Henry Connell (1805-1880)

Obituary
Mr. HENRY CONNELL. In our obituary last week we announced the death of Mr. Henry Connell. This week we are enabled to give a few fuller particulars of the life of the deceased. Mr. Henry Connell arrived in the colony in the year 1824. He brought letters of recommendation from the Earl of Bathurst, Secretary of State to the Colonies, and subsequently received a grant of land of 640 acres. Shortly after his arrival he acted, for about three months, as assistant private secretary to Sir Thomas Brisbane. He was then appointed to the Commissariat Department, under Deputy Commissary General Laidley. He received his appointment as a Treasury clerk from the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, in the year 1839; and in 1844 he received his commission as a Deputy Assistant Commissary-General. In 1848 he was ordered to proceed to the formation of a new colony by the home authorities at Port Curtis, Northern Australia, under the newly-appointed Governor, Colonel Blamey. After a large expenditure of Imperial money the project of establishing a new colony was cancelled about nine months from the arrival of the first vessel with troops. In 1849 Mr. Connell was ordered to proceed to Western Australia, where he did duty at several stations in that colony Perth, and Albany, King George's Sound. He was a magistrate of that colony. In 1856 he received his commission, and promotion to the rank of Assistant Commissary-General, and was ordered to proceed to the Crimean war. He and his son William took their departure in the steamship Royal Charter, and upon their arrival in London, found that the Russian war was over. Mr. Connell was then placed with a large number of other officers on the half-pay list, but was allowed to return to Australia to await further orders. Having arrived in Sydney, he shortly afterwards received instructions to proceed to New Zealand, where the rebellion with the natives was going on. Mr. Connell was attached to the 60th Regiment of Foot at Taranaki, and subsequently received the New Zealand war medal. In 1861, after a long and meritorious service, he was allowed to retire on full pay, which he enjoyed for nearly 20 years. He gave his leisure services to the performance of magisterial duties at the metropolitan police courts. Mr. Connell was the second son of the late Anthony Connell, barrister-at-law, Recorder of Kinsale, and Commissioner of Bankrupts, Cork, Ireland. He expired at his residence, William-street, on the 22nd ultimo.

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