| PERSONAL DETAILS | |
|---|---|
| Name/Alias | James KEIR (Keer) |
| Birth date and place | 9 Jan 1819 Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. |
| Baptism date and place | 30 Jan 1819 Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. |
| Civil Census Residences | 35 Limekiln Street, Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland (1841). River Row, Brompton, Chatham, Kent, England (1851). Grove, Portland, Weymouth, Dorset (1871). Lambeth Workhouse School, Elder Road, Lambeth, Surrey (1881 – widow and daughter). See Musters below (1851, 1861). |
| Trade | Smith. Blacksmith Instructor Warder (1871). |
| Physical Description | Height: 5 ft. 7¼ ins. Complexion: fair – sun burnt. Eyes: blue. Hair: dark brown. |
| Marriage date and place | 1850 Q1 Greenwich District, Kent. |
| Spouse | Hannah KNOWLES. |
| Children | James Joseph b. 1851, Brompton, Kent. William Henry b. 1853 (d.1853), Albany, Western Australia. Elenor Isabella b. 1854, Albany, Western Australia. Elizabeth Mary b. 1857, Guildford, Western Australia. Marion Hannah b. 1861, York, Western Australia. William James b. 1862 (d.1863), Brompton, Kent. Frances Margaret b. 1865, Portland, Dorset. |
| Death date and place | 1879 Q1 Brentford District, Middlesex (tentative). |
| Burial date and place | |
| Will and Probate | None. |
| Death Notices | |
| ARMY SERVICE DETAILS | |
| Corps and Company | Royal Engineers 20th Company (formerly Royal Sappers & Miners). |
| Service No. and Rank | #341 Sapper. |
| Attestation date and place | 25 May 1841 Edinburgh, Midlothian. |
| Service/Campaigns | Gibraltar 6 years 4 months. Western Australia 10 years 10 months. |
| Musters | WO11-94 Detachment, Woolwich (1841). WO11-124 11th Company, Chatham (1851). WO11-130 (1851) to WO11-207 (1862) Western Australia. |
| Promotions | Sapper to 2nd Corporal 11 Jan 1854. 2nd Corporal to Corporal 29 Dec 1855. Corporal to Sergeant 1 Jan 1861. |
| Medals, Clasps and Badges | Four Good Conduct Badges. Long Service & Good Conduct Medal (with gratuity). |
| Casualty/Medical | None. |
| Regimental Court Martial | Sentenced to imprisonment 5 Oct to 25 Oct 1845 (offence unknown). 22 times entered in the Company’s Defaulters Book. |
| Discharge date and place | 19 Jul 1864 Weymouth. |
| Length of Service | 23 years 35 days. |
| Chelsea Pension Reference | WO97-1361-194. |
| Post Discharge Residence | Weymouth. |
| Pension District | |
| Pension | 1/7½d. per diem. |
| ARRIVAL IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA | |
| Ship | Anna Robertson. |
| Departure and Arrival dates | Dep. Woolwich 10 Sep 1851. Arr. Fremantle 18 Dec 1851. |
| Occupations post-arrival in WA | Instructing Warder [Barker p.117]. King George’s Sound (Albany) Convict Depot Feb 1852 to Dec 1855. See sidebar. |
| Subscriptions to Funds | None. |
| Land Acquisition | None in Western Australia. |
| Ship ex-WA | Lincelles. |
| Departure date and destination | Dep. Fremantle 27 Apr 1862 for Cape of Good Hope and London. |
