley, Berkshire, sons of Joseph and Sarah nee Townsend: James (1810), William (1811), David (1816), and Henry (1819). There may have been other military siblings but if they were baptised at St Mary’s Church, Streatley the records are not extant online. The village of Streatley can be found in records as Stradely, Streatly and Straitley. David Grainger joined the 90th Regiment in February 1836 and the following year transferred to the 51st Regiment.

David’s older brothers joined the Army c. 1825.  Private #502 James Grainger arrived in Australia as a guard on the convict ship Coromandel on 26th October 1838;  after serving in VDL for some years, he came to the Swan River Colony in 1844 on Champion. The second brother, #402 William Grainger left England on the convict ship Waverley in January 1839 which picked up 176 prisoners in Dublin and transported them to New South Wales, arriving at Port Jackson on 17th June; James transhipped and served in Van Diemen’s Land. William came to the Swan River Colony on Runnymede in 1840 with David.  James and William left WA for Calcutta on 15th March 1847 on the ship Java. William died in Bangalore the following year.  Henry Grainger, the only brother who fought in the Crimean War and Indian Mutiny found only his brother David in Williams when he arrived in Australia from India (ship unknown) after his Army discharge in 1859 and admission to pension in May 1860.

While David and Henry seem to have been model soldiers and industrious settlers with unblemished records, James’s Army record is a litany of bad behaviour. He was 16 when he joined the Army and during his 23 years in uniform earned no accumulation of days for a service pension owing to his constant periods of confinement. His record includes at least five District Courts Martial in Portsmouth, Chester, Dublin, Kilkenny and Hobart Town, the charges almost always for desertion and/or drunkenness. However, he seems to have behaved himself while in the Swan River Colony and after his service in India he left the Army with a special (invalid) pension under Royal Warrant in 1848, which he collected in London, followed by time in Tasmania and Melbourne until at least 1859.

David Grainger on Board Minerva
David’s voyage from England to Van Diemen’s Land included two days off duty on the sick list. He was listed in the Sick Book from 18th to 20th July 1838 with Hemoptysis and then released as ‘cured’. Hemoptysis is described in modern medical dictionaries as the coughing up of blood or blood-stained mucus from the bronchi, larynx, trachea, or lungs. In other words, it is the airway bleeding. This can occur with lung cancer, infections such as tuberculosis, bronchitis, or pneumonia, and certain cardiovascular conditions. 

Skinning and Tanning at the Spring
David Grainger is mentioned at Stanton/Staunton Spring in the Wollaston Diaries; John Ramsden Wollaston was the first Church of England Archdeacon in the Colony and travelled extensively throughout his territory. The most commanding spot I have ever seen, and abounding with game. I bought a quantity of skins (opossum) ready tanned of Granger [sic] at Stanton Spring to send to England. A solitary discharged soldier, living among natives, hunting and tanning, and making a good thing out of it. Two V huts -one for himself – and another for his skins [p. 134]. I have only to add I returned ‘Dobbin’ after a couple of days rest and got back my ponies safe and uninjured. They had stopped where I thought they would – at Stanton Springs – where Granger tethered his horses by the roadside. 101 miles from Cojonup, so the foolish beasts had travelled 202 miles further than they need have done [p.136]. Grainger acquired land at Avon Loc. 81, Staunton Spring in 1851.

The Murder of the Police Escort of the Albany Mail
David Grainger (Granger) helped apprehend a ‘lunatic’ prisoner who was being escorted by the police from Albany to Perth. Here is the story of his involvement from the newspaper [Perth Gazette 23 Feb 1855].