Corporal John Robert Thompson ( c.1803.....1887..)

Back To . . 21st Royal North British Fusiliers Regiment

 

Descendants :

Information was kindly supplied by e-mail address .I have my fingers crossed that the person who gave us this info reads this. I have lost your name and E-Mail address in a computer crash , Can you contact us please

Area Settled :

Spring Mount

Children :

1 . Sarah Jane THOMPSON (b. 1837-d. 1896 )m 14 April 1864 Jeremiah Clune (b......d)

2 . Ellen Frances Mary THOMPSON (b.1838...d.c-1879) m 25 November 1860 Matthew Clune (b........d.)on

2 . John Robert THOMPSONJnr. 1840-1921, Mary DUFFY, (b........d.) and ten children to his second wife Emma BRANSON(b.......d.)

3 . Alfred THOMPSON (b.1842-d.1894 ) married Ellen CASSELS on 11 February 1861 at New Norcia.

4 .

History & Achievements :

When he was about 28 years old he enlisted in the British Army, his regiment being the 21st , which was,

called the North British Fusiliers. Their nickname was The Duke Mars Greybreeks, which was taken from the colour of their trousers and the Scottish word for trousers, Breek. The 21 st was mainly recruited from Glasgow, so how and where John became involved is unknown. 1 Regiments of Fusiliers (formerly Fusiliers) were raised in various parts of the United Kingdom to protect artillerymen who did not carry small arms. These regiments took their names from the light pattern of musket known as a fusil that the men carried. The 21st Regiment received their orders and left Sheerness, Scotland on 10 April 1833. They sailed for Hobart Town on the " Jane" from Portsmouth, England on 13 April 1833. The "Jane"was under the command of Thomas CANNEY, with the ships surgeon ,James OSBORNE. As well as the 21st, she carried a cargo of 115 female convicts, two of whom died during the voyage. After the voyage, which lasted 109 days, they arrived in Hobart Town on 30 June 1833.

The 21st arrived in Australia by detachments during 1832 and 1833, and were based at Hobart. The

regiment did not actually serve in New South Wales but used Sydney as a staging camp. Detachments were posted to Port Phillip and the Swan River settlements. In addition to guarding convicts in Van Diemens Land the men of the 21st were also allocated duties with the mounted police. Their commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel J.T.LEAHY, reported that his men found some of these duties difficult, incessant and laborious and brought no honour with them

1833, and by now it had been decided that some of the men from the 21st would be sent to the Swan River Colony to relieve the 63rd of Foot. The " Jane" then sailed for the new colony, arriving on 9 September 1833

After his arrival, John was stationed at Headquarters, Kojonup and Rottnest Island. He signed the petition,

which called for military protection for the settlers in 1834. John also spent time at the Williams River where he was in charge of a detachment of soldiers. It wa s here that he met Joseph Strelly HARRIS, who he would meet again some years later, as described in Saul SPICE\quote s biography earlier in this chapter (37-Pg 30).

John had not gone with his regiment, instead electing to stay in his new found home and transfer to the

51st Regiment. During his years in the service, he has been referred to as Corporal or Sergeant THOMPSON, but it is as a corporal that he received his discharge in 1844.

GENERAL ORDERS 9 August 1844 It appearis by the parchment Certificate of Discharge, which was received by the last mail from the War Office, that Corporal John Thompson late of the 21st Fusiliers has served in the Army for 13 years and upwards, a gratuity of full pay for nine months will be issued to him by the paymaster of the detachments 51 Regiment, agreeable to the Secretary at War's letter no 50 12 April 1839. F. C. Irwin Major Commandant

 

E- mail address
bmchapman@iprimus.com.au

© Copyright B & M Chapman (QLD) Australia

Last revised: December 30, 2002.