Thomas Bass

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Walter E. Pidgeon, Illustration from The Eureka Stockade by Raffaello Carboni, Sunnybrook Press, 1942, offset print.
Art Gallery of Ballarat, purchased 1994.

Background

Thomas Bass was born at Essex, England.[1]

Goldfields Involvement, 1854

Thomas Bass was a member of the 40th Regiment.

Post 1854 Experiences

A Veteran Sergean Sergeant Bass, who recently, through ill-health, resigned his sergeantship of police at Coburg has seen some stirring times. In '52 he came out to the colony with the 40th Regiment, and was pre sent at the Eureka Riots. He was one of the men chosen from the 40th ranks to form the Gold Military Escort from Bendigo to Castlemaine, Maryborouglh and Avoca, and also from Ballarat to Geelong, and he also did service with the escort on the Stawell and Ararat line. After he left the escort he joined the police, and when he sent in his resig nation, had been connected with that force for over 32 years. During that long period he has been instrumental in bringing many criminals, charged with murder and robbery under arms, to hook. One of his smartest cases was the arrest of John Sumpter Coleman for the murder of Mr. Young, of Rosebrook Station, who was murdered at Mount Cole, in the early days of the diggings. When Sergeant Bass arrested Cole man, he was a raving lunatic, and that officer had to bring his prisoner over 80 miles, through the lonely bush to the nearest police court. Coburg's Ex Sergeant was highly complimented and rewarded by the authorities for his clever arrest of a criminal named Brown alias Choke'em, guilty of robbery under arms, who had also to be brought over 60 miles through our Australian bush. Sergeant Bass has many loyal friends in the district, who, while regretting the Sergeant's retirement from the service, feel that he has, by his con scientious attention to duty, and good work in the protection at the public in terests, richly deserved, and well earned his rest from the worries appertaining to his late position.[2]


Obituary

Ex-Sergeant Thomas Bass, whose death took place at his residence, Louisa-street, Coburg, in his 81at year, was a native of Essex, and a colonist, of sixty years.
He was a member of the 40th Regiment, and was present at the Eureka riots. He was one of the men chosen from the 40th ranks to form the gold military escort from Bendigo to Castlemaine, Maryborough, and Avoca, and also from Ballarat to Geelong; and he also did service with the escort on the Stawell and Ararat line. After he left the escort he joined the police force. When he sent in his resignation he had been connected with the force for over 32 years. One of his smartest cases was the arrest of John Sumpter Coleman for the murder of Mr. Young, of Rose brook station, at Mount Cole, in the 'early days'. When arrested Coleman was a raving lunatic, and the officer had to bring him over 80 miles through the lonely bush to the nearest police court. [3]

See also

Military

Further Reading

Corfield, J.,Wickham, D., & Gervasoni, C. The Eureka Encyclopaedia, Ballarat Heritage Services, 2004.


References

  1. Perth Daily News, 11 January 1913.
  2. Coburg Leader, 03 August 1898.
  3. Perth Daily News, 11 January 1913.