PRENDAVILLE Thomas

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.

51st Regiment at Waterloo
Thomas PRENDAVILLEName variations:   Prenderville, Prendeville, Prendiville, Prendville, Proudville
Birth Date and Placec. 1803 Ballmaston, Kings County, Ireland [WO97-8650-105].
Baptism Date and Place
Marriage Date and Placec. 1846 Perth, Western Australia [STAT p.273].
SpouseEllen LONGRAGHAN [STAT p.273].
ChildrenJohn b. 1847, Perth, Western Australia [WABDM Reg.917].
OccupationsLabourer [WO97-8650-105].
Land Acquisition in WANone.
Death Date and Place17 Aug 1847 Perth, Western Australia [WABDM Reg.273, WO23-30-184].
Burial Date and PlaceEast Perth Cemetery, Western Australia – tentative.
Death, Funeral, Obituary NoticesPerth Gazette and Western Australian Journal 21 Aug 1847 [TROVE].
Will and ProbateNone.
BRITISH ARMY
Regiment51st (2nd Yorkshire West Riding) The Kings Own Light Infantry.
Soldier No. and Rank#398 Private [WO97-8650-105].
Attestation Date and Place6 Feb 1825 Castle Island, Kerry, Ireland.
Physical DescriptionHeight: 5 ft. 7¾ ins. Complexion: dark. Eyes: grey. Hair: black.
Service/CampaignsIonian Islands 5 years 7 months.
Australia 8 years 1 month.
PromotionsNone.
Medals, Clasps and BadgesNone.
Casualty/MedicalHe is of weakened intellect and is quite worn out and unfit for further service –
Principal Medical Officer, Perth, Western Australia.
Regimental Courts MartialNone.
District Courts MartialNone.
General Courts MartialNone.
Arrival Australia State: Ship and DateMarquis of Hastings.  Embarked 28 Feb 1839. Paid in advance to 7 Jul 1839 [WO12-6200-556].
Arr. 23 Jul 1839 Hobart, VDL; dep. 6 March Woolwich, then 17 Mar 1839 Portsmouth [TROVE & BNA].
During 1 Jul to 30 Sep 1839, Prendaville was entitled to 85 days at 2d. per day and was on shore for 69 days.
It was noted that he Joined from England on prison ship ‘Marquis of Hastings’ on 24 July 1839. [WO12-6201-87].
Arrival Western Australia: Ship and DateRunnymede 25 Jun 1840 from Hobart [TROVE].
Military Postings within Western AustraliaYork Jun 1840 to Mar 1842 [WO12-6202 & 6203].
Staff Offices Apr to Dec 1842 [WO12-6204].
Garrison Duty Jan 1843. Perth HQ Feb 1843 to Mar 1844 – 3 days hospitalised [WO12-6205].
Garrison Duty & Perth HQ Apr 1844 to Jun 1845 [WO12-6206].
Departed for Hobart on Champion 31 Jul, returned 29 Sep 1845 possibly for medical treatment [WO12-6208-44].
Perth HQ Oct 1845 to Mar 1847 – in hospital for 58 days in this period [WO12-6208-73/190].
Discharge Date and Place11 Mar 1847 Perth, Western Australia [WO97-8650-105].
Age at Discharge44 years.
Length of Service22 years 56 days.
Chelsea Pension ReferenceWO97-8650-105.
Pension DistrictPerth, Western Australia.
Pension Amount1/0d. per day. Approved 24 Aug 1847 [WO23-30-184].
Struck off strength 17 Aug 1847 (deceased) while waiting for pension approval from Horse Guards [WO28-266-74].

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

Newspaper account of death:
On Wednesday morning, intelligence was received in Perth, of a man named Thomas Prendeville having been lost in the bush. The man, who at times laboured under insanity, had been residing in the neighborhood of Williams’ Lake, about six miles north of Perth; on the preceding evening he had gone with his wife to meet some cattle returning from the bush, and on hearing them coming, his wife desired him to return home, which he apparently did, but, on her returning to the house she ascertained he had not been there. Immediate search was made for him but without success, as also on Wednesday, when notice being sent to Perth of the occurrence, the native constable accompanied by some natives, was despatched to track him up, but after having done so for a distance of about ten miles, the search was given up for the night, and the party having no provisions with them, returned to Perth. On the following morning they again followed up the track, and ultimately found the unfortunate man lying dead in a swamp near the Ferry on the Fremantle road. He had received a severe contusion on the forehead, occasioned, it is supposed by a fall, as while tracking him the party came to a spot where they found a quantity of blood on the ground. In his wanderings he had taken a most circuitous route, leading through swamps and almost impassable places, a distance of about sixteen miles, though not more than eight in a direct line.
Prendeville had been a soldier belonging to the 51st Regiment, and was invalided on the detachment leaving this colony; he was interred yesterday, with the customary military honours. After the death of Thomas, his widow Ellen married William White of the 51st Regiment in 1848.
[Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal 21 Aug 1847].