Researching your Pensioner Guard

The Veterans a history of the Enrolled Pensioner Force in Western Australia, 1850 - 1880 by Frank H. Broomhall. This book is available through most libraries, and has an index of most of the Pensioner Guards, and we recommend it as a vital resource for researchers. This book may be purchased from the Enrolled Pensioner Guard SIG.

EPG addendum to The Veterans to The veterans, held in FHWA library.

Warders & Gaolers - a dictionary of Western Australian prison officers 1829-1879 (2003) by David Barker. Published by FHWA in book and CD format contains the details of 525 men and women who served as warders, gaolers and matrons, within the prison system of Western Australia. Quite a lot of these men were 'poached' from the EPF.

A Superior Body of Men (2014), by M S James  is the result of many years of research through UK and Australian sources. It adds further information to military pensioners who were either discharged in the Colony of Western Australia, came as guards on the convict transports, or immigrated freely to the State. At 800 pages this is a large book and hardcover is recommended. The searchable PDF copy is perhaps better value.

Websites

1. EPG Ships Project  Our website for the EPG Ships Project  was launched on 9th January 2018, the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the Hougoumont in Western Australia on 9 January 1868. We have concentrated initially on the men who arrived on her as a fitting introduction to the profiles of all the men of the Enrolled Pensioner Force. The other ship's men will be added gradually over time.
2. EPG Research websites The EPG group has compiled this list of websites for researchers of the British Army and Enrolled Pensioner Guards.

More resources

1. EPG Ships List Between 1850 and 1868 thirty five convict ships have been identified as employing pensioners as a guard. The records are not consistent, in that we have the full complement of guards on some ships, but for others very few if any. After 1868, two ships ( the Strathmore and the Naval Brigade ) brought aditional pensioners to reinforce the Enrolled Guard.
2. EPG Research Guide by Jeanette Lee Jeanette Lee has compiled this great guide to assist you in your research !
3. EPG Places of interest WA Some of the areas our men have lived.

And don't forget to check the Local History Collections in WA municipal libraries which hold many gems.