Person Page - 2139

from "The Naracoorte Herald", 7 October 1904

     We regret to record the death of Mr. James Douglas Perry, a highly respected resident of the district, which occurred at Stewart's Range on Sunday last, in his 98th year. The deceased gentleman had been in an indifferent state of health for some months, and his death was not altogether unexpected.
     Mr. Perry was an old colonist and one of the early public servants of the state. During the past nine or ten years he has resided at Stewart's Range. Some years ago his eyesight failed him, and that has prevented him getting about as he would like and taking part with others in the usual way in the every-day affairs of life. He had retained his faculties up till within a few weeks of his death, and one of the striking characteristics of the deceased was his memory. He could recall dates and events with surprising exactness, and being well informed was a highly interesting individual.
     Mr. Perry had lived under five sovereigns—14 years under George III, 10 years under George IV, seven years under William IV, 62 years under Queen Victoria, and was a subject of Edward VII at the time of his death. Among the deceased's historical reminiscences, which he could tell with the true loyalty of a British subject, were the battle of Waterloo and the downfall of Napoleon. The great political magnates of his day were Pitt, Earl Grey, Sir Edmund Smith and Lord Canning, and to use the words of our deceased friend "these were the men who pulled the strings for the events that were to guide the future destiny of our nation."
     Mr. Perry was born in Lanarkshire, about 10 miles from the City of Glasgow, in Scotland, on January 1, 1806. He could clearly remember many of the notable and historic events of the time that happened in his boyhood days, even as far back as when he was four years of age. He remembered the jubilee of George III, the first railway constructed, the first cotton mill started in Glasgow, and the trial of the first steamboat on the Clyde. Mr. Perry received his education in Glasgow and lived in his native city till he attained the age of 36.
     In 1840 he made up his mind to go to America with a companion; but his friend having disappointed him in the plans arranged, the trip was abandoned: so some time after Mr. Perry decided to join the army, and entered the service of the East India Chartered Company. In 1842 he enlisted among the recruits for the military depot at Warley, in England, and was there six months, during which time he received the appointment as a sergeant and acting provo. Hurried orders caused his transfer from the depot to India with the 1st Battery of Horse Brigade Artillery. So, with his comrades, he quickly boarded the ship and landed at Bombay, where, after staying a couple of weeks, they received orders to proceed to Poona, where the brigade was to be stationed. On becoming attached to the brigade Mr. Perry had to forego his stripes and begin as a private again, but he was only nine months a trooper, and starting at a bombardier, he was quickly promoted in turn to corporal, rough-riding sergeant, and acting sergeant-major.
     Altogether Mr Perry was 11½ years in India, and during the whole of that time he was in the military service. He had the offer of several good situations while there, but not liking the country he refused them, so in 1854 he left to try his fortune in another part of the globe. Mr. Perry did not see any active service in India, but could relate many interesting topics connected with his career there.
     From India he sailed to Singapore, and from there to Port Adelaide, where he arrived in the ship Louisa in 1854. On arriving in this state Mr. Perry did not find business very thriving in and around the city, so he decided to go southwards, and settled at Willunga for a time.
     The gold rush in Victoria was then at its height, and Mr. Perry thought of trying his luck at the diggings, but meeting so many disappointed ones returning he altered his intentions, and in January, 1855, he joined the mounted police. After he was a couple of months in the service Mr. Perry was sent to Aldinga in connection with a wreck that had taken place on the coast, but he was only there a day or two when he was called on to take over the office of drill instructor to the mounted police, and occupied the position of sergeant in the ranks. Major Warburton was then in charge of the police force, and Mr. S. Hamilton chief inspector. For two years Mr. Perry filled that office, and a fall from his horse compelled him to take a change. He recruited for a time at Port Elliot, and was recalled from there to take charge of the colonial stores in Adelaide. Later on he was also put in charge of the Armoury, the Merchants' Magazines, and the Ordinance Departments, and Mr. Perry was one of those who suggested the main points, and assisted to the drafting, of the Arms Act and the code of regulations for the Merchants Magazine.
     Finding the work of managing all these departments beyond his physical strength Mr. Perry resigned at the end of two years' service, and went back to his first post - the military. He joined the volunteer cavalry as inspector, and was on parade on the occasion of the visit of the Duke of Edinburgh to Adelaide in 1868. He held the position as inspector till the corps broke up. Col. Biggs was then head of the South Australian Military Forces, and the volunteer cavalry comprised four troops - one at Adelaide, one at Goolwa, one at Strathalbyn and the other at Robe.
     Mr. Perry, on giving up the public service, went farming on Hindmarsh Island, where he settled for a number of years. He was not as successful in agricultural pursuits as be wished, and some seven or eight years ago he removed to the South-East, where he resided with hie wife and family up till the time of his death. Mr. Perry had a family of six sons and three daughters, of whom three sons and one daughter are dead. He leaves a widow also.
     The funeral took place on Tuesday, when the remains of the deceased gentleman were conveyed to their last resting place in the Narracoorte cemetery. The cortege comprised numerous relatives and friends of the deceased. The Rev. C. Neville conducted the service at the grave and Mr. G. Platt carried out the funeral arrangements.³