Person:William Smith (77)

1 _MDCL Dr Stregwell, Jul 09 1883

William was born sometime in Wexford Ireland in 1837.

He was a son of Sylvester Dempsey and Margaret Smith. We believe that he was originally William Dempsey, but changed it to his mothers name.

Sometime in his young adult years he joined the 55th regiment in England and was sent out to fight in India. In 1853 it is believed that he deserted and ended up in New Zealand. He may have arrived on the ship the William Miles.

Later he went to Whangaroa in North Auckland where he worked as a blacksmith. In 1868 he married Catherine Mary Hayes, oldest daughter John Daly Hayes, one of the first settlers in Whangaroa.They had 6 children, one of whom died very young.

He died quite young, aged 45 on Sep 19 1883 of a heart attack.He had been ill for 2 years, and was buried at Totara North Cemetery on 23 September, 1883.

Letter from Capt Erik Gray

With a birthdate of 1837, William John Smith alias Dempsey probably enlisted around the age of 18 in 1855 when the 55th foot was engaged in the Crimea. At the conclusion of hostilities, and after a short tour of Gibraltar, the regiment returned and took station at Dublin. It later rotated to Aldershot, and thence to Jersey until embarking in 1863 for service in Madras. Thereafter it served at various stations in India until 1875 when it was sent to Aden.

Providing the 55th foot is correctly stated, and your man served in it in the name of Smith or Dempsey, it should be possible to trace him and details of his service.

1. ↑ NZ Births Deaths and Marriages
   1593\1887.
2. ↑ Sletthusus Pulmonilis-2 years
3. ↑ 55 th Regiment
4. ↑ Ship "William Miles"