INGERSOLE James
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- INGERSOLE James
In 1755 the 51st Regiment of Foot was renumbered (from the 53rd). It received a county designation in 1782, as the 51st (2nd Yorkshire, West Riding) Regiment of Foot. In 1821 the regiment received royal status, becoming the 51st (2nd Yorkshire, West Riding, The King’s Own Light Infantry) Regiment.During the early 19th century the regiment served in the Napoleonic and Peninsular campaigns and served at Waterloo in 1815.
Between August and December 1837, six convict ships left Britain with 51st Regiment guards on board bound for New South Wales and Van Diemen’s Land. The regiment continued to arrive in Australia as convict guards, and in larger numbers on troopships, during the decade that followed. Some of these ships are profiled on the Ships page. Arguably the most famous of the journeys made by 30 officers and men was on the ship Buffalo. That story can be read on the Anecdotes page.
In June 1840, a detachment of 145 officers and men arrived in Western Australia on Runnymede from Hobart; a further 46 men arrived on Eudora and Champion between 1841 and 1844. Thirty three 51st men took their discharge and settled in Western Australia; one of them was this man featured on the right.
The 51st in Australia left Hobart for India on Java in 1847. Its last port of call was on 15th March 1847 when the balance of the detachment in WA boarded Java on her way to Calcutta.

NAME James INGERSOLE | Name variations: Ingersoll |
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Birth Date and Place | c.1820 South Weald, Essex, England [WO12-6208-154]. |
Baptism Date and Place | 20 Aug 1820 St Peters Church, South Weald, Essex [Essex Record Office]. |
Marriage Date and Place | 10 Apr 1850 Perth, Western Australia [WABDM Reg.#308]. |
Spouse | Emma CUFF [WABDM Reg.#308]. |
Children | James b.1851 Toodyay, Western Australia [WABDM Reg.#1704]. Emma Elizabeth b.1854 Plenty, Victoria [VICBDM Reg.#5645]. James b.1859 (d,13 months) Victoria [VICBDM death Reg.#5830]. |
Occupations | Labourer. |
Land Acquisition in WA | None. |
Death Date and Place | 27 Sep 1879 Kew, Victoria – not verified [ancestry public tree]. |
Burial Date and Place | |
Death, Funeral, Obituary Notices | None. |
Will and Probate | None. |
BRITISH ARMY | |
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Regiment | 51st (2nd Yorkshire West Riding, The Kings Own Light Infantry) Regiment. |
Soldier No. and Rank | #1314 Private. |
Enlistment Date and Place | 28 Jan 1839 Chatham HQ. Age 19 years. Bounty paid to recruit £3 0s. 0d. [WO12-6200-560]. |
Physical Description | Height: 5 ft. 6.1/8th ins. |
Medals, Clasps and Badges | None. |
Arrival Van Diemen’s Land: Ship and Date | Layton. Embarked 22 Jun 1839, London [WO12-6201-205]. Arr. 07 Dec 1839 from Portsmouth, England dep. 13 Jul 1839 [DPS]. |
Arrival Western Australia: Ship and Date | Runnymede 25 Jun 1840 from Hobart [TROVE]. |
Military Postings within Western Australia | ![]() Rottnest Jun 1840 to Jan 1842. |
Courts Martial in Western Australia | Regimental CM. Offence unknown. In confinement 14 days with hard labour. 18 to 31 Dec 1843. Released 16 Jan 1844 [WO12-6205-244 & 270]. |
Discharge Date and Place | 30 Jun 1846 Perth, Western Australia [WO12-6208-154]. Conditional Discharge on payment of £20 [WO28-266-67]. |
Age at Discharge | 26 years. |
Length of Service | 7 years 6 months. |