Burgoyne, Daniel

Daniel Burgoyne was one of the four members of the 28th Regiment of Foot who, on retirement, chose to settle in Berrima in 1840. The others were the gaoler, Henry Forster and Michael Brennan and John Barlow.

Records from Gloucester Military Museum tells us that Daniel enlisted on 28 June 1818 at Dublin.[1] He was born in Drumagh, County Tyrone and listed as a labourer. At the time he was 18 years old, standing 5’ 6” tall with grey eyes, brown hair and fresh complexion. Daniel sailed from London on 22 May 1835, via Portsmouth as one of the military escorts on the convict ship England which arrived in Sydney on 6 October 1835. He served with the regiment in several places including Parramatta, Pennant Hills, Sydney and Emu Plains. Some of that time he was hospitalised. He was discharged, as a private on 30 April 1841 to a pension of 1/- per day.

He may have been given a general pass prior to discharge, allowing him to take steps towards resettlement. But why he came to Berrima is unknown as he had not previously been stationed there. It is possible this was the decision of a group of friends whose sergeant Henry Forster, had been appointed gaoler of the new township.

At the time of the 1841 Census he and his family were living in a wooden house in Jellore Street, then the short road leading from the western end of the Market Place to the river and he lists his occupation as a shop keeper/retail dealer. But he had purchased land. As an army private he was allowed up to £25 for the purchase of land and he bought Lots 1 and 3 in Section 7, south of the river along the road to Bong Bong (now known as Oldbury St). [2] Lot 1 was valued at £15/11/3, leaving him £9/8/9 towards the cost of the second allotment (£16/10/0 for Lot 3).[3]

The family were Catholics and given that he had a daughter aged above seven, Daniel was presumably married when he arrived. There is a Bridget Burgoyne recorded in the Entrance Books for Berrima gaol in 1840. Given that she is listed as arriving on the England in 1835 she must have been Daniel’s wife. Her crime is not given.

Regrettably there is no mention of Burgoyne and his family after 1841.

[1] Personal communication

[2]. SRNSW; Registers of Land Grants and Leases; Series: NRS 13836; Item: 7/477; Reel: 2701; the 28^th Regiment of Foot, also known as the North Gloucestershire Regiment, provided convict escort to the Colony from 1835 and left for India in 1842.

[3] NSW, Australia, Returns of the Colony (‘BlueBooks’) 1822-1857 Collection No: Series 1286. Publication year 1842