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| Name | BROWN – Thomas |
|---|---|
| Regiment (s) | 6th and 17th Regiment |
| Regiment Number (s) | 606 – 6th Regiment 1728 – 17th Regiment |
| Date/Age/Place/Trade or Profession at Attestation | 6th May 1826 / 20 years / Coventry Warwickshire England Labourer |
| Description – Height Complexion/Eyes/Hair/Scars | 5 Ft 7 in Sallow / Grey /Brown / None |
| Overseas Service/Duration | New South Wales – No time given East Indies – 20 years 2 months (8th May 1827-12th July 1847) |
| Length of Service | 21 years 164 days |
| Rank/Date/Place of Discharge | Colour Sergeant / 12th October 1847 / Chatham Kent England |
| Campaign Medals | Not yet known |
| Intended Residence at Discharge | Ipswich England |
| Pension Districts | 1847 Channel Islands 1850-1880 Western Australia |
| Pension Paid | 1/10d per diem increased 16th April 1850 to 2/0d per diem Further increase refused 1873 as he was already receiving the maximum rate |
| Date of Departure and Place England or Ireland | 22nd July 1850 Portland Dorset England |
| Ship and Date of Arrival Western Australia | HASHEMY 25th October 1850 |
| Date/Place of Birth | c1806 Warsall l Staffordshire England |
| Date/Place of Baptism | Not yet known |
| Father Date/Place of Birth | Not yet known |
| Mother Date/Place of Birth Marriage | Not yet known |
| Siblings | Not yet known |
| 1st Wife Date of Birth or Baptism | Not yet known |
| Date/Place of Marriage | Not yet known |
| 2nd Wife Date of Birth or Baptism | BENSON Sarah (widow) b 1816 Not yet known |
| Date/Place of Marriage | 27TH October 1833 Deesa Bombay |
| Children by 2nd Wife | Thomas b 14th November 1834 Bp 1st February 1835 Deesa Bombay India Father Thomas Brown Sergeant 6th regiment mother Sarah. George b 4th January 1837 Bp 22nd January 1837 Colaba Bombay India Father Thomas Brown Sergeant 6th regt mother Sarah D 1840 Bur 20th May 1840 Poona Bombay India Henry b 17th July 1839 Bp 11th August 1839 Colaba Bombay Father Thomas Brown C/Sergent 6th regt mother Sarah James B 27th August 1842 Bp 18 September 1842 Kirkee Bombay India Father Thomas Brown Sergeant 17th regt mother Sarah Jane B 30th April 1845 Bp 9th June 1845 Ahmeduggen Bombay India D aged 1month 21days buried 21st June 1845 Ahmeduggen Bombay India Father both B&D Sergeant 17th Foot mother Sarah |
| Father of 1st wife Date/Place of Birth | Not yet known |
| Mother of 1st wife Date/Place of Birth Marriage | Not yet known |
| 3rdd Wife Date of Birth or Baptism | SMITH Catherine B 24th January 1824 Limerick Ireland |
| Date/Place of Marriage | 24th November 1851 Fremantle Western Australia |
| Children by 3rd Wife | Susanna B 7th October 1852 Fremantle Western Australia M TICHBON Henry 1879 Perth WA D 1887 Western Australia Sarah B 10th June 1855 Serpentine Western Australia M MUNRO James 25th December 1873 Fremantle Western Australia D 4th February 1881 Fremantle Western Australia Catherine Margaret B 1857 Serpentine Western Australia M SIMPSON Joseph 5th August 1888 Fremantle Western Australia M CRAKE Arthur 1906 North Perth Western Australia D 6th June 1950 Shenton Park, Western Australia Bur Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia Thomas b 1857 Serpentine Western Australia D Not yet known after Mother’s 1901 death Robert George B 21st July 1859 Serpentine Western Australia M SMITH Alice Maud 21st June 1882 Fremantle Western Australia D 29 March 1939 Palmyra Western Australia |
| Land Grants Western Australia | None |
| Occupation after Arrival | Thomas Brown was employed as a night warder from 19th July 1851 but he kept falling asleep and was allowed to resign 25th July 1852 |
| Newspaper Articles | The West Australian Sat 1 Apr 1939 Page 16 Obituary son Robert George The West Australian Wednesday 7th June 1950 page 23 Death notice Catherine Crake |
| Departure from Western Australia | Not applicable |
| Date/Place of Death/Burial | 1880 Fremantle Western Australia |
| Date/Place of Death/Burial 1st Wife | Not yet known |
| Date/Place of Death/Burial 2nd Wife | June 1845 buried 1st July 1845 age 29 Ahmeduggen Bombay India (“wife of Sgt Brown of 17th Regiment”) |
| Date/Place of Death/Burial 3rd Wife | July 5 1901 “Female Home” Murray Street Perth Western Australia Bur Fremantle Cemetery |
| Will or Probate | None known |
| Further Information | British Army Worldwide Index 1841 Thomas Brown 666 (sic) Colour Sergeant 6th Foot location Aden on Detachment (This may be a transcription error as the number is given as 606 on his WO97 papers.) Discharge due to being worn out and with a chronic cough Thomas Brown actually had 3 marriages as he was a widower at the time of his marriage to Sarah Benson in 1833; the name of his first wife is unknown. When Thomas asked to be relieved of his duty in the Enrolled Force he said he had the care of two children one of whom was the 10 year old Thomas who was treated for dyspepsia during the voyage of the Hashemy. We are unable to ascertain the name of the second child. When the Hashemy was chartered as a convict transport in 1850 its destination was Van Diemen’s Land but due to the strong anti-transportation movement in the Eastern states it was decided to send it to Western Australia where transportation was still acceptable. As a result the WO 23s still have the pensioners located in VDL in 1851 instead of Western Australia. Shortly after the arrival of the Hashemy Captain Bruce challenged Sergeant Thomas Brown as to his conduct not only of the voyage as Sergeant Major in Charge of Pensioners but his subsequent behaviour. Thomas Brown admitted he was suffering from debility and was unable to continue in the Enrolled Force. He wrote to Captain Bruce requesting to be dismissed from the Local company as he was suffering debility from long service in tropical ‘clines’ and having to care for his two children. 14th November Captain Bruce wrote to the Colonial Secretary requesting His Excellency sanctioning the removal of Sergeant Brown’s name from the effective roll. Following an investigation whereby several of the other pensioners on the Hashemy (Baskerville, Trayhorne and Campbell) gave evidence regarding his behaviour on the voyage his name was removed from the roll but in view of his military service and Good behaviour medal his pension was not affected. SROWA Cons 36 Volume 207 pages 175-186 Thomas Brown was a subscriber to the Pensioners Benevolent Fund Ceased to draw pension in 1875 – MS James “A Superior Body of Men” In 1881 the widow of Sergeant Thomas Brown applied for a grant of land however it was refused as he had a grant assigned to him previously which was resumed because he made no improvements in 7 years. SROWA Cons 31 1881 |