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| Name | BENSON – Michael |
|---|---|
| Regiment (s) | 34th Regiment |
| Regiment Number (s) | 1496 |
| Date/Age/Place/Trade or Profession at Attestation | 10th December 1838 / 21 years 2 months /Templemore Tipperary Ireland Gardener |
| Description – Height Complexion/Eyes/Hair/Scars | 6 Ft 1 in Fresh / Blue / Dark Brown / None |
| Overseas Service/Duration | Mediterranean – 3 years 8 months |
| Length of Service | 10 years 307 days |
| Rank/Date/Place of Discharge | Private / 13th November 1849 / Chatham Kent England |
| Campaign Medals | None |
| Intended Residence at Discharge | Dublin Ireland |
| Pension Districts | 1849 1st Dublin 1851 Tilbury Fort 1853-1897 Western Australian |
| Pension Paid | 6d per diem – Temporary for 2 years 6 months until 6th June 1852 |
| Date of Departure and Place England or Ireland | 13th March 1851 Portland England |
| Ship and Date of Arrival Western Australia | PYRENEES 28th June 1851 |
| Date/Place of Birth | 25th September 1816 Lanesborough Longford Ireland |
| Date/Place of Baptism | 29th September 1816 Cashel Longford Ireland |
| Father Date/Place of Birth Death | BENSON Samuel c1788 Rathmore Meath Ireland 13th July 1856 Summerhill Meath Ireland |
| Mother Date/Place of Birth Marriage | McINERNY Mary nee ALLEN Not yet known 31st March 1815 St. Mary’s Limerick Limerick Ireland |
| Siblings | Not yet known |
| 1st Wife Date of Birth or Baptism | BOURKE Margaret aka Mary c1810 Kilkenny Ireland |
| Date/Place of Marriage | Not yet known |
| Children by 1st Wife | Thomas B c1837 Ireland SamuelB 8th August1838 Freshford Kilkenny Ireland M DONOVAN Bridget 2nd November 1866 St. Patrick’s Adelaide South Australia D 7th June 1931 Helmsdale South Australia Richard B c1839 Not yet known William B c1841 Kent England M MATHERS Mary Ann 1873 Sydney New South Wales D 14th July 1910 Leedervile Western Australia bur Anglican Section Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia John B January 1849 Dublin Ireland M FINLAY Mary Ann 31st December 1870 Trinity Congregational Church Perth Western Australia D 6th March 1924 Perth Western Australia bur Anglican Section Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia Mary Jane B c1851 Not yet known M McMAHON Michael 1870 Perth Western Australia D 22nd June 1885 Wellington Hotel Perth Western Australia bur Roman Catholic Section East Perth Cemeteries Western Australia Michael James B 1853 Western Australia M McCAFFREY Mary Ann Sarah 1886 Perth Western Australia D 26th September 1930 Belmont Western Australia bur Roman Catholic Section Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia |
| Father of 1st wife Date/Place of Birth | BOURKE John Not yet known |
| Mother of 1st wife Date/Place of Birth Marriage | Not yet known |
| Land Grants Western Australia | Purchase of Perth Town lots E28 for £6 and X8 also for £6 (Inquirer Wednesday 12th October 1864 page 2) |
| Occupation after Arrival | 1851 Warder at Convict Establishment resigned 1852 March 1853 Joined the Police Force. Lock up keeper Perth Resigned 3 December 1870. 1st January 1874 appointed Gaoler Fremantle resigned 17th May 1881 (Ill health) His wife Mary was matron Perth lock up from 1st March 1853 resigned 3 December 1870 1st January 1874 Appointed Matron Fremantle Gaol resigned 17th May 1881. |
| Newspaper Articles | The Daily News Monday 8th November 1897 page 2 Funeral of Michael Benson The West Australian Tuesday 9th November 1897 page 4 Obituary Michael Benson Western Mail Saturday 25th January 1902 page 9 Obituary for Margaret (sic) Benson The Advertiser and Register (Adelaide) Tuesday 9th June 1931 page 13 Obituary Samuel Benson |
| Departure from Western Australia | Not applicable |
| Date/Place of Death/Burial | 5th November 1897 Forrest Avenue Perth Western Australia Church of England Section East Perth Cemeteries Western Australia |
| Date/Place of Death/Burial Wife | 19th January 1902 Victoria Park Western Australia Catholic Section East Perth Cemeteries Western Australia |
| Will or Probate | SROWA Cons 3458 1897/157 As Michael died without making a will his eldest son Samuel and heir at law applied for Letters of Administration on behalf of his mother Margaret and his brothers William, Michael and John. The estate was valued at £2080/11/2 SROWA Cons 3403 1902/069 Will of Margaret Benton. Margaret left all her worldly goods to her son Samuel and appointed him executor. It consisted of a mortgage valued at £300. |
| Further Information | British Army Worldwide Index 1841 Michael Benson 1496 34th Foot location Depot Dover Castle 1841 Census HO 107 Michael Benson is a soldier with the 34th regiment living at Dover Castle Kent with his wife Margaret and children Thomas age 4 Richard age 2 all born Ireland and an unnamed male child age 1 born Kent Discharge due to rheumatism and periostitis (Periostitis is a medical condition that makes sufferers experience a mild ache in the lower leg area after activities like running and jumping) Both Michael and Margaret Benson received medical treatment during the voyage of the Pyrenees. Michael was treated for febricula for 11 days. Michael Benson requested an increase in pension (local) for both himself and his wife in 1881 and again in 1894 both times he stated that the amount was too low for the 28 years they had served the government and had resigned though illness aggravated by the damp and uncomfortable living quarters furthermore he had suffered sun stroke while doing his duty as a bailiff. The amount of the pension per annum was £5/16/8 for Michael and £2/18/4 for his wife. On both occasions the result was a refusal as the broken periods of employment were not taken into consideration and “Benson’s case was fully considered at the time. We have done all for them that the law permits”. |