HENDERSON Robert


Four line infantry regiments with the numeral 96 were raised and disbanded between 1761 and 1818.A fifth 96th was raised in February 1824 at Salford Barracks, Manchester. It was later allowed to carry the battle honours awarded its predecessor – Peninsular, Egypt and the Sphinx.

Over the next decade, the regiment spent eight years in Halifax, Nova Scotia and two in the West Indies. It then garrisoned in Britain until 1839, when it was tasked with guarding its first of many convict ships bound for Australia. Some of these are profiled on this website’s Ships page.

During the regiment’s time in Australia, the 96th served in Windsor, Sydney and Parramatta, New South Wales; Hobart and Launceston, Van Diemen’s Land; and Adelaide, South Australia. In VDL many of the troops were garrisoned at Port Arthur, the major convict prison. The Anecdotes page of this website will take you to a story of the ‘Military Outrage’ in Launceston in May 1845.

The 96th sent a detachment to New Zealand in 1844 where it remained during the New Zealand Wars until the end of 1846. Again, the Anecdote page will write of the regiment’s missing medal roll.

In February 1847, 111 officers and men arrived in Western Australia on Java from Hobart; a further two arrived on John Bagshaw in January 1849. Thirty seven of the Java men took their discharge and settled in Western Australia; one of them was this man featured on the right. Four of the men transferred to a detachment of the 99th Regiment to receive their final pay.

The 96th in Australia left for India in two waves. In February 1849 General Hewitt left Launceston and then in April the balance left Hobart on Ratcliffe, picking up the 96th detachment from Western Australia on its way to Calcutta.

Lieutenant Colonel Sir Charles Stuart, founder of the 96th (Queens Germans) Regiment during its fourth ‘life’.
NAME Robert HENDERSONName variations: None encountered.
Birth Date and Placec. 1819 Ireland [VICBDM Reg. #6080-1885].
Baptism Date and Place
Marriage Date and Place13 Sep 1847 Perth, Western Australia [WABDM Reg. #214].
SpouseMary GLYDE d. 15 Dec 1906 [VICBDM Reg. #14191-1906].
Children
OccupationsDraper [Probate 29-668].
Land Acquisition in WANone.
Death Date and Place6 May 1885 ‘Rock Villa’, Cnr Durham & Bridport Streets, South Melbourne (formerly Emerald Hill), Victoria [VICBDM Reg. #6080-1885].
Burial Date and PlaceMay 1885 Melbourne General Cemetery, Melbourne, Victoria.
Location: Church of England. Section: X. Grave No. 645.
Death, Funeral, Obituary NoticesThe Argus 7 & 8 May 1885.
Leader 16 May 1885.
Will and ProbateSupreme Court of Colony of Victoria in its Probate Jurisdiction, first filed 28 May 1885 [Reference 29-668].
BRITISH ARMY
Regiment96th Regiment of Foot.
Soldier No. and Rank#1294 Private.
Enlistment Date and Place1 Aug 1839 Bolton HQ [WO12-9611-74].
Age 18 years. Bounty paid to recruit £3 17s. 6d.
Physical DescriptionHeight: 5 ft. 5½ ins.
Medals, Clasps and BadgesGood Conduct Badge 1d. per day (from service VDL).
Arrival Australia: Ship and DateEden. Embarked 27 Jun 1840, Deptford, Kent. [WO12-9612-15].
Dep. 10 Jul 1840, Sheerness, Kent. Arr. 18 Nov 1840, Port Jackson, Sydney, NSW.
Disembarked 19 Nov 1840.
Arrival Western Australia: Ship and DateJava 24 Feb 1847 from Hobart, embarked 27 Jan 1847 [WO12-9620-335].
Military Postings within Western AustraliaPerth HQ from 24 Feb 1847 to 27 Apr 1849. [WO12-9620 TO 9622].
Courts Martial in Western AustraliaNone.
Discharge Date and Place27 Apr 1849 Perth, Western Australia – Conditional [WO28-266-97].
1 Feb 1851 Horse Guards, Westminster, London.
1 Jul 1851 Commandant, Perth, Western Australia.
Purchased Discharge for £4 0s. 0d. [WO28-266-132].
Age at Dischargec. 28 years – deduced [WO12-9611-74].
Length of Service9 years 9 months – deduced [WO12-9611-74].

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

Cover of Henderson’s 17-page Probate Documents
Robert and Mary Henderson’s Memorial, Melbourne General Cemetery