Comments on Eureka Rebellion

Question

Am moving this comment to G2G to see if anyone might have documents to add to this discussion.

1/ Military service history of William Basham ; 12th Reg of Foot. posted to Melbourne arriving 1854; then Swan River colony around 1858-1859.

2/ Any info regards posting of 12th Reg of Foot around Australian colonies from 1854 to 1862.

3/ Any Western Australian documents of the day regarding 12th Regiment of Foot specifically. Any activities 1854-1862.

On 11 Apr 2021 Ken Hudson wrote on Eureka Rebellion:

Hi Andrea, Thank you for your contribution to William Basham's profile. Yes I've had a look at the various contributions to date. I'm unconvinced that Guilielmo Bashem and Birgita McGork belong on this profile as parents of various children, when another child was born Western Australia with correct parent names (but I am happy to be corrected). Clearly William Basham was a one of the 420 soldiers of the 12th regiment of foot that arrived Melbourne 1854. What may solve this is to discover military records which will reside in UK; Williams detailed service history & listing which battalions were posted to which Australian outpost (colony). Twins were born to William during the voyage of 'Camperdown' to Melbourne & registered in Victoria, Australia. Samuel John Basham too belongs; born 1859 at Western Australia. Finally, there may also be a a record of the time the 12th Regiment of Foot spent at Swan River colony (Western Australian). That could be useful.

Comments

try eurekapedia I could find the ship camperdown but not a list of passengers and see Military - eurekapedia but William Basham was not listed but not all soldiers are listed. My relative see John Reynolds Palmer - WikiTree Profile was also in the 12th.

found William on this list see 12th_Regiment_All_Soldiers_Details (rootsweb.com)

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The Bicentennial Dictionary of Western Australians yields nothing illuminating on Basham.

http://www.friendsofbattyelibrary.org.au/the-bicentennial-dictionary-of-western-australians.html

A Corporal W Basham of the 12th Regiment was in Western Australia in 1857. See https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/66006949?searchTerm=basham

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Hi Will.

Thank you for this rootsweb link. The project team did not have it and it is of great help. I would be interested to have a private chat with you sometime about your ancestor Capt. John Reynolds Palmer, rootsweb suggests he was not posted in the Eureka detachment. I'm thinking that you (family) know more than has been put down in his profile.

Yes eurekapedia is a great resource (one of the best sources that exists for the rebellion. Created by Ballarat Historians [so the place of the stockade]).

Cheers

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Mark,

Thank you for your contribution. A part of the enquiry centres on the family of William Basham. Your reference states that in Western Australian records 2x children are known to exist.

Helpful.

I'm still reviewing the Trove article but running out of time tonight. Will report back later.

Answer 1

Hi Ken!  I had an ancestor on site at that historic event, and collected a few docs several years ago.

This one doesn't seem to directly mention your ancestor, but might be interesting as it mentions the 12th:

transcription

Plan of Camp Defences Shewing the relative Commonwealth of Offices, Descriptions of Posts to be occupied, and the strength of each Post &c On the “General Assembly” being sounded, every Individual will immediately repair to his particular post, without any previous parade formation Extent of each command/Particular Post to be occupied/Strength of each post/Remarks applicable to Particular Posts/-General Remarks- Every party to be provided with an axe, and if possible same tools for making loop-holes. A member of Camp followers will be made available to act under the direction of the Commissariat Officer to supply the several Posts with Both Sacks, Tents & c. The Water Barrels are to remain full at Night and all spare Buckets should be placed All available Carpenters will have posts assigned to them, to be employed in making loop-holes, and strengthening the different positions. Responsible persons are to be appointed to take charge of, and arrange the issue of Ammunition. All Government Officers and Gentlemen not connected the Forces, who do not desire to remain in their own Residences, and having no appointed duty , will be good enough to repair to the Reserve The Women and Children will be sent to the Commissariat store Buildings The Utmost Silence is to be preserved by all persons, no talking above a whisper is to be permitted in the instance of necessary Commands in which case Officers and Non Commissioned Officers in charge of Parties, will speak in as low a tone of voice, as the nature of the service requires at the moment. Captain White and Ensign Moller / Rear Face of Camp: From Angle of fence adjacent to the Military Barracks, to the Police Stables Captain Holland Police / Right Flank, From Police Stables to Surgeons House Lieutenant Brodhurst / Right front of Camp From Surgeons House, to Officers Mess House Lieut Adams / Front face of Camp, From Resident Commissioners House, to Military Barracks Lieut Richards / Left Flank From Resident Commissioners House, to Military Barracks Military Barracks, Escorts Stables – Commissioners Stables, Blacksmiths forge, Police Stables Hospital Dead House Surgeons House, Mess House Line of Government Officers Tents Commissioners House, Court House JM Thomas Capt. 40th Reg. Commanding Garrison Cavalry Reserve The M.M Force and Mounted Police, not employed as above, will form in the Ravine between the standing camp, and that of the 12th Regt: The former facing towards, and protecting that part of the rear of Camp, The latter, a relative position to the Front of Camp. This Force connects the two camps. The Company. 12th Foot will Guard its own Camp detaching 1 Subaltern and 35 Men to join the Reserve at the Standing Camp M.M. Force – 26 Sabres Mounted Police 50 –do- Jm Thomas Capt. 4oth Regt. Commanding Garrisons Camp Ballarat 27th October 1854

Comments

Hi Shirlea,

Thank you for your contribution describing the orders given to troops in 'turning out' to put down the rebellion. So glad you offered a typed copy cause I cannot read the original image you linked. Another source & a map exists that covers your contribution, but I still found it interesting reading.

Just noticed you referenced your ancestor who was at Eureka. He had not been added to the numbers so I will at a category & eureka flag sticker to bring him in to the group[done that now].

 cheers

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Thanks so much for including my Eureka ancestor in the project!!  

Am i the only one who thinks his behaviour was not the best? He saw the fire, and went back to camp, taking the men under his charge.  Shouldn't they have stayed to help put out the fire?

https://books.google.ca/books?id=uAFP8iD8h5gC&lpg=PA61&ots=ubnsJDGtiJ&dq=john%20edward%20broadhurst%20eureka&pg=PA61#v=onepage&q=john%20edward%20broadhurst%20eureka&f=false

editted to add link to an account of the event

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Andrea,

Just a further note to add some context to the burning of Bentley's Hotel. Viz your ancestor John Edward Brodhurst. At the time, police & military at the diggings were hopelessly outnumbered by the sheer quantity of aggrieved people. It was estimated by 2.30pm that afternoon 17th October something like 8000-10000 people had turned out at Bentley's Hotel.

There had been a miner's meeting earlier that discussed the seemingly corrupt way that Scobie's murder had been handled. The murderer was known to be Bentley & Hotel staff.

From the perspective of 'who does what' in certain situations; I would NOT be too concerned that your Soldier relative chose not to be a fireman in this instance. On the day, the role of the Soldiers was the protection of Government men & if necessary the enforcement of the Riot Act if it was read. He may well have been required to begin shooting citizens dead at that time.

Answer 2

Are you familiar with the AJCP? It has paybooks (amongst other things) scanned which give a detailed location of individual soldiers as the whole regiment was not always in the same place at the same time. From recollection it will include soldiers punished in any given quarter as well.

https://trove.nla.gov.au/collection/national-library/AJCP/search?keyword=12th%20regiment

The AJCP only covers the period each regiment was in Australia, but as the regiments came in dribs and drabs it can include service for an individual outside Australia.

If by service record you mean discharge papers, then I found these for an ancestor of mine on findmypast. Can't remember the name of the dataset, sorry/ He was actually discharged in the UK so I don;t know if that makes a difference.

Comments

Thanks Mark. I was not aware of the AJCP and will have a good look at the resource.

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Hey Mark,

I spent most of yesterday kicking around AJCP. That was SO GOOD. Thank you heaps for the lead

Ken