William Sandys Elrington 1780-1860

William Sandys Elrington was born in Devon in 1780.[1] His father Thomas Elrington was an Army Captain who was commander of the Invalid Company at Plymouth Citadel. The family home was ‘Low Hill House’ in Worcestershire but the family had moved to Plymouth sometime between 1778 and 1780. William was the eighth of eleven siblings and the first born in Devon.

Following the family tradition William embarked on a military career in 1795 which was to span 29 years.[2] By 1801 he was a Captain in 11th Foot (on transfer from 6th West India Regiment), served in the Peninsula August 1809 to January 1813; became Brevet Major 1 January 1812, a Major on 4 June 1813 and lastly a Major in the 4th Veteran Battalion 9 December 1819.[3]

Nothing is known of William’s wife Elizabeth (sometimes referred to as Catherine) Caines. No marriage record has been found nor has a death for his wife. Two sons were born, Clement Caines Elrington and Richard Goodall Elrington. It is possible that Elizabeth Caines was a daughter or relative of Clement Caines, a sugar plantation owner of St Christopher in the West Indies.

On 25 November 1826, having sold his commission, William left England for Australia on board the Elizabeth with his younger son Richard Goodall and a woman described as his old nanny, Mary Smith. Her occupation at her time of death was given as housekeeper to Major Elrington.[4] The Will of William Sandys Elrington’s father, Captain Thomas Elrington, leaves five pounds to Mary Smith, widow of the late Sergeant Smith of my company of Invalids as a token of my remembrance of her care and attention to my family.[5] This is almost certainly the Mary Smith who came to Australia with William and his son Richard.

After they arrived in Sydney in April 1827 William, son Richard and Mary Smith would have soon set out for his land grant of 2560 acres. The grant was in what is now the Braidwood district of New South Wales, at the very edge of the ‘limits of location’[6] of the 19 counties of settlement in the new colony. William named his grant ‘Mt Elrington’ and by 1828 500 acres of the property had been cleared with 40 acres cultivated, and was running 453 horned cattle and 520 sheep.[7] At this time William had five assigned convicts and two who had completed their sentences. In Braidwood, dear Braidwood Netta Ellis notes that William could not have possibly cleared 500 acres with this workforce and suggests that this acreage included the natural grassland flood plains of the property adjacent to the Shoalhaven River.[8] Whilst having a large arable area helped Mt Elrington to reach self-sufficiency quite quickly it is also meant that the already isolated property (in a district with an entire population of 90 persons) was prone to becoming inaccessible during times of flood.

On 5 May 1828 Governor Macleay appointed William as a Magistrate of the Territory.[9] Until 1836 William was one of only two resident magistrates in the district. Unusual for the time William was a resident landowner, but he was still required to travel as serious cases required two magistrates to pass judgement, and also they could not pass sentence on their own assigned convicts.[10]

Magistrates were equally if not more unpopular in Australia’s frontier colonial society than they are today. William Sandys Elrington was at the centre of danger and drama during his time in New South Wales. In December 1835 an attempt on his life was made by convict named John Hare who had been charged for a second time for absconding. On being removed for punishment Hare twice hit the Major with a large stone, reportedly weighing over 5 lbs.[11][12] Hare was sentenced to death and hanged on 4 March 1836.

By 1841 the population of Mt Elrington was 59 persons. A substantial convict barn was attached to the main house along with outbuildings close by. Two of William’s grandchildren were born at Mt Elrington – Catherine Charlotte in 1839 and Hamilton Pope in 1841. William’s son Richard and his young family were living in Sydney by 1845. The same year Mary Smith died at Mt Elrington on 6 June aged 87 years and was buried on 8 June 1845. It will never be known if these events were the impetus for William selling up and returning to England but as Mary Smith was like a mother to him it is likely that he waited until she died until he left Australia. He left Sydney on the Ratcliff on 16 February 1846[13] and never returned to Australia.

Convict barn at Mt Elrington photographed in 1989
Mt Elrington homestead eastern side photographed in 1989. Believed to have been built in the 1850s after William Sandys Elrington returned to England.

Whether or not William kept in regular contact with his family when he was in Australia he would have known at least some news from newspaper reports. Australian newspapers regularly copied English news including military events. William would have found out about his brother Richard’s court martial and of his death in 1845[14] via local papers.

William Sandys Elrington died on 4 May 1860 at Southsea, Hampshire.[15][16]

  1. “England, Devon, Parish Registers”, 1538-1912,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KC9N-WM1 : 27 November 2014), William Sandys Elrington, 1780, Baptism; from “Church of England parish registers 1538-1911,” database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing Devon, archive reference 358/5, images provided by FamilySearch International.
  2. Wright, Christine (2011). Wellington’s Men in Australia : Peninsular War Veterans and the Making of Empire C.1820-40. Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke
  3. British Regiments and the Men Who Led Them 1793-1815: 11th Regiment of Foot http://www.napoleon-series.org/military/organization/Britain/Infantry/Regiments/c_11thFoot.html
  4. NSW Burial transcription ref Vol 30B No 830
  5. The National Archives; Kew, England; Prerogative Court of Canterbury and Related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 1503 Thomas Elrington
  6. Nineteen Counties of New South Wales https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineteen_Counties
  7. New South Wales Government. 1828 Census: Householders’ returns [Population and Statistics, Musters and Census Records, Census, Colonial Secretary] . Series 1273, Reels 2551-2552, 2506-2507. State Records Authority of New South Wales. Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia.
  8. Ellis, Netta. Braidwood, dear Braidwood / Netta Ellis N.N. and N.M. Ellis Braidwood, N.S.W 1989
  9. Classified Advertising The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 – 1842) 9 May 1828: 1. Web. 4 May 2017
  10. Ellis, Netta. Braidwood, dear Braidwood / Netta Ellis N.N. and N.M. Ellis Braidwood, N.S.W 1989
  11. SUPREME COURT. – SATURDAY, FEB. 20. – The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 – 1842) – 25 Feb 1836’, Trove, accessed 19 January 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2202930
  12. “R v Hare” [1836] NSWSupC 5 (10 February 1836) http://www3.austlii.edu.au/au/other/NSWSupC/1836/5.html
  13. CLEARANCES. – The Shipping Gazette and Sydney General Trade List’ (NSW : 1844 – 1860) – 14 Feb 1846’’, Trove, accessed 19 January 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article161167231
  14. ENGLISH. – The Courier’ (Hobart, Tas. : 1840 – 1859) – 31 Dec 1845’’, Trove, accessed 19 January 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2946513
  15. Principal Probate Registry. Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration made in the Probate Registries of the High Court of Justice in England. London, England © Crown copyright.
  16. FreeBMD. England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006

Will of William Sandys Elrington

Knowing the Uncertainty of life and that it is prudent to arrange my temporal affairs whilst mentally capable to do so, I, William Sandys Elrington of Southsea in the County of Southampton late Major in the Army make this my last will and testament and dispose of all my worldly Estate and Effects in manner following that is to say.  First, I direct that all my just debts funeral and testamentary expenses be fully paid and satisfied.   I bequeath unto my esteemed Friend and Executor John Leonard of Southsea aforesaid late Quarer Master Sergeant of the 47th Regiment of Foot the sum of one hundred pounds with my books the copy of the address of the Corporation of Worcester on the presentation of the Freedon of that city to my late Brother Major General Elrington C B. formerly of the 47th Regiment my family Coat of Arms and Gold wedding ring for his trouble in carrying out the objects of this my will.   I give the sum of four pounds to my Son Clement Caines Elrington to meet any exigency and also a suit of mourning which I direct my Executor to cause him to be supplied with.  I bequeathe the sum of six pounds unto Catherine Fitzgerald (whose surname I am now inacquainted with as I believe she is married) who was a servant to Mrs Annie Davis of High Street Portsmouth at whose house I once had lodgings.  And as to all my stock or money placed in the hands of the late Firm of Elrington and Dundee formerly of Argyle Place London with all accumulation of Interest or otherwise to which I am or may become entitled wearing apparel goods chattels and the rest residue and remainder of my personal estate consisting of my money in the three per cent consoles or otherwise in my Name all money lodged in the National Provincial Bank or elsewhere with the residue of my worldly estate and effects.  I give and bequeath the same unto my Executor John Leonard In trust that he his executors or administrators convert all such portion thereof as be necessary into money and pay one morely of all such stock and residue of personal estate with accumulation if interest therefrom in manner following namely one morely thereof unto my Son Richard Goodhall Elrington his executors or administrators with an additional sum of Eighty two pounds on account of the expense my Son Clement Caines Elrington has put me to since August One thousand eight hundred and fifty seven.  And the remainder of the other moiety unto my Son Clement Caines Elrington to be paid to him by weekly instalments of one pound sterling and whatever overplus may remain at his demise.  I give and bequeath the same to my said Son Richard Goodall Elrington his executors or administrators.  And I direct that my funeral shall be conducted in a plain unostentatious manner.  And my Will is that my Executor shall be answerable and accountable for his own wilful acts and defaults and may receive and retain his trust expenses.  I hereby nominate constitute and appoint the said John Leonard Executor of this my last will and Testament hereby revoking all former wills by me made.  I declare this only to be my last will.   In witness whereof I the said William Sandys Elringtonn the Testator have to this my last will and Testament contained in two sheets of paper set my hand and seal in manner following that is to say? The first sheet hereto annexed my hand and to this second and last sheet my hand and seal this twentieth day of April in the year of our Lord, One thousand eight hundred and fifty nine.     

———– The mark ———–

William Sandys   X   Elrington

Signed Sealed and acknowledged by the said William Sandys Elrington the Testator as and for his last will and Testament on the day of the date in the presence of us present at the same time who have at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other subscribed our names as witnesses hereto the same having first been duly read over and explained to the Testator which he appeared perfectly to understand  ———Samuel Bentham  Surgeon———-Wm Messum————A E Budden—————

[Transcript of copy held by Hampshire Record Office]