Click on images to view (if available) a larger image. Use your browser’s Back button to return to site.
| Name | QUINN – James |
|---|---|
| Regiment (s) | 4th and 55th Regiment |
| Regiment Number (s) | 951 / 1353 |
| Date/Age/Place/Trade or Profession at Attestation | 7th May 1831 / 17 years 6 months / Not yet known Labourer |
| Description – Height Complexion/Eyes/Hair/Scars | 5 Ft 9 in Fair / Hazel / Brown / None |
| Overseas Service/Duration | New South Wales – 4 years 11 months East Indies – 3 years 9 months China – 3 years 2 months |
| Length of Service | 21 years 17 days |
| Rank/Date/Place of Discharge | Colour Sergeant / 22nd November 1852 / Tralee Ireland |
| Campaign Medals | China War Silver Medal |
| Intended Residence at Discharge | Wrexham Denbighshire North Wales |
| Pension Districts | 1853 Chester 1853 Liverpool 1854 2nd Dublin 1855 2nd Dublin 1856 1st Portsmouth 1857 1st East London 1858 2nd Dublin 1859 1st Glasgow 1863 1st North London 1864 South London 1865 East London 1865 Tilbury 1865-1866 Western Australia 1866 South Australia 1870 Victoria 1873 South Australia 1874 Victoria |
| Pension Paid | 2/0d per diem |
| Date of Departure and Place England or Ireland | 26th May 1865 Portland England |
| Ship and Date of Arrival Western Australia | RACEHORSE 10th August 1865 |
| Date/Place of Birth | c1814 Nenagh Tipperary 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 | LAMBERT Mary c1822 Ireland |
| Date/Place of Marriage | 1843-1845 |
| Children by 1st Wife | Alice Mary B 2nd September 1845 Devonport England Bp 20th January 1862 St. Paul’s Dublin City Dublin (Arran Quay) Adult baptism Sarah Ann B 1853 Ireland M WARD Daniel Dashwood (Possibly Victoria) M GIBBS Frank 1880 Victoria D 1892 Williamstown Victoria James W B 1856 Ireland D 1907 Swan Hill Victoria |
| Father of 1st wife Date/Place of Birth | Not yet known |
| Mother of 1st wife Date/Place of Birth Marriage | Not yet known |
| Land Grants Western Australia | None |
| Occupation after Arrival | Not yet known |
| Newspaper Articles | The Perth Gazette and West Australian Times Friday 7th December 1866 page 2 Passenger list Sea Ripple Illustrated Australian News (Melbourne, Vic: 1876-1889) Monday 9th July 1877 page 110 Birth of grandson |
| Departure from Western Australia | 6th December 1866 per “Sea Ripple” to South Australia with wife Mary and family of two |
| Date/Place of Death/Burial | Died prior to June 1877 when his grandchild Daniel Ward was born |
| Date/Place of Death/Burial Wife | Not yet known |
| Will or Probate | None known |
| Further Information | James Quinn was present at the capture of Amoy August 1841, Chusan and Chinai (1st Opium War) British Army Worldwide Index 1841 Service no 1354 Sergeant 55th Foot Location Fort William en-route to China 1851 Service Nos 55th foot 1353 4th Foot 954 Location Cork, Buttevant, Ireland, Gibraltar Discharged: Due to appointment to serve on the permanent staff of the Royal Denbighshire Militia His discharge stated “…his character appears to have been that of a very good and efficient Non Commissioned Officer. Trustworthy, zealous, active and intelligent and of perfectly sober habits.” A daughter of Sergeant Major Quinn was given permission to join the Racehorse at Portland 18th May 1865. Sergeant Major Quinn was in charge of the Convict guard. 5th December 1866 struck off Pension list for drunkenness. James Quinn’s character seems to have undergone a change for the worst after his discharge as Captain Finnerty when asked to comment on James character wrote on 6th August 1873 “in answer to your note in reference to the character of Pensioner Sergeant James Quinn from the 55th Foot @2/- you ask me for this man’s character, he is an unscrupulous designing bad man when low cunning will deceive for a time a good officer or honourable gentleman. He keeps a memo book against his superior as well as his inferiors. This ruffian actually reported me to the late Lt. Col Bruce.” On 26th February 1874 James wrote complaining about the information recorded on his transfer papers being incorrect in particular his discharge date, his age and rank at discharge, date of marriage and the ages of his children. (The name of his wife appears to be Maitland but her maiden name was Lambert). Unfortunately we do not have a copy of the letter in full, just fragments. 1872 Pension suspended again for eighteen months for insubordination to Colonial Secretary Adelaide. 4 February 1873 half pension paid for support of child.Again in 1874 James wrote from Adelaide complaining that his daughter was not able to have his pension paid to her in Melbourne where he was registered as living. On the 9th July 1877 James daughter Sarah Ward lodged a notice in a newspaper for the birth of her son stating she was the youngest daughter of the late Sergeant-Major James Quinn of the 55th regiment. |