Private Patrick Hackett (c.1814.......c.1869)

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Surnames of the 50th Regiment's Soldiers who stayed

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Descendants :

Information supplied by Phil White whitepg@nobbys.net.au

 

Area Settled :

 

Children :

 

History & Achievements :

 

His parents are unknown at this time but his military records state that he was born in Kilonale Tipperary with as estimated dated of birth between 1800 and 1805 depending on the year of discharge. While the records suggest that he served from 1825-1845, it could be that this was just the period coved by the records. Furthermore, no village of Kilonale can be found in Ireland. We have assumed it is a misspelling for Killenaule. [1]

Similarly there are only two death registrations for a Patrick Hackett, one in 1869 aged 55 at Parramatta and the other in 1870 with parents John and Mary Hackett. The 1870 death probably relates to a child. There are other children born to a John and Mary Hackett in the period 1860-1870. The certificate for 1869 death shows no parents or children.

Patrick Hackett served in the British Army and as part of that service was posted to units serving in Australia. There is a Patrick Hackett shown on the pay records of 1/21 Royal North British Fusiliers, 1/50 West Kent Regiment of Foot and 1/99 Lancashire Regiment. All of these units served in NSW and Tasmania from 1833 -1856. It is very likely that there was only one Patrick Hackett who was listed on the paysheets of the three units[2]. The 21st Regiment staged through Sydney in 1832 and then to Tasmania before redeploying to Calcutta in 1839. The 50th served in Sydney, Norfolk island and Tasmania from 1833 to 1841. The 99th Regiment served in Sydney from 1843. The Regiment caused problems in Sydney and the 11 Regiment was sent to Sydney to quell a possible mutiny. William Holmes, his future son-in-law was a member of the 11th Regiment.[3]

A review of the muster sheets of the 21st Regiment indicates that he belonged to the 21st Regiment (Regimental No 364) and was probably detached to these other units. Patrick's name with the exception of one quarter (Jan-Mar 1835) is listed on each muster sheet of the 21st from 6 Aug 1832 to Dec 1840. [4] Furthermore, his name does not appear on the discharge records for the 50th or 99th Regiments. [5]

Most of his duties appear to have involved convict guard duties in different locations, the most common being Hobart and Port Arthur. At this time there is no indication of any participation in detachments in Launceston.

1834 was not a good year for Patrick's military career. He was sentenced to four months imprisonment on 16 Jan 1834 and the sentenced commenced on 23 Jan. He was released on 21 May. It is not known where he served the sentence but the muster sheet for May 1834 shows a note stating the 'the prisoner in the Penitentionary'. For the next four months he appears to have served in Hobart but at a court martial on 28 Oct, he was sentenced to 30 days imprisonment. The events surrounding both imprisonments are not known at this time.

As noted earlier, he does not appear on the Jan - Mar 1835 muster sheet for the 21st. However, the writing on these sheets is hard to read and it is possible that an entry was missed. Alternatively, he could have been attached to the 50th Regiment for this period. However, he again appears on the 21st's muster sheets from Apr 1835 onwards. No further periods on punishment are shown and it appears that he kept out of trouble. Indeed by Jan 1839, he qualifies for additional pay. Presumably this would not be available for soldiers with bad conduct records.

He served at Port Arthur for two periods from Oct 1835 to Dec 1836 and again from Oct 1837 to Jun 1838. From Feb to Apr 1839 the Regiment appears to be concentrated with few detachments. In Aug 1839, he is shown as being sick in the Regimental Hospital and in Aug - Oct 1840, Patrick was a member of a detachment to Calcutta. Finally, the 21st's muster sheets for Jan-Mar 1841 do not shown Patrick's name including the section titled 'No Longer with the Regiment'

Other anecdotal information suggests that Patrick may have also been at Port Arthur as an inmate possibly for his four month period of imprisonment in 1834[6] However his name does not appear on a list of convicts. [7] This matter requires further investigation. He was also not well and may have been incapacitated for about six months but this does not show on the record sheet from 1832-40.

He married Jane Bacon. No date for the marriage is known but given his improved behaviour, it is not unreasonable to assume that they were married some time in 1835. This year has been used until further information is available. They had five children; Jane, Hannah, Edward, William H, and Charles J. His daughter, Jane was supposed to born in Launceston, Tasmania although there no record of her birth can be found. In fact, the 21st Regiment's muster sheets show that Patrick was at Port Arthur at the time of her birth The remaining children were born in Sydney.

We understand that Patrick took his discharge while the 21st was in India and that afterwards he returned to Sydney. Noting that his second daughter Hannah was registered in NSW in 1841 and that he was no longer on the 21st's muster sheet after Dec 1840, it indicates that he returned to Sydney in the early part of 1841. There is a Patrick Hacket shown on the paylists of the 99th Regiment. The 99th was not in Tasmania until later in the 1840s when Patrick and Jane were having children in Sydney. Therefore it may be possible that he was transfered to the 99th as part of his discharge process.

 

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Last revised: October 22, 2003.