James was born Pualstown near Whitehall, Co Kerry (or County Down?) in Septemberr 1823.
On 14/2/1843 at Kilkenny, Co Kilkenny. James Whitely (Whiteley) enlisted in the 31st Regiment of Foot. He was posted to the East Indies shortly after his recruit training. Records show he fought in the First Sikh War and was wounded at Moodkee on 13/12/1843, and was returned to England. He was declared medically unfit for army service and was discharged on 26/3/1847 with a pension for the rest of his life.
Upon returning to Whitehall he became a school teacher and met a young trainee teacher named Johanna Walsh and married in 1850. At the time the British Government was offering ex-soldiers on pension the opportunity to apply to join the Enrolled Pensioner Force. This Force acted as guards on convict ships travelling to Western Australia, and on arrival carried out military duties as required. James, his wife, and baby daughter Mary embarked on the convict ship Minden at Plymouth in1851, and arrived Freemantle Western Australia 14/10/1851. The ship compliment inclu and 301 transportees.ded 40 pensioner guards
James and his wife and daughter went to York Western Australia where they settled, and the family grew. Children born in Western Australia;
Catherine, Nellie, Hannah, Bridget, Margaret, John, Patrick, Aloysius and Thomas (died in infancy)
| Additional Information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 1st Sep 1823 | |
| Date of Death | 1st Jan 1894 | |
