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Sikh Army – 50th Regiment – William Smith – EPG Gazette April 2008
| Name | SMITH – William |
|---|---|
| Regiment (s) | 50th Regiment |
| Regiment Number (s) | 2172 |
| Date/Age/Place/Trade or Profession at Attestation | 23rd May 1843 / 19 years / London England Labourer |
| Description – Height Complexion/Eyes/Hair/Scars | 5 Ft 7½ in Fair / Grey Brown / Brown / Sabre wound upper right leg |
| Overseas Service/Duration | India – 2 years 8 months |
| Length of Service | 4 years 31 days |
| Rank/Date/Place of Discharge | Private / 22nd June 1847 / Chatham Kent England |
| Campaign Medals | Present at the action of Moodkee (wounded) and Sobraon |
| Intended Residence at Discharge | Chatham |
| Pension Districts | 1847 Chatham 1848-1858 Deptford 1859-1873 Western Australia 1874 Calcutta (returned to Victoria) 1874-1897 Victoria |
| Pension Paid | 8d per diem 11th February 1873 pension suspended during imprisonment in Western Australia and on release reduced to 6d per diem, recommenced 1st April 1874 |
| Date of Departure and Place England or Ireland | 26th May 1859 Plymouth Devon England |
| Ship and Date of Arrival Western Australia | SULTANA 19th August 1859 |
| Date/Place of Birth | 1823 Merton near London Middlesex England |
| Date/Place of Baptism | 5th January 1823 Merton Surrey, England |
| Father Date/Place of Birth | SMITH William Not yet known |
| Mother Date/Place of Birth Marriage | UNKNOWN Susannah Not yet known Not yet known |
| Siblings | Not yet known |
| 1st Wife Date of Birth or Baptism | ROGERS Elizabeth 1824 (deduced) Portsmouth Hampshire England |
| Date/Place of Marriage | 28 June 1847 Medway Kent England |
| Children by 1st Wife | Elizabeth Sarah B December 1850 Medway Kent England M DODD Michael unknown date ( he lived 1832-1895) D 11th December 1936 at residence of her daughter Perth Western Australia |
| Father of 1st wife Date/Place of Birth | ROGERS John |
| Mother of 1st wife Date/Place of Birth Marriage | Not yet known |
| 2nd Wife | BECKETT Caroline |
| Date/Place of Marriage | 1868 York Western Australia |
| Children by 2nd Wife | None known |
| 3rd Wife | FARRELL Annie |
| Date/Place of Marriage | 1872 Newcastle (Toodyay) Western Australia (Bigamy as Caroline still alive) |
| Children by 3rd Wife | None known |
| Land Grants Western Australia | None |
| Occupation after Arrival | Not yet known |
| Newspaper Articles | The Express (Perth, WA: 1872-1873) Monday 9th September 1872 page 3 The Age 13th August 1897 page 6 – Man Missing South Australian Register Thursday 16 September 1897 page 5 -body found The West Australian 12 December 1935 page 1 Death of Elizabeth Dodd |
| Departure from Western Australia | Unknown how and when but possibly left during early 1873 for Victoria (after completion of prison sentence) |
| Date/Place of Death/Burial | 10th August 1897 Wangaratta Victoria (drowned in the Ovens River) see further information |
| Date/Place of Death/Burial 1st Wife | 1865 Dongara Western Australia (Elizabeth) |
| Will or Probate | None known |
| Further Information | Discharge due to sabre wound to upper third of left leg sustained at the action at Moodkee 18th December 1845. 1851 UK Census HO 107/1611/390/42 River Rows Brompton, Chatham, Kent William Smith Head, Married, age 27, Chelsea Pensioner, born Michan, Surrey. Elizabeth Smith, Wife, 29, born Hampshire, Portsmouth. 9 August 1872 William Smith was charged with feloniously marrying one Ann Farrell of Fremantle (Western Australia) his former wife Caroline Beckett being at the same time alive. Committed for trial and convicted of Bigamy at Perth WA and sentenced to 6 months hard labour: 28th January 1871 The Resident Magistrate, York, wrote to the Colonial Secretary regarding Caroline Smith suffering from Ophthalmia, her husband pensioner William Smith had absconded and was believed to be in Perth. She was awarded 1/- per day temporary relief. 23rd September 1871 the Resident Magistrate York paid Caroline Smith 5/- (five Shillings) to enable her to proceed to the Poor House Perth. SROWA AN 5, Cons 419, Item 34: 9 August 1872. WILLIAM SMITH, a pensioner charged with feloniously marrying one Ann Farrell of Fremantle his former wife Caroline Beckett being at the same time alive. Committed for trial. 30 July 1872: I have to report that WILLIAM SMITH, a pensioner of Fremantle was married in June last by the District Register for Fremantle, Mr Francisco to one Ann Farrell, a widow and the said WILLIAM SMITH by this marriage has committed bigamy in as much as he has a wife now living at York, which marriage I witnessed. Sgt Charles Wisby Fremantle 30 July 1872.The Age 13 August 1897 page 6. Missing from Home. Wangaratta, Thursday An old man named William Smith has been missing from his home since Tuesday evening, and fears are held that he has been drowned. The Agricultural Society found it necessary to have the house in which Smith resided, with his wife, removed from the grounds, and the intelligence having been imparted to the old man, he is reported to have said “over my dead body’. His footsteps have been traced to the water’s edge, where were also found two walking sticks that he was known to use. The police are engaged dragging the river for the body. Smith was a British pensioner. His body was found six weeks later. Inquest Held 16 September 1897 at Wangaratta, Victoria found that William Smith had drowned accidentally caused on 10 July 1897 (actually it was August). VPRS 24/P0000 unit 677 Item 1897/1094 |
