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Racehorse Diary of Pensioner Joseph Wright – Transcribed Jeanette Lee
| Name | WRIGHT – Joseph aka STURMAN – George |
|---|---|
| Regiment (s) | 46th and 45th Regiment |
| Regiment Number (s) | 1503 / 2439 |
| Date/Age/Place/Trade or Profession at Attestation | 27th November 1839 / 18 years / Gloucester England Servant |
| Description – Height Complexion/Eyes/Hair/Scars | 5 Ft 9 in Fresh / Grey / Brown / None |
| Overseas Service/Duration | Gibraltar – 1 year 9 months Monte Video – 9 months Cape of Good Hope – 12 years 8 months |
| Length of Service | 21 years 52 days |
| Rank/Date/Place of Discharge | Private / 15th January 1861 / Discharge approved Horse Guards not actual date of discharge |
| Campaign Medals | 1850-1853 Kaffir Medal |
| Intended Residence at Discharge | Dewsbury Yorkshire England |
| Pension Districts | 1861 Leeds 1861 Halifax 1865 Tilbury 1865-1902 Western Australia |
| Pension Paid | 10d per diem 1874 Increased to 1/2d 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 | c1821 Swinford Lutterworth Leicestershire England |
| Date/Place of Baptism | 23rd December 1821 Swinford Leicester England |
| Father Date/Place of Birth | STURMAN Joseph c1792 Swinford Leicestershire England |
| Mother Date/Place of Birth Marriage | HIPWELL Elizabeth c1790 Swinford Leicestershire England c1811 Swinford Leicestershire England |
| Siblings | Thomas bap 27th March 1814 Swinford Leicestershire England D 1881 Swinford Leicestershire England John bap 14th April 1816 Swinford Leicestershire England D 1901 Swinford Leicestershire England Joseph bap 16th November 1817 Swinford Leicestershire England Elizabeth bap 5th December 1819 Swinford Leicestershire England Mary bap 15th August 1823 Swinford Leicestershire England Henry bap 15th February 1829 Swinford Leicestershire England |
| 1st Wife Date of Birth or Baptism | PYRAH Hannah Not yet known |
| Date/Place of Marriage | 1860 Dewsbury Yorkshire England |
| Children by 1st Wife | WRIGHT Unnamed Male B Saturday 27th May 1865 onboard “Racehorse” WRIGHT Anne B 1869 Geraldton Western Australia WRIGHT Thomas B 1871 Geraldton Western Australia D 1st October 1872 Geraldton Western Australia bur Urch Street Cemetery now Apex Park Geraldton Western Australia WRIGHT John Mitchell B 1873 Geraldton Western Australia D 1st May 1874 Geraldton Western Australia STURMAN Jasper Henry or Joseph Henry B 1875 Geraldton Western Australia D 26th May 1876 Geraldton Western Australia bur Urch Street Cemetery now Apex Park Geraldton Western Australia STURMAN James B 1877 Geraldton Western Australia D 13th March 1969 Victoria Park Western Australia bur ashes scattered rose garden Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia STURMAN Dorothy Geraldine B 1879 Geraldton Western Australia M SEATON Leonard George 1895 Geraldton Western Australia D 28th November 1916 West Perth Western Australia bur Wesleyan Section Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia STURMAN Abigail B 1881 Geraldton Western Australia M SMITH William Henry 1899 Geraldton Western Australia D 1st September 1940 Geraldton Western Australia bur Salvation Army Section Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia STURMAN Joseph William B 1884 Geraldton Western Australia D 6th May 1886 Geraldton Western Australia bur Urch Street Cemetery now Apex Park Geraldton Western Australia – bur as WRIGHT |
| Father of 1st wife Date/Place of Birth | HIPWELL Edward Not yet known |
| Mother of 1st wife Date/Place of Birth Marriage | NEFREN Elisabeth Not yet known 5th December 1775 Swinford Leicestershire England |
| 2nd Husband of Wife | DAVIES John |
| Date/Place of Marriage | 1908 Perth Western Australia |
| Children by 2nd Husband | None known |
| Land Grants Western Australia | I certify that this pensioner having acquired the right of free grant of Lot 4 Victoria is entitled to purchase this pensioner leased allotment at 10/- per acre (Bootenal Lot X5 of 20 acres) Signed Edw Harvest 20 October 1880 |
| Occupation after Arrival | In 1873 J Wright Sergeant of pensioners was a signatory in the petition for Lockyer Burges. Assistant warder 1886-1868 Champion Bay (Geraldton) Assistant warder 1876 Geraldton Gaol Paymaster for the pensioners at Champion Bay at a salary of 17 Shillings and 6 pence per month and also in charge of the arms, ammunition and accoutrements at 10 shillings per month J. Wright Light Keeper Bluff Light November 1877-May 1887 J. Wright Assistant Light Keeper Point Moore December 1887-November 1891. |
| Newspaper Articles | Geraldton Advertiser Monday 20 October 1902 page 2 death of Joseph Wright Geraldton Advertiser 17 October 1902 page 2 Obituary Geraldton Guardian Saturday 1 March 1913 page 3 Death of Hannah Davis |
| Departure from Western Australia | Not applicable |
| Date/Place of Death/Burial | 15th October 1902 Geraldton Western Australia Wesleyan Section Urch Street Cemetery now Apex Park Geraldton Western Australia – as STURMAN George |
| Date/Place of Death/Burial Wife | 1st March 1913 Geraldton Western Australia Urch Street Cemetery now Apex Park Geraldton Western Australia |
| Will or Probate | None known |
| Further InformationPurchased Bootenal Victoria Lot X5 of 20 acres for £11.10.0 Birth of male onboard “Racehorse” information taken from Surgeon’s Log onboard. No other information at this stage known. While on board the racehorse Joseph Wright kept a diary of the voyage which is the only known example of a pensioner writing an account of the voyage on a convict ship. The diary shows Joseph was a deeply religious man. He also mentions the birth of his son. |
