PROCTOR William

From 1761 to 1818, five regiments of foot with the numeral 99 had been raised and disbanded. A sixth was raised in 1824 in Glasgow which in 1832, while serving in Mauritius and Seychelles, was formally granted its name 99th (Lanarkshire) Regiment. In 1874, it became 99th (Duke of Edinburgh’s) Regiment.

The 99th was stationed in Ireland for five years, before being detailed to escort convicts to Australia in 1842. It remained in Australia until 1856, but also sent two companies to New Zealand during the Flagstaff War (or First Māori War) in 1845-46.

In 1850 a monument was erected in Hobart to commemorate twenty four men of the Regiment who were killed on active service in the New Zealand Māori Wars of 1845-46. The monument is unique as it was the first war memorial to be erected in Australia and also the only memorial to be erected by a British Regiment serving in Australia.

In 1849 a Company of the 99th arrived in Western Australia, and in 1856 joined with the regiment from Hobart to return to England. When it sailed for home, over 400 of its men stayed behind in Australia to transfer to other units.

99th Regiment Monument, Anglesea Barracks, Hobart
NAME William PROCTORName variations: Procter
Birth Date and Placec. 1812 – deduced [WABDM Reg. #1107].
Baptism Date and Place
Marriage Date and Place
Spouse
Children
OccupationsShoemaker – not verified [ERIC p.2539].
Land Acquisition in WA
Death Date and Place1858 York [WABDM Reg. #1107].
Burial Date and Place1858 York Cemetery – not verified (see Additional Details below).
Death, Funeral, Obituary NoticesNone.
Will and ProbateNone.
BRITISH ARMY
Regiment99th (Lanarkshire) Regiment.
Soldier No. and Rank#1538 Private.
Enlistment Date and Placec. 1841 – deduced from regimental number.
Medals, Clasps and BadgesGood Conduct Badge 1d. per diem awarded in New South Wales.
Arrival Australia: Ship and DateNavarino. Dep. 20 Aug 1842 Deptford, London; arr. 31 Aug 1842 Kingstown, Dublin.
Dep. 22 Sep 1842 Kingstown, Dublin; arr. 10 Jan 1843 Hobart, Van Diemen’s Land.
Dep. 20 Jan 1843 Hobart, VDL; arr. 29 Jan 1843, Port Jackson, New South Wales.
Arrival Western Australia: Ship and DateRatcliffe 7 Apr 1847 from Hobart, VDL via Adelaide, SA [TROVE].
Military Postings within Western AustraliaPerth HQ from 7 Apr to 31 Oct 1849 inc. two days in hospital in June [WO12-9813-7 to 62A].
Courts Martial in Western AustraliaNone.
Discharge Date and Place31 Oct 1849 Perth, Western Australia.
On payment of £15 [WO12-9813-62A & 70].
Age at Discharge37 – deduced [WABDM Reg. #1107].
Length of Service8 years 10 months – deduced.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

Not to be confused with William Proctor convict #3509 who arrived in the Colony on Adelaide 1855 and left for South Australia in 1865 [Fremantle Convict database].

The first St Johns Church was established in 1840 and the first recorded death was in 1841. The site of St John’s Anglican Church and Cemetery served as a multi-denominational cemetery until 1874. There is not a complete list of burials as this cemetery and many of the graves are now under the road. It has not been used since the new cemetery opened except to inter remains found when the road was dug up [FindaGrave website].