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BREE – Thomas Honourable East India Company 1st Bombay Fusiliers

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Honourable East India Company – Painting of Battle of Ferozeshah 1845
Indian Mutiny Medal

 

NameBREE – Thomas
Regiment (s)Honourable East India Company 1st Bombay Fusiliers
Regiment Number (s) 582
Date/Age/Place/Trade or
Profession at Attestation
26th April 1847 / 20 years / Glasgow Scotland
Labourer
Description – Height
Complexion/Eyes/Hair/Scars
5 Ft 6¼ in
Fair / Grey / Fair
Overseas Service/DurationEmbarked 18th August 1847 per “Boyne” for India
Embarked 1st July 1861 per “Vernon” for England WO23/23
Length of Service15 years 3 months
Rank/Date/Place of DischargePrivate / 6th June 1861 / not yet known
Campaign MedalsIndian Mutiny Medal 1857-59
Intended Residence at
Discharge
Hull Yorkshire England
Pension Districts1861 Hull
1861 Sligo
1862 2nd Glasgow
1862-1882 Western Australia
1882- South Australia
Pension Paid9d per diem
Increased to 1/0d per diem 1897 for campaign service
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 Birth26th April 1828
Skreen Dromore Sligo Ireland
Date/Place of BaptismNot yet known
Father
Date/Place of Birth
Not yet known
Mother
Date/Place of Birth
Marriage
Not yet known
SiblingsNot yet known
1st Wife
Date of Birth or Baptism
HIGGINS Anne
B 1847
Date/Place of Marriage21st October 1861 Roman Catholic Church Calry Sligo Ireland
Children by 1st WifeCatherine B 13th September 1862
Bp 14th September 1862 St. John the Evangelist Gravesend Southwark Kent England (Mother Anne Hagan)
M  PASSMORE  Charles Henry 1893 Perth Western Australia
D 24th October 1946 Leederville Western Australia
bur Roman Catholic Section Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia
William  B  4th October 1864 Fremantle Western Australia
bap 20th October 1864 Western Australia
Margaret Ellen B  13th October 1867 York Western Australia
bap 5th November 1867 Western Australia
M  ASPINALL Albert Wood 1908  Perth Western Australia
D  19th October 1951 Leederville Western Australia
bur Roman Catholic Section Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia
Mary Ann   B 1872  Fremantle Western Australia
Thomas   B 1876  Albany Western Australia
D  27th July 1948  Claremont Western Australia
bur Roman Catholic Section Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia
Father of 1st wife
Date/Place of Birth
HIGGINS Edward
Not yet known
Mother of 1st wife
Date/Place of Birth
Marriage
UNKNOWN Sarah
Not yet known
Land Grants Western
Australia
Lot P235 Cockburn Sound Willagee
20 acres or 22.2.10 acres (Actually 22 acres 2 roods 10 perches)
Occupation after
Arrival
Assistant warder CE 19 December 1865-23 July 1866
Newspaper ArticlesThe Herald   Saturday 3rd January 1871 – page 3 – Thomas Bree drunk
The Herald   Saturday 6th January 1872 – page 3 – Thomas Bree abusive and obscene language
Inquirer and  Commercial News 30th March 1881 – page 3 – J Bree to Mauritius on “Star Queen”
West Australian Friday 25th October 1946 –  page 1 – death Catherine PASSMORE
West Australian Monday 22nd October 1951 – page 21 – death of Margaret ASPINALL
Departure from Western
Australia
Not yet known
SROWA – Cons 144  – 1882 Mrs Bree living in No 2 Barracks with 3 children, her husband having left the Colony
Date/Place of Death/Burial10th January 1905, Sligo Irelands
Aged 75. a widower, Occupation – Pensioner, Residence Pound Street, died Workhouse Hospital
Date/Place of Death/Burial
Wife
19th February 1912 Claremont Western Australia
Roman Catholic Section Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia
Will or ProbateNone known
Further InformationDischarge: Unfit for further service. Disease of the heart
In 1864 Thomas Bree nominated his father-in-law and mother-in-law Edward and Sarah Higgins as migrants to the Colony, at the time they were living at Sligo and Father White was given as the referee. There is no evidence they took up the offer.
On 28th February 1870 Captain Finnerty wrote to the resident Magistrate Fremantle requesting that as Mrs Bree was in ill health and as she was unable to support herself and her 3 small children while her husband was serving 42 days imprisonment (Court Martial 27th February 1870) could he have her removed from the barracks to the poor house until her husband had served his sentence and he may be made to support her. Mrs Bree declined the offer.
On 8th December 1871 Mrs Bree applied for outdoor relief as her husband is confined to bed with a broken rib. The matter was referred to Commanding Officer Charles Finnerty who replied ‘Pensioner Bree is of bad character were he otherwise he would be on Military Duty. I dismissed him for attempting to shoot the Sergt Major with a loaded rifle – if his rib is broken I am of opinion that he deserves it.’ The application was accompanied by a medical certificate.
In 1874 Thomas Bree Had his pension suspended as he was in prison.
In 1881 Thomas Bree bought Furniture from Barracks surplus sale when he was living in No 1 Barracks with wife and 5 children
In August 1881 Ann Bree, wife of Thos Bree E.I.C. 9d, wants portion of pension, wrote [Beyaar Major] Mauritius. 22 Aug 81
By 1882 Mrs Bree living in No 2 Barracks with 3 children her husband having left the Colony.
On 4th June 1890 Fremantle Mrs Bree wrote to the Colonial Secretary requesting him to allow her a room at the barracks as her husband had left her and had left the state 9 years previously. She had a little boy and her only means of support was her husband’s pension of 9d per day and a little assistance she got from her two daughters who were in service at Fremantle.
Reply: No quarters available at this time, but by 1891 she was living in two rooms of the Fremantle Barracks with one child, Thomas, who is fourteen years of age.
In 1899 there are a series of letters and memos from the caretaker of the Fremantle Barracks and the Acting Under Secretary about the conduct of Mrs Bree who is living with her son Thomas (20) in the Barracks and her refusal to adhere to the regulations. She used violence and abusive language towards the caretaker Sergeant- Major McIlwaine until she was physically removed from the barracks on 6th February 1899.
.
Royal Adelaide Hospital admissions:
Admission No. 205, admitted 26/01/1894, age 67, M, Church of England residence Clare, labourer, born Ireland, 31 years in Colony, ship York
Adm 189, 13/01/1900, 74, M, residence Clarenden, occ bushman, born Ireland, 38 years in Colony.
Thomas was arrested for using obscene language in Adelaide in 1902 & 1903.