MEALIA / MELIA / MEALEN / MEALIN – Michael 99th Regiment

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Name	MEALIA / MELIA / MEALEN / MEALIN – Michael
Regiment (s)	99th Regiment
Regiment Number (s)	1228
Date/Age/Place/Trade or Profession at Attestation	2nd August 1839 / 18 years / Athlone Roscommon Ireland Labourer
Description – Height Complexion/Eyes/Hair/Scars	5 Ft 7 in Fair / Hazel / Light Brown / None
Overseas Service/Duration	Australian Colonies – 13 Years 2 months
Length of Service	21 years 105 days
Rank/Date/Place of Discharge	Private / 29 October 1860 / Cork Ireland
Campaign Medals	Not yet known
Intended Residence at Discharge	Kilkenny Ireland
Pension Districts	1860 Kilkenny 1862 Tilbury 1862-1900 Western Australia
Pension Paid	8d per diem 1874 Increased to 11½d per diem for service in Enrolled Force Western Australia
Date of Departure and Place England or Ireland	8th October 1862 Portland England
Ship and Date of Arrival Western Australia	YORK 31st December 1862
Date/Place of Birth	1821 St. Peter’s Athlone Ireland
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
1^st Wife Date of Birth or Baptism	SHANAHAN Mary/ Anne B 1841 (Deduced)
Date/Place of Marriage	24th July 1862 Callan Kilkenny Ireland
Children by 1^st Wife	William B April 1863 Fremantle Western Australia Anne B 18 August 1864 Fremantle Western Australia M ANDERSON Robert 1883 Fremantle Western Australia son of EPG Francis Anderson (Merchantman 1863) Joanna (Jane) B 8th June 1866 Fremantle Western Australia M 1st STEPHENSON George Scott 1891 Perth Western Australia M 2nd CHAMPION Isaac Pemberthy 1902 Western Australia D 20th March 1923 Bayswater Western Australia bur Wesleyan Section Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia George Henfry B July 1869 Not yet known
Father of 1st wife Date/Place of Birth	Not yet known
Mother of 1st wife Date/Place of Birth Marriage	Not yet known
Land Grants Western Australia	Not applicable
Occupation after Arrival	Not yet known
Newspaper Articles	There are many newspaper reports of Michael MELIA (sic) being charged with drunkenness in Western Australia West Australian Times Friday 20th November 1874 – page 3 – Michael MEALIA drunk West Australian Saturday 17th January 1885 – page 5 – Michael MELIA was robbed West Australian Thursday 4th June 1891 – page 3 – – Michael MEALIA – attempted suicide The West Australian Tuesday 9th June 1891 – page 3 – Michael MELIA – attempted suicide Western Mail Saturday 16th November 1889 – page 22 – attempt to save Jane CHAMPION West Australian Friday 23rd March 1923 – page 1 – death of Jane CHAMPION
Departure from Western Australia	None known
Date/Place of Death/Burial	6th October 1900 Western Australia Bur Karrakatta Cemetery (Melea) Congregational AA 0092
Date/Place of Death/Burial Wife	1886 Anne Mealia age 45 Guildford Western Australia
Will or Probate	None known
Further Information	1841 British Army World Wide Index shows MEALIA with 99th in Dublin Ireland 1851 British Army World Wide Index shows MELIA with 99th in Van Dieman’s Land Australia Discharge: At own request having completed 21 year service On 27 Nov 1877 W. Dale (Immigration Officer) wrote to the Colonial Secretary on behalf of Ann MELIA, who has not lived with her husband Michael MELIA for upwards of 10 years, requested her son George Henfry MELIA be admitted to the Protestant Orphanage as he was in danger of running astray. Approved. Line breakMichael MEALIA wrote to the Colonial Secretary in March 1873 saying that he had a medical certificate saying he was unfit for heavy labour but Mr DALE put him with the able bodied paupers with their stigmatised dress for which he was not old he was too unfit. W. DALE said he met MEALIA in the street and was grossly insulted by him, as a pensioner he bears a bad character. 17th November 1885 Michael was admitted to the Colonial Hospital with broken ribs and then admitted to Depot. Michael under the name of Mealia or Melia was charged numerous times with drunkenness and spent much of his time in imprisonment until being admitted to the Depot towards the end of his life.