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| Name | PIDGEON – George |
|---|---|
| Regiment (s) | 62nd Regiment |
| Regiment Number (s) | 1059 |
| Date/Age/Place/Trade or Profession at Attestation | 28th March 1834 / 18 years 6 months / Leicester Leicester England Trimmer and Dyer |
| Description – Height Complexion/Eyes/Hair/Scars | 5 Ft 10 in Sallow / Grey / Brown / None |
| Overseas Service/Duration | East Indies – 12 years 9 months |
| Length of Service | 21 years 62 days |
| Rank/Date/Place of Discharge | Private / 4th May 1855 / Mullingar Ireland |
| Campaign Medals | None |
| Intended Residence at Discharge | Leicester England |
| Pension Districts | 1855 Leicester 1856-1870 Western Australia |
| Pension Paid | 9d per diem |
| Date of Departure and Place England or Ireland | 5th June 1856 Plymouth England |
| Ship and Date of Arrival Western Australia | RUNNYMEDE 7th September 1856 |
| Date/Place of Birth | c1816 St. Margaret’s Leicester Leicestershire England |
| Date/Place of Baptism | Not yet known |
| Father Date/Place of Birth | PIDGEON John Not yet known |
| Mother Date/Place of Birth Marriage | Not yet known |
| Siblings | Not yet known |
| 1st Wife Date of Birth or Baptism | COLLINS Mary Ann c1826 East Indies (India) |
| Date/Place of Marriage | 3rd August 1842 Fort William Bengal India |
| Children by 1st Wife | John B 12th June 1844 Dinapore India BP 30th June 1844 Dinapore George B Registered 1st Qtr 1849 Liverpool England (Mother Collins) D 9th June 1929 Moora Western Australia (possibly) Mary Ann B c1851 Not yet known Ireland M MITCHELL Thomas 12th October 1867 possibly Rottnest Island Western Australia D 3rd January 1919 Leederville Perth WA Bur Karrakatta RC cemetery WA Frederick B 1858 York Western Australia M MOATE Frances 1881 York Western Australia D 23rd April 1944 York Western Australia Bur York Cemetery WA Elizabeth B 1860 York Western Australia D 9th May 1865 Perth WA Bur 18th September 1865 East Perth Cemetery Charlotte B 1863 York Western Australia D 9th May 1888 Lunatic Asylum Perth Western Australia |
| Father of 1st wife Date/Place of Birth | COLLINS Henry |
| Mother of 1st wife Date/Place of Birth Marriage | Not yet known |
| Land Grants Western Australia | Land Grant P12 York of 4 acres Assigned 31 December 1857 Title Application 7th March 1865 Title deed 2028 Purchase cancelled for York Lot 276 5.1.10 acres |
| Occupation after Arrival | Not yet known |
| Newspaper Articles | Inquirer & Commercial News 39 August 1865 page 2 Hunt expedition and George Pidgeon Inquirer and Commercial News Wednesday 9th May 1888 page 3 Death of Charlotte Pidgeon, the newspaper wrongly reported her name as Elizabeth The Moora Herald and Midland Districts Advocate Wednesday 12th June 1929 page 3 Death of George (Junior) York Chronicle Friday 28th April 1944 page 2 Obituary Frederick Pidgeon |
| Departure from Western Australia | Not applicable |
| Date/Place of Death/Burial | 1870 York Western Australia Not yet known |
| Date/Place of Death/Burial Wife | 1881 Western Australia Bur 5th May 1881 East Perth Cemetery |
| Will or Probate | None known |
| Further Information | British Army Worldwide index 1841 George Pidgeon 1059 location Hazareebaugh India 1851 George Pidgeon 1059 location Mullingar Ireland At the time of the marriage Mary Ann Collins age 16 was a ward of the lower Orphan’s School Discharge due to being worn out after long service in the tropics SROWA Cons 101/060 1859 Census of York Western Australia. The form was filled out and signed by George Pidgeon himself as follows: George Pidgeon age 43 married C of England Labourer can read and write free arrived Runnymede 1856 born England married East Indies Mary Pidgeon wife age 36 married C of England can read and write free arrived Runnymede 1856 born East Indies married East Indies George Pidgeon son age 11 single C of England free can read born England Mary Pidgeon daughter age 7 single C of England can read born Ireland Frederick Pidgeon son age 2 C of England born York WA George had 1 ½ acres of wheat; 2 ¼ acres of hay and green crops; cleared land 2 acres; kitchen garden of 12 roods No livestock The eldest son John is not present at the time of the census. George Pidgeon was one of the pensioners who accompanied CC Hunt on his expedition from 17th January -16 August 1865 to find an inland route to the north sinking new wells and shoring up existing ones along the way as well as blazing the trail. Unfortunately it was conducted at the worst time of the year and great hardship was endured. At the end of the expedition George Pidgeon was sent as a messenger from Kookoordie to York on foot- a distance of about 200 miles which he accomplished in 6 days – this from a man who was discharged from the army as being worn out. In 1868 son George Pidgeon was admitted to the Fremantle Asylum after his father complained of his behaviour to the resident magistrate York who recommended he be examined by a doctor. The doctor found that after an attack of fever he was no longer capable of looking after himself and found him to be insane. 9th February 1869 Pensioner George Pidgeon was arrested at York and charged with deserting his wife and children, he was ordered to pay 5 shillings a week for their support. On 11th February he was gaoled for 1 month for drunkenness and disorderly conduct. |