Coles, John

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For details of John Cole’s part in Grey’s First Expedition of New Holland click here.

PERSONAL DETAILS
Name/AliasJohn COLES
Birth date and place5 Dec 1814, Chumleigh, Devon, England.
Baptism date and place27 Dec 1814, St Mary Magadalene Parish Church, Chumleigh, Devon.
Civil Census ResidencesSee Muster below (1841).
TradeWheeler
Physical DescriptionHeight: 5 ft. 10½ ins. Complexion: dark. Eyes: brown. Hair: dark brown.
Marriage date and place7 Sep 1841 Holy Trinity Church, Adelaide, South Australia.
SpouseMary JORDAN.
ChildrenGrace b. 1845, Adelaide, South Australia.
William b. 1847, Adelaide, South Australia.
Mary b. 1849, Adelaide.
Elizabeth b. 1854, Adelaide.
Emily b. 1854, Penwortham, South Australia.
John b. 1856, Penwortham, South Australia.
Thomas Henry b. 1858, Watervale, South Australia.
Annie Louisa b. 1860, Penwortham, South Australia.
Death date and place24 Apr 1886, Penwortham, South Australia.
Burial date and place26 Apr 1886, St Marks, Penwortham, South Australia.
Will and ProbateWeek ending 29 May 1886 – see sidebar for notice in Adelaide Evening Journal.
Death Notices & ObituariesSA Advertiser 26 Apr 1886.
SA Register 27 Apr 1886.
Adelaide Observer.8 May 1886.
ARMY SERVICE DETAILS
Corps and CompanyRoyal Sappers & Miners.
Service No. and Rank# ?  Private.
Attestation date and place6 Jul 1835 Exeter, Devon.
Service/Campaigns5 Jul 1837 Left Plymouth on Lieutenant George Grey’s (83rd Regiment)  first expedition of New Holland [northern Western Australia], 2 years 9 month.
21 Aug 1839 Left Port Louis, Mauritius 2 years 9 months on Grey’s second expedition of Western Australia.
Feb 1840 Left Perth for South Australia. E J Eyre’s expedition of Streaky Bay area. 2 years 7 months.
Remainder at home.
MustersWO11-91 Australia, 4th Company, Woolwich (1841).
PromotionsPrivate to Acting Corporal (date unknown).
Acting Corporal to Corporal (date unknown).
Medals, Clasps and Badges
Casualty/MedicalFrom an accident whilst firing a salute in honour of the birth of the Duke of Cornwall, had the fingers on the right hand, and the distal ends of their metacarpal bones so comminuted that I was obliged immediately to amputate at the junction of the metal carpel with the carpel bones. I had also to amputate the two distal phalanges of the fore finger of the left hand.
Signed Geo. Nash, Colonial Surgeon.
Courts MartialNone.
Discharge date and place17 Oct 1842 Adelaide, South Australia.
Length of Service7 years 104 days.
Chelsea Pension ReferenceWO97-1148-160.
Post Discharge ResidenceAdelaide, South Australia.
ARRIVAL IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA
ShipBeagle to Capetown. Lynher to Western Australia.
Departure and Arrival datesDep. Plymouth 5 Jul 1837. Arr. Hanover Bay 2 Dec 1837.
Occupations post-arrival in WARanger of Crown Lands, South Australia [Government Gazettes 1850 onwards].
Land AcquisitionNone in Western Australia.
Newspaper ArticlesAdelaide Observer, 8 May 1886.
Ship ex-WAUnknown.
Departure date and destinationFebruary 1840 to South Australia.