Charles Hessman Gane – Pensioner Guard
Person
GANE, Charles Hessman
1811
Charles Hessman Gane was born 16th November, 1811 in Hitchen, Hertfordshire, England.
His parents were James Henry Gane (b.16/11/1777 in Hitchen, Hertfordshire, England) and Sophia Boden (b. 10/8/1781 daughter of Thomas Boden and Martha Berry in Hitchen, Hertfordshire, England) married on 10th December, 1802. James Gane was described as a labourer on his wedding record.
Charles Hessman Gane enlisted in the 18th Comp. Portsmouth Division Royal Marines as a 16yr old in August, 1827. He served 4yrs 3mths & 17days, before being discharged 19/12/1831 aged 21yrs.
On the 15/3/1833 he enlisted with the 17th Regiment Foot, Leicester age 23yrs (Private #920). He served overseas in New South Wales 3yrs and East Indies 10yrs 5mths – with total service being 15yrs 275 days and was discharged on 10/4/1849 aged 37yrs from Horse Guards at Chatham as ‘being unfit for service’ suffering from long standing Hepatic Disease & Dyspepsia (unable to carry a pack) and was paid a pension of 8d per diem to the 2nd London Pension District.
He received an award for service during the Afghan Campaign of 1839. 1841 British Army Worldwide – Charles Gane Sgt 920 17th Foot – location Collabra, Great Britain – 22/6/1841 promoted from Corporal to Sergeant. (WO12/3444) 10/4/1849 discharge (WO97_0379) – upon discharge his conduct/character was described ‘as good’. 1849 pension paid 1st London District – transferred to Halifax last paid 30/9/1849 (WO 22_58/172) 1849 pension paid Halifax (WO22_42/179) 1850 pension paid Leicester (WO22_34/166).
1850
Charles Hessman Gane married Elizabeth Davenport (b. 22/5/1818 (Reg. # 578 – baptised 19/4/1821) in Wigston, Leicestershire, England. Elizabeth was the daughter of Samuel Davenport and Susannah Durant married on the 16th June, 1850 at St Margaret’s Church of England Leicester City, Leicestershire, England. (Marriage certificate #307).
In 1852, Gharles transferred from Halifax/Leicester to Australia as a Convict Guard (WO22_42/32 & WO23_37)
1853
On 7th February 1853 Charles arrived in Perth aged 41 with his wife Elizabeth and baby (Charles Jnr) per the Dudbrook as an Enrolled Pensioner Guard.
Elizabeth’s brother Thomas and his wife and children also came with them to Australia.
DAVENPORT , Thomas, arr. 7.2.1853 per Dudbrook as an Enrolled Pensioner Guard with wife Mary b. 1814. Chd. Thomas b. 1840, Sarah b. 1852 d. 1854, Edwin b. 1857. Stationed at North Prem. Formerly a Pte in Royal Marines. E. Davenport to S.A. 12.10.1865. E. & H. Davenport to S.A. per Emily Smith 8 1866 . Prot.
During the voyage to W.A. aboard the Dudbrook, Elizabeth is recorded as having to attend the sick bay a number of times during November/December, 1852.
The Dudbrook was a convict ship which brought 208 convicts and 103 others, including pensioner guards and their wives and children.
The 601 ton “Dudbrook” was a three mast barque-rigged ie: with foremast and main-mast square-rigged and mizzenmast fore and aft, built 1848 in Dundee, Scotland. She was 137.1ft long, 25.7ft beam and her holds were 20.1ft deep. After being launched in London, 1848 (SAIL; ON: 22840) the “Dudbrook” (Barque of London) with Daniel Smith as Master sailed from Port of Downs (London) to Port Jackson, New South Wales arriving on 11/4/1850 (Bell’s Life in Sydney and Sporting Reviewer (NSW: 1845-1860) Saturday 23rd March, 1850, Page 2) and again made the same journey arriving on 29/7/1851. The “Dudbrook” was then employed as a convict transport vessel, being the eighth of 37 shipments of male convicts destined for the Swan River Colony in Western Australia. The Master of the “Dudbrook” was John Innes (born on the 3rd July, 1818 in Kelso in the county of Roxburgh) when it departed England on 22nd November, 1852 for the journey to the Swan River Colony in Western Australia arriving 7th February, 1853. Innes first went to sea as an apprentice in 1824 aged 16yrs and became a “Mate” in 1847. He received his Certificate of Competency as Master on 7th April, 1852.
The years 1853 to 1857, Charles was stationed in the Fremantle area as a guard to convicts, during this time daughter Louisa was born in Fremantle on the 4th May 1854 and son Charles died on 20th May 1855. His cause of death was recorded as “Brain Fever.” Twins Samuel James & James Samuel were born in Fremantle on the 14th August 1856, twin James Samuel died on the 4th October 1856.
2nd February 1857, Charles was promoted to the position of Warder and transferred to the Convict Establishment at Guildford Western Australia. 15th
March 1858 daughter Caroline Jane was born but died 11th December the same year.
From all accounts this was not a very happy time for Charles, he was constantly ill, was absent from work for a period of 64 days during 16th September to 8th December 1859. He was late for duty on the 17th June 186o and fined 6d., again late on 3rd January 1861 by 22 minutes and fined 2 shillings, 1st February he was again fined another 5 shillings for marching in front of instead of at the rear of the party of prisoners he was escorting. He returned to the Convict Establishment Guildford 4th March 1861.
1861
When Samuel James Gane was only four years old, his father Charles was found drowned in the Swan River on 20.3.1861.
On the 16th March, Charles visited the Colonial Doctor – Dr. Alfred R.Waylen -complaining of chest pains which he had suffered from for some considerable time, he was diagnosed with ingestion and told to wait for some medication, he did not wait but instead returned to his residence, divested himself of all his belongings including his spectacles, pipe, tobacco, watch and pencils, left his residence and his family never saw him alive again.
He was reported missing to the local Police Sergeant Sgt. Willam Piesse by the Superintendent of the convict Establishment C. Clifton Esq. Sgt. Piesse organized a search for Charles using a black tracker but he was not found that day. Early the next morning the 17th, a small boy reported to his father a Mr. Hammersley that he had seen what looked like a body wedged up against a pylon at the bridge at Woodbridge Flats. With the help of Mr. Hammersly, Sgt. Piesse was able to recover the body of Charles Gane. Doctor Waylen was summoned and he pronounced Charles was deceased.
F.H. Broomhill, p. B106
An inquest was held on the 18th March by Coroner S.W. Viveash and a verdict of “found drowned” was given, a suicide verdict would have been disastrous for wife Elizabeth who at this time was 6 month pregnant she would not have been able to receive any financial assistance from the Government, Charles had left her in a state of total destitution, the Royal Marines donated the 7/6d. to pay for his coffin. Son Edmund Charles was born on the 3oth June 1861 but died in August 1861.
Charles Gane had served all his adult life in the Service of his Queen & Country, seen many conflicts, evidence from his wife Elizabeth at his inquest spoke of the head injury he had received during one of these conflicts, which she said had left him in a constant state of “melancholy”. I suspect that Charles had had a heart condition that was always wrongly diagnosed and on that fatal day in March 1861 the pain had become unbearable so he ended his life. Charles was just short of his 5oth birthday.
Charles’ widow Elizabeth (who had two children and one expecting) was given a compassionate grant of 5/- per week for 6 weeks.
Elizabeth Gane was left destitute; pregnant with two young children…“she is a delicate woman apparently little able to support herself by her own exertions, I believe her character to be perfectly respectable” (Superintendent Convict Establishment 3/4/1861) She received support from Pensioners Benevolent Fund and Compassionate Fund from 18/3/1861 with various payments made upon application through until April, 1864. Was granted outdoor relief 16/4/1864 and advised that if she was unable to provide for herself; to go to the Poor House. She has been a hard working woman since her husband’s death earning a living for her and two children by casual needlework ….has suffered real poverty and deprivation in silence (RM. Ftle 13/4/1863) ‘Having always taken care in the midst of her poverty that her children should regularly attend my Sunday School’ (Reverend Bostock 12/4/1864).
Barker, David J., Warders and Gaolers – A Dictionary of Western Australian Prison Officers 1829-1879.
The children of Charles Hessman Gane and Elizabeth Davenport:
Charles William (born 1852 died 1855, buried C of E, Fremantle)
Louisa “Lucy” (4.7.1854 – 4.11.1938)
James Samuel (twin of Samuel) (born 14.8.1856, #3395; died 6 months old in 1856, #831)
SAMUEL JAMES GANE (14.8.1856 – 12.11.1919)) married Emily Amelia Russell on 11 July 1878 and had eight children, including Amy Amelia Gane.
Caroline Jane (born 1858, died 9 months old same year, #1178)
Charles Esmond (born Fremantle 1861, #5894; died 2 months old, #1835)
1868
Seven years after the suicide of Charles, Elizabeth Gane remarried in Fremantle to John Gay b. 1826 (Convict No. 6001 who was convicted in the Central Criminal Court in 1860 with stabbing with intent for which he was sentenced to life and transported to WA He was given his Ticket of Leave in Fremantle on 4/1/1865 and a conditional Pardon was issued Fremantle 22/5/1872).
Source: Val Zilko Great Great Grand-daughter of Charles Gane.
1884
Elizabeth died 1/9/1884 in Fremantle, Western Australia and is buried Skinner St. Cemetery, Fremantle WA.
