WILLIAMS John

Click here for further detail of this soldier, policeman and 3 x greatgrandfather

St Peters Church, Liverpool 1800 [Drawn by W H Watts, Engraved by W Green]
John Williams Baptismal Entry
John Williams & Margaret Hayes Marriage
51st Regimental Badge
Austral Asiatic Review 28 Aug 1838
John Williams Service Record with 51st Regiment
John Williams Death Certificate [courtesy Graham Leader]
NAME John WILLIAMSName variations: None encountered.
Birth Date and Place1807 Andrews Street, Liverpool, Lancaster, England [Liverpool Record Office 283-PET-8-1].
Baptism Date and Place19 Jul 1807 Parish of St Peter, Liverpool, Lancaster [ditto].
Marriage Date and Place21 Feb 1835 St Mary’s Church, Buttevant, County Cork, Ireland [NLI 04998-01-p.281].
Roman Catholic Diocese of Cloyne.
SpouseMargaret HAYS or HAYES.
ChildrenRobert b.1837 Shankill, Belfast, Antrim, Ireland [NLI 05470-01].
Mary Jane b.1841 Dale Station, York, Western Australia [FSLDS 007720553-244-33].
OccupationsNative Police Constable.
Skinner.
Land Acquisition in WA
Death Date and Place3 Aug 1889 Northam, Western Australia [WABDM Reg.431].
Burial Date and PlaceAug 1889 Northam, Western Australia [Oz Burials].
Death, Funeral, Obituary Notices
Will and ProbateNone.
BRITISH ARMY
Regiment51st (2nd Yorkshire West Riding) The Kings Own Light Infantry Regiment.
Soldier No. and Rank#435 Private [WO97-652-68].
Attestation Date and Place5 Jul 1825 Liverpool, Lancaster.
Physical DescriptionHeight: 5 ft. 5½ ins. Complexion: fair.  Eyes: hazel. Hair: brown.
Service/CampaignsIonian Islands 10 Sep to 12 Jun 1834.
Australian Colonies 29 Mar 1838 to 11 Mar 1847.
PromotionsNone.
Medals, Clasps and Badges16 Aug 1839 Good Conduct Badge 1d. per diem [WO12-6202-137]
1 Sep 1842 Good Conduct Badge 2d. per diem [WO12-6204-207]. Forfeited 17 Jun 1843 [WO12-6205-191].
Casualty/MedicalChronic Rheumatism and deafness and totally worn out – Assistant Surgeon.
Unfit for the duties of a soldier in consequence of age and infirmities – Principal Medical Officer [WO97-652-68].
Regimental Courts MartialSee Western Australian records.
District Courts MartialNone.
General Courts MartialNone.
Arrival Australian State: Ship and DateLord William Bentinck. Embarked 29 Mar 1838 paid in advance to 5 Aug 1838 [WO12-6200-242].
dep. Portsmouth 14 Apr 1838; arr. Hobart Town, Van Diemen’s Land 26 Aug 1838 [DPS].
Note: John Williams and 22 other troops disembarked on 3 Sep 1838 [WO12-6200].
Arrival Western Australia: Ship and DateRunnymede 25 Jun 1840 from Hobart [TROVE].
Military Postings within Western Australia
Perth Gazette 5 Oct 1841

Dale Jun 1840 to Aug 1841 [WO12-6202/6203].
Perth HQ Sep 1841 [WO12-6203]. Police Employ Oct 1841 to Dec 1842 [WO12-6203/6204].
Canning Jan to Feb 1843; Garrison Duty Mar 1843 [WO12-6204].
HQ Jan to 15 Jun 1843. In Confinement 16 Jun to 25 Jul 1843 [WO12-6205].
HQ 26 Jul to Aug 1843 [WO12-6205].
York Oct 1843 to 16 Apr 1844. In Confinement 17 Apr to 6 May 1844 [WO12-6205/6206].
In Hospital 7 to 27 May 1844 [WO12-6206].
HQ 28 May to 3 Sep 1844. In Confinement 4 Sep 1844 to 29 Jan 1845 [WO12-6206].
HQ 30 Jan to Feb 1845; On Command Mar 1845 [WO12-6206].
Rottnest 1 Apr 1845 to 31 Jan 1847.  During this period eight days in Hospital in 1st Quarter 1846 folio 132. [WO12-6208].
HQ Feb to Mar 1847. An illegible note appears in the margin of this Quarterly Return which clearly must relate to awaiting approval of Discharge [WO12-6208].
The Detachment left for Calcutta on Java on 15 Mar 1847 leaving in WA those waiting for approval of Discharge to Pension.

Regimental Courts Martial in Western Australia
(also see above)
16 June 1843 to serve 40 days with hard labour (repairing roads etc). 17 Jun 1843 entry in Defaulters Book.
17 Apr 1844 to serve 20 days.
4 Sep 1944 to serve three months solitary confinement then six months hard labour (cook for gaol, quarrying stones) but discharged 29 January 1845.
Confinement in the Round House, Fremantle [ERRI].
Discharge Date and Place11 Mar 1847 Perth, Western Australia [WO97-652-68].
24 Aug 1847 Horse Guards, Westminster, London [WO97-652-68].
Age at Discharge39 years 8 months.
Length of Service21 years 63 days.
Chelsea Pension ReferenceWO97-652-68.
Pension DistrictPerth, Western Australia.
Pension Amount1/0d. per diem.
Notes on Pension PaymentPaid by Regiment to 31 Mar 1848.
Paid by Commissariat to 30 Jun 1851.
Thereafter transferred to Captain Bruce’s Pay List.
There is nothing to suggest Williams was taken onto EPF strength, this was merely a means of receiving his pension entitlement as a military pensioner once Perth became a Pension District with the arrival of Captain John Bruce and the EPF men [WO22-248-39].

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

Permission has been given by Graham Leader for a more detailed background of John Williams’ Army Career prior to arriving in Western Australia and his personal life beyond. Click here.
John Williams authored A Note Book (1840) extant in the State Library of Western Australia, Acc No. 678A.