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Thomas Minorgan by Jeffrey W Oates – 2020
Thomas Minorgan and Vale Colin Minorgan – EPG Gazette 2001 No 2
| Name | MINORGAN – Thomas |
|---|---|
| Regiment (s) | 10th 24th 4th and 24th Regiment |
| Regiment Number (s) | – / – / – / 694 |
| Date/Age/Place/Trade or Profession at Attestation | 20th November 1851 / 19 years / Dublin Ireland Labourer |
| Description – Height Complexion/Eyes/Hair/Scars | 5 Ft 7.1/8 in Fresh / Hazel / Brown / None |
| Overseas Service/Duration | Malta – 7 months Crimea – 2 years 4 months |
| Length of Service | 16 years 28 days |
| Rank/Date/Place of Discharge | Colour Sergeant / 17th December 1867 / Sheffield England |
| Campaign Medals | Crimean War Medal with Alma Inkerman and Sebastopol clasps Turkish Crimea Medal |
| Intended Residence at Discharge | 28 Henrietta Street Dublin Ireland |
| Pension Districts | 1868 Dublin 1873 Greenwich 1874-1911 Western Australia |
| Pension Paid | 1/6d per diem 1881 Increased to 1/8½d per diem 1887 pension increased to 2/0d per diem for service in Enrolled Force and being allowed 5 years 8 months service in Dublin City Military Militia to reckon bringing his total service to 21years 287 days |
| Date of Departure and Place England or Ireland | 1st November 1873 Gravesend England |
| Ship and Date of Arrival Western Australia | NAVAL BRIGADE 18th February 1874 |
| Date/Place of Birth | 19th March 1832 St James Dublin Ireland |
| Date/Place of Baptism | Not yet known |
| Father Date/Place of Birth | MINORGAN Thomas B 1768 Ireland |
| Mother Date/Place of Birth Marriage | YOUNG Jane B 1806 Scotland Dublin Ireland |
| Siblings | MINORGAN Robert |
| 1st Wife Date of Birth or Baptism | POWER Alice 1840 (of Waterford Ireland – marriage certificate) – death circa 1858/59 |
| Date/Place of Marriage | 2 February 1858 Dungarvan, Waterford, Ireland |
| Children by 1st Wife | Robert John B 29 December 1858 Killarney, Kerry, Ireland baptised there 1 Jan 1859 M MACK Catherine 1884 Perth Western Australia D 6th November 1917 Cottesloe Western Australia buried Roman Catholic Section Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia |
| Father of 1st wife Date/Place of Birth | POWER Pierce (a farmer) |
| Mother of 1st wife Marriage | Not yet known |
| 2nd Wife Date of Birth or Baptism | MEEGHAN Annie 1841 Connaught, Ireland. |
| Date/Place of Marriage | 13 August 1859, Clonmel, Ireland also registered 25th November 1859 Medway, Kent, England Father is Michael MEEGHAN |
| Children by 2nd Wife | None known |
| 2nd Wife Date of Death | November 1869 Dublin Ireland |
| 3rd Wife | FLYNN Catherine |
| Date/Place of Marriage | 11th July 1870 Dublin Ireland |
| Father of 3rd wife Date/Place of Birth | FLYNN Patrick |
| Children by 3rd Wife | Thomas B 29th May 1871 in Dublin Ireland Bp 14th June 1871 St. Mary’s (Pro-cathedral) Dublin City Dublin Ireland M Mary Geary 1893 Perth WA D 6 May 1915 in Perth WA Annie B 11 January 1873 in Dublin Ireland D 2nd June 1976 Como Western Australia buried Roman Catholic Section Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia (did not marry) James Christopher B 8 March 1875 Perth Western Australia D 30th March 1927 West Perth Western Australia buried Anglican Section Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia – (did not marry) Alice Mary B 28 April 1877 in Perth D in 1877 at age 9 mths in Perth WA Catherine Mary B 1 December 1878 in Perth D 9 June 1968 in Como, Perth WA (did not marry) Evelyn Mary B 29 December 1880 in Perth D October 1881 at age 9 mths in Fremantle WA Edward Patrick B 1882 Perth Western Australia M Margaret Brown 1918 Perth WA D 5th June 1948 West Perth Western Australia buried Anglican Section Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia Alice Mary B 8 December 1887 Perth Western Australia M James Brown (no record of actual marriage located) D 17 April 1973 in West Leederville, Perth WA |
| Date/Place of Death/Burial 3rd Wife | 21st June 1930 Como, Perth Western Australia buried Roman Catholic Section Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia |
| Land Grants Western Australia | John Street West Perth Lot 126Y 0.3.0 acres formerly allotted to Patrick Fannon (99th foot) transferred to Sergeant Minorgan 1881 6th April 1881 Title application 14th June 1881 Certificate if title issuedSergeant Minorgan applied for a grant of land at Albany There is an enclosure signed by Patrick Fannon which reads: “Patrick Fannon of the 99th foot agreed to resign Perth Pot Y 126 in favour of Sergeant Thomas Minorgan on him paying me for such improvements as I have effected, as I do not have the means to make the improvements required by the regulations to entitle me to the Fee Simple”. Signed Patrick Fannon 22nd January 1881 ApprovedJohn Street West Perth Lot 126Y 0.3.0 acres formerly allotted to Patrick Fannon (99th foot) transferred to Sergeant Minorgan 1881 on him paying Patrick Fannon for the improvement he had made.There is a raft of correspondence regarding Minorgan’s application for land at Albany beginning in 1881:15th November 1881 Sir There are many unoccupied Pensioner allotment of land at Albany might I humbly request that you will be good enough to move His excellency the Governor that he may be pleased to give me Sub Lot P6 as a gift or if he may be pleased not to have it for free may I have it at the upset price. You are aware, Sir I have a grant at Perth which Patrick Fannon relinquished in my favor for a gratuity also that I have worked hard for years keeping the Register books of Pensioners Lands and Allotment throughout the Colony. I have never received any land only what Fannon gave me with your permission. The reason I am anxious to get an allotment in Albany is my eldest son is going there to be employed and I would give him a portion of it to encourage him to erect a cottage. Thomas Minorgan Staff Sergeant 6th June 1883 To Captain MS Smith 26th June 1883 He again applied to be granted P6 Albany by purchase at the same price Sergeant Tunney had paid (thirty shilling an acre) this time he was advised the application was inadmissible.(31th December 1883) He applied again in 12th April 1886 this time they took a different approach |
| Occupation after Arrival | Enrolled Pensioner Force: – Staff Sergeant at the Perth Barracks – Inspector of Pensioner Cottages – Imperial Paymaster for the pensioner force in the colony. Also Drill Instructor to the Metropolitan Rifle Volunteer Corps (MRVC) for a term of nearly six years |
| Newspaper Articles | The West Australian Friday 20th February 1880 page 2 Testimonial for Sergeant Minorgan late of the MR Volunteers The Western Mail Friday 4th August 1899 page 38 Presentation of Meritorious Service Annuity Medal The Daily News Thursday 2nd April 1903 page 1 From this article it appears Sergeant Thomas Minorgan was still the paymaster to pensioners in 1903 The Daily News Monday 4th December 1911 page 4 Obituary Thomas The Daily News Saturday 21st June 1930 page 10 Funeral Notice Catherine |
| Departure from Western Australia | Not applicable |
| Date/Place of Death/Burial | 1st December 1911 Perth Western Australia Anglican Section Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia |
| Will or Probate | Will: SROWA Cons 3403 1912/006 30 Apr 1907. Probate: 15 Jul 1912, Supreme Court of Western Australia. At the time of his death Thomas’s Major asset was his pensioner allotment 126Y and Y129 on which he had erected four cottages. When he made his will on 30th April 1907 he named his eldest son Robert John Minorgan as the Executor, the witnesses being J.M. Rogers and Frederick Stanley Hill. The total value of the estate amounted to £1837/19/9. He bequeathed his sewing machine to his eldest daughter Annie, his watch and chain to his youngest son Edward Patrick, his presentation ring and pipe to his son James and his medals to his youngest daughter Alice. The first cottage and land on which it stands he left to his daughter Annie, absolutely, the second cottage he left to his daughter Catherine absolutely, the third he left to his wife Catherine (together with his household furniture) for her life directing that after her death it should go to his daughter Alice for her sole and separate use, while the fourth cottage would also go to his wife during her life time but after her death it should become part of his residuary real estate. He then directed that the residue of his real and personal estate including the money on fixed deposit at the National Bank after payment of his funeral and testamentary expenses to be equally divided between his daughters Annie, Catherine and Alice share and share alike. |
| Further Information | British Army Worldwide Index 1861 Re-engaged Sergeant 1st Bn 24th Foot location Chatham 1861 Census RG9 483/57/14 Chatham 1st Depot Barracks Thomas Minorgan age 29 an army sergeant born Ireland is living with his wife Annie age 20 who was also born Ireland, there are no children included but his brother Robert and his wife and family are also at the barracks. Discharge due to chronic rheumatism 5th February 1868 Thomas Minorgan was attested for the permanent staff of the Royal Dublin City Militia where he served for 5 years 8 months (259 days). 21st October 1873 discharged at his own request by purchase he being about to immigrate to Australia to fill a government situation November 1880 Sergeant Minorgan is on the Nominal list for the Enrolled Guard, at the time he is living at the No Barracks Fremantle with his wife and 4 children. 20th May 1881 paid £15 to roof his cottage 27th September 1881 Sergeant Minorgan was advised he will have to resign his position in the Enrolled Guard it he wished to take up the position of Treasury clerk for the payment of pensioners 28th September 1881 resigned Enrolled Guard Things did not always run smoothly in the Minorgan marriage for in 1885 Thomas inserted in the Daily News (Friday 6th February 1885 page 3) he would no longer be responsible for her debts SROWA Cons 527 1889/3543 3rd December 1889 Perth To His Excellency the Governor, Sir Napier Broome KCMG Sir, May I humbly beg before you leave the Colony that you will be pleased to cause my names to be placed on the Colonial Staff of Clerks for employment in consideration of my long service as Military Pension clerk under the Honorable The Colonial Treasurer so that I may be enabled to receive some small pension from the Colonial Government when reduced through old age or loss of office. I am paid my present salary of eight shillings a day out of the 3% commission allowed by the Imperial Government on pension disbursements. I receive a pension of two shilling a day for past military service of 30 years and that is all I have at present to look to towards my support when past my labour. I have the Honor to be Sir Your most humble servant Thomas Minorgan Military Pension Clerk Formerly Colour Sergeant 1/24th regiment The Colonial Treasurer A O’Grady Lefroy wrote a glowing recommendation regarding Thomas Minorgan 9th December 1889 “I cannot speak too highly of the character and service of Sergeant Minorgan, he has most efficiently assisted me in the duties connected with the payment of military and civil pensioners since I was appointed Imperial paymaster in the Colony. I highly recommend this application for the favourable consideration of the Governor. If His Excellency would be pleased to place on record Sergeant Minorgan’s claim for employment when a fitting opportunity offered at would give me much satisfaction”.24th June 1897 attended Military pensioners banquet 29th July 1899 Sergeant Minorgan was awarded the Meritorious Service Annuity Medal for his long and meritorious service and notable achievements of the 24th regiment during the Crimean War 20th November 1909 attended the Veterans Annual Dinner Sons Edward and James joined the AIF in WW1 One Good Conduct Badge Meritorious Service Medal (annuity) 1899. |