McKAY – John 26th Regiment – Enrolled Pensioner Force WA

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Name	McKAY – John
Regiment (s)	26th Regiment
Regiment Number (s)	781
Date/Age/Place/Trade or Profession at Attestation	12th July 1827 / 17 years / Glasgow Lanark Scotland Cooper
Description – Height Complexion/Eyes/Hair/Scars	5 Ft 11 in Dark / Dark / Brown / None
Overseas Service/Duration	East Indies -13 years 5 months China -1 year 6 months
Length of Service	21 years 60 days
Rank/Date/Place of Discharge	Private / 9th October 1849 / Cork Ireland.
Campaign Medals	China War Medal 1842
Intended Residence at Discharge	Edinburgh Scotland
Pension Districts	1849 1st Manchester 1849 1st Edinburgh 1853-1883 Western Australia
Pension Paid	1/0d per diem 1873 Increased to 1/3d per diem for 15 years 2 months service in the West Australian Enrolled Force
Date of Departure and Place England or Ireland	June 2 1853 Kingstown, Dublin, Ireland
Ship and Date of Arrival Western Australia	PHOEBE DUNBAR 30th August 1853
Date/Place of Birth	c1810 Edinburgh Midlothian Scotland (1851 census has Glasgow as birthplace)
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	REILLY (RAILLIE or RALEIGH) Margaret B 4th May 1822 Kilmarnock Ayrshire Scotland
Date/Place of Marriage	7th March 1837 St Peter’s Church Fort William Bengal India (with the consent of the Colonel)
Children by 1^st Wife	John B 25th January 1846 Not yet known bap 1st March 1846 Belfast Antrim Ireland M BICKNELL Matilda Louisa 26th July 1866 Perth Western Australia D 24th April 1920 Fremantle Western Australia bur Presbyterian Section Fremantle Cemetery Western Australia Amelia Emily B 1848 Cork Ireland M 1st FLOOD William (EPG Racehorse) 10th December 1867 Fremantle Western Australia M 2nd THOMAS John Dyer c1874 unknown place D 7th December 1897 Western Australia bur Skinner Street Fremantle Western Australia William James B 28th September 1851 bap 27th October 1851 Potter Row Presbyterian Church Edinburgh Midlothian Scotland M 1st KEEGAN Eliza 5th August 1880 Fremantle Western Australia M 2nd MILLS Emma 3rd May 1887 York Western Australia M 3rd PAULL Louisa 1895 Fremantle Western Australia D 3rd September 1922 Claremont Western Australia bur Congregational Section Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia Anne B April 1853 born in April 1853 shortly before embarkation on the “Phoebe Dunbar” (Anne McKay sick aged 1 month on May 15th 1853, discharged well June 15th) Annie Retta B 24th May 1856 Fremantle Western Australia M HAMMOND Jessie Elijah 7th September 1879 Johnston Memorial Church Fremantle Western Australia D 3rd January 1935 South Perth Western Australia bur Anglican Section Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia Margaret B c1857 Fremantle Western Australia M WARTHWYKE Harold 18th January 1890 Congregational Church Fremantle Western Australia D 24th January 1898 Fremantle Western Australia Ronald B 31st December 1860 Fremantle Western Australia M DAVIES Lilly 4th February 1891 Holy Trinity Church York Western Australia D ‘Springdale’ via York 6th October 1921 bur Methodist Cemetery York Western Australia Phoebe Dunbar B 1863 Fremantle Western Australia M DICKSON John 30th June 1887 Johnston Memorial Church Fremantle Western Australia D 11th June 1933 Subiaco Western Australia bur Presbyterian Section Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia Catherine (Cassy) B 1865 Fremantle Western Australia M WOOD John Ashley 29th June 1891 Congregational Church Fremantle Western Australia D 21st March 1911 Fremantle Western Australia bur Congregational Section Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia
Father of 1st wife Date/Place of Birth	RILEY (sic) John
Mother of 1st wife Date/Place of Birth Marriage	Not yet known
Land Grants Western Australia	29th August 1855 applied for land vacated by Charles TRANAILLES P22 North Fremantle between John and Swan Streets Title Application 28 November 1862 Title No 1932
Occupation after Arrival	Not yet known
Newspaper Articles	The Herald Saturday 28th July 1883 page 2 Death notice John McKay Western Mail Perth WA 4th February 1898 – page 45: Death notice Margaret Warthwyke 30th January 1909 – page 19: Obituary Margaret McKay 6th July 1912 – page 23 Silver wedding of Phoebe Dunbar Dickson Daily News Thursday 19th April 1920 page 4 Obituary John
Departure from Western Australia	Not applicable
Date/Place of Death/Burial	26th July 1883 North Fremantle Western Australia Not yet known
Date/Place of Death/Burial Wife	7th January 1909 Old Cemetery Skinner Street Fremantle Western Australia
Will or Probate	SROWA Cons 3403/1884/715 John bequeathed his entire estate to his wife Margaret for her use during her lifetime, after her death to be divided equally amongst his lawful children John, Amelia, William, Margaret, Annie, Ronald, Phoebe and Catherine. Strangely the date of John death is given as 15th June 1883.
Further Information	British Army Worldwide Index 1841 John McKay 781 Sergeant 26th Foot occupation Hong Kong and China Discharge: Due to pulmonary disease and bodily impaired from long service and climate 1851 Census HO 107 11 In back court, Davie Street St Cuthbert’s Edinburgh John, a Chelsea out pensioner working as a labourer at a brass foundry is living with his wife Margaret age 29 born Kilmarnock Ayrshire and their first 2 children John age 5 and Amelia age 3 both born Ireland Three of the McKay children needed medical treatment aboard the Phoebe Dunbar. Firstly on May 15th baby Anne aged 1 months for pertussis, then William age 2 was treated successfully for diarrhoea on the 3rd July, John age 7 for ophthalmic on 24th July 1853. Another child Martin (possibly Amelia Emily) McKay age 4 received treatment on August 24 for Diarrhoea Margaret Mckay said to have trained and worked as a nurse and was the post mistress at North Fremantle for about 10 years (Obit)