Michael Farrell (abt. 1835 - 1914)

Born about 8 Jan 1835 in Ballymacoda, Kilmacdonogh, County Cork, Ireland

Husband of Catherine (O'Brian) Farrell — married 18 Oct 1857 in Aglish, County Waterford, Ireland

Descendants

Died 1914 at about age 78 in Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia

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Biography

Michael Farrell was born in Ballymacoda on January 8th 1835. After schooling he worked as a laborer for a period before signing up to the British Army on October 8th 1852 in Cork city, aged just 17. Michael initially served in 99th Lanarkshire Regiment, before being transferred to the 77th East Middlesex Regiment, serving with the rank of Private and carrying regimental number 2856^[1].

Michael Farrell was injured twice at the Siege of Sevastopol during 1855. His first wounding occurred on July 25th, and was minor. But on August 28th he was wounded by shell fragments which required the amputation of two fingers on his left hand^[1].

Michael Farrell was discharged from the British Army at Chatham in Kent, on January 22nd 1856, having served just over three years. He was still a young man, aged just 21. For his service in the war, Michael Farrell was awarded the Crimea War Medal, a silver medal containing a bar for each of the battles he had been involved in. He was also awarded a pension of 8d. per diem (8 pence a day), which was to later increase to 9d. per diem in 1874, and 18d. per diem in 1903^[1].

About 1857 he married Catherine O’Brien, a native of Cappaquin, Co. Waterford. In 1858, Michael signed up to the Enrolled Pensioner Force (also known as the Pensioner Guards). This force consisted entirely of discharged soldiers on a pension, who would travel working as guards on prison ships bound for Western Australia. For Michael and his young wife, this meant free passage to Australia, and the added benefit of being eligible for a land grant in Western Australia after seven years of service had been completed^[1][2].

Michael and Catherine were assigned to the convict ship the Edwin Fox 1858 , which left Plymouth on August 26th 1858 under Captain John Ferguson. In addition to its convict cargo of 280, it carried 82 passengers including Michael and Catherine Farrell and 30 other men and their spouses of the Enrolled Pensioner Force. The ship arrived in Fremantle on November 20th 1858 after a voyage of 86 days^[1][3].

Michael and Catherine settled in the town of Geraldton about 400km North of Fremantle, and he continued his work in the Enrolled Pensioner Force as a Prison Warder. They had at least ten children: Mary Jane (born 1859), Michael Jr. (born 1862), Margaret (Farrell) Pearse (1864-1944), Ellen (born 1866), Edward (born 1869), William (born 1871), Mary Ann (born 1874), Lancelot (born 1876), Patrick (born 1876), and Katherine (born 1885)^[1].

In 1868, Michael Farrell was awarded a land grant at the Greenough Flats, just South of Geraldton. According to the records he was awarded locations ‘G36’ & ‘G37’, comprising of 20 acres each^[1].

Michael farmed this land at Greenough for a period, but there is evidence he later worked as a lead miner which was a prevalent industry in the area. This may be because of some of the natural disasters that impacted the Greenough Flats in the ensuing years. Located on a flood plain, the flats were more susceptible to these events, and a major cyclone in 1872 and major flooding in 1888 contributed to the gradual decline in the number of settlers in the area^[1].

Michael Farrell died in 1914 in Geraldton, a long way from his place of birth. In his life had been a soldier in the Crimean War, a guard on a prison ship bound for Australia, a farmer, and a lead miner. Catherine died 2 years later in 1916^[1].

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8} Michael Farrell – From Ballymacoda to the Crimean War. http://ballymacoda.ie/?p=1831
2. ↑ The Bicentennial Dictionary of Western Australians, pre-1829-1888. [compiled by Rica Erickson], https://www.friendsofbattyelibrary.org.au/bicentennial-dictionary
3. ↑ Enrolled Pensioner Force WA. FARRELL – MICHAEL 99TH AND 77TH REGIMENT. https://enrolledpensionerforcewa.org.au/epf-profiles/f/farrell-michael-99th-and-77th-regiment/

• PARRELL, Michael, d. 1898. arr. as an Enrolled Pensioner Cuar.d c.1860.

m. c.1857 (Ireland) Catherine O'BRIAN b. 1839 d. 11.1.1916, dtr. of Edmund O'Brian & Mary (nee Walsh). Chd. ?Katy Jane b • . 1859 d. 18.74: !dward b. 1862 d. 1952. Hargaret b. 1864. Delen b. 1866, Haria Ann b. 1874, Pat b. 1876. Lancelot b. 187"8 d. 1953, William d. 1960, Michael: Catherine b. 1885. Formerly Pte. in 77th Regt. Prison Wardltr at Geraldton. Granted 40 acres at Greenough & was a farmer & stationhand: Farmer 1869 & then to work on the lead mines. In 1877 signed a petition regarding discrimination against expirees. Retired to Drummond's Cove & his widow lived with her two sons, Ned & William. RC. The Bicentennial Dictionary of Western Australians, pre-1829-1888. [compiled by Rica Erickson], https://www.friendsofbattyelibrary.org.au/bicentennial-dictionary