People Australia

Theophilus Feutrill (1771-1821), a soldier in the New South Corps, arrived at Sydney aboard the Neptune in June 1790 as part of the Second Fleet. He was stationed at Sydney.

Feutrill married Ann Short on 21 June 1795 at St Philip's Church, Sydney. Following Ann's death in 1797, days after the birth of their second son, Feutrill married Ann Gilbert (née Carey) on 13 August 1799; they had at least nine children. The family moved to Port Dalrymple, Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) in 1804. In 1808 Feutrill was described as being 5 feet 8 inches tall, with blue eyes, dark brown hair, and a fair complexion. Promoted corporal in December 1808 he was transferred to the 73rd Regiment in 1810 when the NSW Corps was recalled to England.

Feutrill was marked on regimental records as a deserter in 1814 but returned to active duties soon after and was restored to the rank of corporal in August 1815. Around this time he and his son Joseph, who was also in the 73rd Regiment, sailed for Sydney where they remained until 1818 when they were sent to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) to join the regiment. Joseph died in Ceylon in November 1818. Theophilius also suffered ill health and several bouts in hospital, and after a period of service at Galle was sent to England and discharged to a pension in July 1820, described as 'worn out' and unfit for further service.

Feutrill hanged himself in a cow house at Warsley Green, Hartlebury, Worcestershire, on 7 May 1821. The coroner's inquest found that he 'hung himself being insane'.

* information from Michael Flynn, The Second Fleet: Britain’s Grim Convict Armada of 1790 (1993), p 269