(c.1819-c.1846)
Thomas Ault was a Private in the 51st Regiment, also known as the 2nd Yorkshire West Riding (reference). This Regiment served in New South Wales, Western Australia and Tasmania (reference). It is unclear if Thomas served in New South Wales, but he was in Western Australia and very likely Tasmania.
Thomas arrived in the Swan River Colony on 25 June 1840 on the Runnymede with his Regiment (reference). The Runnymede was an 838-ton ship that came from Hobart Town (Hobart, Tasmania) and arrived at King George’s Sound (Albany, Western Australia) (reference). Thomas would have been one of the 132 rank soldiers that came as part of the detachment of the 51st Regiment (reference). It appears that the Runnymede dropped off passengers at Kind George’s Sound before continuing onto Fremantle (reference). The 51st then marched to Perth on the morning of 26 June to relieve the detachment of the 21st Regiment (reference). On the morning of 27 June, Thomas and the rest of the division were inspected on the barrack grounds by his Excellency the Governor, John Nutt, and the Commandant, Major Irwin (reference). John Hutt informed them of their excellent work and what was expected of them in the Swan River Colony (reference).
By 1844 Thomas had travelled to serve with his Regiment in Bunbury. He had married Ellen, and their son, Thomas, was born on 14 August 1844 in Bunbury (reference; reference).
He was stationed at Bunbury before leaving for India with the Regiment in 1846. Unfortunately, all of the Regiment died of cholera while in India by 1861 (reference).
Arrival of the Runnymede 1840
The Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal Sat 27 Jun 1840 Page 2
Photo courtesy of the National Library of Australia