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| Name | Comer / Coomer / Connor – Matthew |
|---|---|
| Regiment (s) | 76th Regiment |
| Regiment Number (s) | 1033 |
| Date/Age/Place/Trade or Profession at Attestation | 16th January 1833 / 18 years / Athlone Roscommon Ireland Labourer |
| Description – Height Complexion/Eyes/Hair/Scars | 5 Ft 9¼ in Fresh / Hazel / Brown / None |
| Overseas Service/Duration | West Indies and Bermuda – 7 years 8 months Mediterranean – 5 years North America – 2 years 4 months |
| Length of Service | 21 years 318 days |
| Rank/Date/Place of Discharge | Private / 28th November 1854 / Chatham Kent England |
| Campaign Medals | None |
| Intended Residence at Discharge | Athlone Roscommon Ireland |
| Pension Districts | 1855 Athlone 1855 Clonmel July 1857 – October 1864 Western Australia October 1864 – August 1867 Adelaide South Australia |
| Pension Paid | 1/0d per diem |
| Date of Departure and Place England or Ireland | 19th March 1857 London England |
| Ship and Date of Arrival Western Australia | CLARA 3rd July 1857 |
| Date/Place of Birth | 1815 Kiltoom Athlone Roscommon 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 |
| 1st Wife Date of Birth or Baptism | RONAN (ROLAND) Bridget B 1822 Tipperary Ireland |
| Date/Place of Marriage | 14th January 1843 Cashel and Emly Diocese Tipperary Ireland (spelt Matthew “Coomer”) |
| Children by 1st Wife | Cecilia B 11th April 1844 Bp 17th April 1844 St. John’s Cathedral Portsmouth Hampshire England (mother Roonan) M CUNNINGHAM John 1864 Fremantle Western Australia son of EPG John Cunningham (83rd Rgt Sea Park) D 5th September 1905 Western Australia Bur East Perth Cemetery with her mother Emily b c1850 M SCOTT John Robert 1871 Bunbury WA D 19th September1886 aged 36 years Pinjarra Western Australia Margaret Comer B c1856 father Matthew D 1864 age 8 years at Fremantle WA Reg 2568 Dennis James B 3rd May 1859 Fremantle Western Australia A Dennis Coomer/Connor drowned at Nicol Bay when the “Wild Wave” went down in a hurricane December 25th 1875 Michael B 22nd January 1863 Fremantle Western Australia M STOKES Ellen 26th April 1886 Perth Presbyterian Church D 14th May 1921 Wongan Hills Western Australia |
| Father of 1st wife Date/Place of Birth | ROHAN/ROHNAN Thomas |
| Mother of 1st wife Date/Place of Birth Marriage | McGRATH Ann |
| 2nd Husband of Wife | FERGUSON Charles |
| Date/Place of Marriage | 1868 Western Australia |
| Children by 2nd Husband | Charles b 1873 Pinjarra WA |
| Land Grants Western Australia | None |
| Occupation after Arrival | Shepherd at the time of his death. |
| Newspaper Articles | The Inquirer and Commercial News Wednesday 12th October 1864 page 2 Sea Ripple passengers M. Conner(sic) South Australian Register Wednesday 25th December 1867 page 2 Inquest into death of Matthew West Australian Times Friday 14th January 1876 page 2 Wreck of the “Wild Wave” The Inquirer and Commercial News Wednesday 29th September 1886 page 4 Death Emily Scott (Her children are mentioned in Cecilia’s obituary.) The West Australian Thursday 17th March 1904 page 1 Funeral notice of Bridget Ferguson The Western Mail (Perth, WA: 1885-1954) Saturday 16 September 1905 page 52 Obituary Cecilia Northam Courier Friday 20th May 1921 page 3 Obituary Michael |
| Departure from Western Australia | 9th October 1864 per Sea Ripple to South Australia |
| Date/Place of Death/Burial | 18th December 1867 Terminus Hotel North Terrace Adelaide South Australia Not yet known |
| Date/Place of Death/Burial Wife | D 15th March 1904 Perth WA Bur East Perth Cemetery (headstone) |
| Will or Probate | None known |
| Further Information | British Army Worldwide Index 1841 Matthew Comer 1033 Private 76th Foot Location Bermuda 1851 As above location Corfu Ionian Island Discharge due to chronic catarrh and worn out 1856 Matthew Comer was scheduled to be part of the guard of the convict ship Runnymede when Corporal William Nevin shot and killed Sergeant Ben Robinson, Matthew was “held back” as a witness for the inquest and trial, he and his family joined the next available convict transport. In 1864 Matthew was involved in a drunken fight with other employees while working at the Lefroy farm and stables shortly afterward he deserted WA and left his wife and children in Western Australia when he went to South Australia in 1864. Committed suicide by strychnine poisoning in 1867 in South Australia. (He said he took it by mistake for salts.) On 10th October 1874 Charles and Bridget Ferguson were witnesses at the trial of Edward Hyde for assault on Mary Hyde, an infant child. Plot 214 East Perth Cemetery is the burial place for Bridget Ferguson and her daughter Cecilia Cunningham and also her granddaughter Emily Mary Cunningham (headstone) |