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| Name | RICE – Matthew |
|---|---|
| Regiment (s) | 74th Regiment and Rifle Brigade 1st Battalion |
| Regiment Number (s) | 1125 – 74th Regiment 1257 – Rifle Brigade 1st Battalion |
| Date/Age/Place/Trade or Profession at Attestation | 20th October 1834 / 18 years / No place given Labourer |
| Description – Height Complexion/Eyes/Hair/Scars | 5 Ft 9¼ in Fresh / Grey / Light Brown / None |
| Overseas Service/Duration | Malta and Ionian Islands – 5 years 7 months Cape of Good Hope – 3 years 7 months |
| Length of Service | 21 years 9 days |
| Rank/Date/Place of Discharge | Corporal / 13th November 1855 / No place given Inquiry Aldershot England |
| Campaign Medals | South Africa Medal (Kaffir War 1846) |
| Intended Residence at Discharge | Staffordshire |
| Pension Districts | 1856 Staffordshire 1863 Birmingham 1863 Tilbury 1863-1883 Western Australia |
| Pension Paid | 1/0d per diem 1878 Increased to 1/6d per diem for service in the Enrolled Force Western Australia |
| Date of Departure and Place England or Ireland | 15th March 1863 Portland Dorset England |
| Ship and Date of Arrival Western Australia | CLYDE 29th May 1863 |
| Date/Place of Birth | c1816 Ballynahinch County Down Ireland |
| Date/Place of Baptism | 7th May 1818, Loughinisland RC Church, Down, |
| Father Date/Place of Birth | RICE John Not yet known |
| Mother Date/Place of Birth Marriage | Not yet known |
| Siblings | Siblings all baptised in Loughinisland RC Church Down – John Rice, 1806 James Rice, 1807 (also of the Rifle Brigade) William Rice, 1808 Frances Rice, 1815 |
| 1st Wife Date of Birth or Baptism | MOULD Sarah Jane 1827 – 32 Middlehurst Sussex England |
| Date/Place of Marriage | 14th February 1855 St Thomas Portsmouth Hampshire England |
| Children by 1st Wife | John Francis B April 1857 Newcastle-under-Lyme Staffordshire England M GUERIN Elizabeth (Catherine) 25 October 1880 Murray Western Australia D 10th December 1884 Carnarvon Western Australia Children Bernard John & William Matthew Rice Mary Ann B 1861 Newcastle-under-Lyme Staffordshire England M1 CONNOR Daniel 1877 WA M2 Patrick Connor on 26 January 1895 in Guildford, child Elizabeth Jane Connor. Not Married to CONNOR Edward, had child Frances Louisa Connor. D not yet known – Family lore is she went overseas. Charlotte B 1 June 1864 Fremantle Western Australia D 1865 York Western Australia bur Fremantle Western Australia William B December 23rd December 1865 York Western Australia M FRYER Martha 14 December 1886 WA D 11th September 1936 Bassendean Western Australia bur Roman Catholic Section Karrakatta cemetery Western Australia Children – Alice Victoria and an unnamed male Rice. Sarah Jane (Joanna) B 7th May 1868 York Western Australia M GATES Alfred 1891 Guildford WA D 18th May 1923 Wagerup Western Australia Children – Mary Anne, Alfred James, Florence Anne, Alice Ruby, William Patrick, Frances May, Frederick John, Francis, and Reginald Gates. James B 2nd October 1871 York Western Australia M BARKER Louise 1901 Busselton WA D 17th March 1935 Leederville Western Australia bur Roman Catholic Section Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia Children – Laurence William James, Bede Herbert Wilson, Louis Alfred John, Mary Philomena, Joseph Gerard, James Michael Acquin, Kevin Donald, Kathleen Agnes, Vincent Bernard Gilbert Rice. Daniel Matthew Perth B 6th July 1874 Perth Western Australia M MEAD Alice Julia Ricardo 1898 WA D 21st August 1948 Leederville Western Australia bur Anglican Section Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia Children – John Matthew, Herbert Daniel, Violet Dorothy, Alice Irene, and Cyril Henry James Rice. Thomas Henry B 6th November 1875 Perth Western Australia M SQUIRES Ruby Bell 1904 Jarrahdale Western Australia D 5th July 1953 Dwellingup Western Australia Child Alma May Rice. |
| Father of 1st wife Date/Place of Birth | MOULD Thomas |
| Mother of 1st wife Date/Place of Birth Marriage | Not yet known |
| 2nd Husband of Wife | HITCHCOCK Obadiah |
| Date/Place of Marriage | 1889 Guildford (possible WA BMD registration 13 of 1889) |
| Children by 2nd Husband | None known |
| Land Grants Western Australia | None |
| Occupation after Arrival | Farmer |
| Newspaper Articles | Inquirer and Commercial news Wednesday 7th March 1883 Matthew’s death Eastern Districts Chronicle Monday 22nd December 1884 page 3 Suicide of John Francis |
| Departure from Western Australia | Not applicable |
| Date/Place of Death/Burial | 28th February 1883 Perth Western Australia East Perth Cemeteries Western Australia |
| Date/Place of Death/Burial Wife | 16th May 1904 Perth Western Australia Not yet known |
| Will or Probate | SROWA Cons 3403/1904/113 Will of Sarah Jane Hitchcock |
| Further Information | British Army Worldwide Index 1841 Matthew Rice 1257 Private 1st Battalion Rifle Brigade location Malta 1851 As above location Dover Discharge due to appointment to the permanent staff of the 3rd King’s Own Staffordshire Rifle Regiment of Militia In the 1851 Census HO 107/1632/736/6 Mathew(sic) age 33 a single man is a residing at Houghan Dover a soldier with his regiment Transferred to the Rifle Brigade in 1854 for the purpose of serving with an older brother, known to be James 1861 Census RG 09/1916/117/14 Stubbs Street Newcastle under Lyme Matthews (sic) Rice age 44 is a Chelsea Pensioner born Ireland living with his wife Sarah age 34 born Middlehurst (Midhurst) Sussex and their children John age 3 years and Mary A aged 7 months both born Newcastle Staffordshire 13th March 1863 Prior to sailing Corporal Rice was reprimanded for allowing Private Bennett to sleep while on watch. 4th September 1868 purchased York Lot 276 of 5 acres 1 rood 10 perches In March 1873 the Pensioners of York were called out to defend the home of Pensioner Matthew Rice from fire the Resident Magistrate report several Pensioners refused to report for duty. Family History information provided by Matthew’s GG-Granddaughter Michelle Roberts |