Peter Sheens1
M, #187, b. 28 August 1876, d. 15 February 1946
| Father | Henry Sheens1 b. 30 Nov 1844, d. 6 Jul 1921 |
| Mother | Emma Byrnes1 b. 25 Sep 1849, d. 26 Dec 1927 |
| Last Edited | 9 Aug 2016 |
| Birth* | 28 August 1876 | Castlereagh, NSW; Name: Peter Sheens Sex of Child: Male Date of Birth: 28th August 1876 Place of Birth: Castlereagh Father: Henry Sheens Occupation: Farmer Birthplace: England Age: 29 Date of Marriage: 1871 Place of Marriage: Castlereagh Previous Issue: 3 Boys living Mother: Emma formerly Byrnes Birthplace: Castlereagh Age: 26 Informant: Henry Sheens (his mark), father, Castlreagh Witness: Elizabeth Lees1,2 |
| Baptism | 4 November 1876 | Penrith Circuit, NSW; son of Henry & Emma Sheen, Castlereagh Minister Alfred Swift, Methodist3 |
| Photo* | 1899 | Camp; Private P. Sheens (No 13) 4th from the left in 2nd row front front4  "K" Penrith Company, 3rd Regt. V.I., in Camp, 1899 |
| Article* | 9 February 1901 | "The Sydney Morning Herald", NSW; THE FEDERAL CONTINGENT. Work at the Federal Camp at the Royal Agricultural Society's Grounds yesterday was mostly of a routine character. The 2nd Mounted Rifle Regiment was exercised in ceremonial movements and marching past drill to music supplied by the R.A.A. Band. During the morning A and B Squadrons went out for horse exercise in Centennial Park. The day was a particularly busy one in the office of Major M M Boam, D.A.A.G. , the task of effecting the necessary transfers to bring up the 2nd Mounted Rifle Regiment to its full establishment engaging attention. Major Boam has the assistance of an efficient clerical staff under Warrant-Officer Tideswell, comprising, besides the last named, Colour-Sergeant Lamont, Colour-Sergeant Williams, and Staff-Sergeant Robins. Ordinarily the hours of work extend from about 7am till up to between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m., dealing with such numbers of men necessarily entailing a great amount of work. The following return was given yesterday of men who had been medically examined and also of those who had passed the firing and riding tests :-71 presented themselves for medical examination, 10 failing and 61 passing. In the firing test 32 competed, five of whom failed, 27 qualifying. The efficiency of the men in riding was again shown, for of 56 who presented themselves, only two failed to pass. The number of men who have passed all tests, and been provisionally enrolled is 1172. With regard to the formation of the 3rd Regiment Mounted Rifles, numerous applications from suitable men continue to be received, and last evening Major Boam stated that only about 600 were required to complete the total number of 2000 men asked for for service in South Africa. The undermentioned have been attached for duty with the 3rd Regiment Mounted Rifles, and posted as follows, previous orders respecting them having been cancelled . "A" Squadron -Major Cox, Lieutenant Stewart, Mr. H Barrow, Mr. D Cameron, Mr. T J. Heery. "B" Squadron-Major Burnage, Captain McIlride, Lieutenant Stokes, Mr. G. H Cawston, Mr. M R Mecham. "C" Squadron -Captain Chapman, Mr. Breckenridge Mr. Price, Mr. Ryrie, Mr. Brooks. "D" Squadron -Lieutenant Simmons, Lieutenant Thompson, Lieutenant Greenwell, Mr. Suttor. "E" Squadron - Lieutenant Scobie, Mr. Bowden, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Darcy. From yesterday's date the designation of the first five divisions of the draft will be changed to that of squadrons of the 3rd Regiment M. Rifles, and be lettered as " A, " " B, " " C, " " D, " and " E. " The 6th Division of the draft will be re-numbered as No. 1. Tho following transfers have been made to take effect from yesterday, bringing up the 2nd Regiment Mounted Rifles to its full establishment: – From 2nd Division (Draft) to " A " Squadron 2nd Regiment M. R. - J Brady, T H Kelly, W H Marshall, T J Williams. From 2nd Division (Draft) to " B " Squadron 2nd Regiment M. R. - E Aldridge, M Bastick, G Betts, W Barnett, E T Collins, B Cottor, B Cochran, W. Foster, J M Ferrier, P J Leahy, A P Radburn, G R Wells, C B Wicking. From 2nd Division (Draft) to "C" Squadron 2nd Regiment M.R -A Brown, W G Boon, F C Brown, J W Bartlett, J E Brown, C T Bathie, J Look, G Courtuey, J W Cousloy, J Hart, F O'Rourke. From 2nd Division (Draft) to " D " Squadron 2nd Regiment M. R. -W G Abercrombie, H Boon, E J Cummings, R S Carlile, A Chesworth, R M Druitt, J Elliott, H J Gibb, W Harris, N Price, H M Reid, G J Riley, D Stewart, W Tully, A Young. From 2nd Division (Draft) to " E " Squadron, 2nd Regiment M. R. -G H Abbott, C S Arthur, C J Bond, W Bryant, W A Barnes, W H Bell, C J Brook, J Crowell, A C Conley, J Carmody, C Charet, T K Davidson, M Edmonds, H J Griffiths, L P Grant, J Grundie, D McDonald, T Pullen, A Platt, B L Powoll, R Smith, C W Smith, H S Walsh, R G Young. From 1st Division (Draft) to " E " Squadron, 2nd Regiment M. R. -A Anderson, T Appleby, P Armstrong, F Adrian, S R Adams, T Alting, F C Baker, S C Barnes, F J Bradstreet, R R Butcher, J C Blunden, A E Brown, H C Bourne, T E Ball, C Bloomfield, H Russell, J J Corbett, W Clancey, T E Conlon, F Corbett, J T Costley, J Cooke, A H Chandler, L Cooper, J Drum, T K Egan, P L Elwell, E D Fox, R S L Freer, A J Friend, T M Farrell, H E Gray, J Hayes, J J Leonard, T P Leonard, G L Marshall, L H Mayo, J E Maddison, J McGrath, R H Miles, J Nixon, G C H Northover, T Nix, J O'Keefe, W Osborne, D Orr, A A Stevens, J Somerville, W R Simpson, H Spier, C Sheehan, P Sheens, E Sparkes, E G Smee, A Thompson, J Tresseder, C J Terone, H W Turner, O A Vickery, B C Hopkins, P S Hart, A M Hubbard, E J Huggins, B C S Hicks, G A Johnston, C G Johnson, P E Johnson, F A Johnson, E A Jacobsou, G T Kofoed, T H Kohler, C F Lawler, P F Lake, P W Phillips, H W Payne, F J Pryor, H R Price, E C Rosen, H Ross, T Reid, J Ryan, G W Howley, T E Starr, R J Saunders, J M Soloman, T Shea, G H E Steele, O A Vecsey, W B Ward, B Wardell, P Williams, P E Wright, C M Wolstenholme, J L Westoby, H G Wilkins, W J Wright, A J Wright, S G Watt, H Williams. From 2nd Division (draft) to Machine Gun Section - F C Adams, J F Foreman, W A Masters, R J Butler, J C Garrood, G J Smallwood, E A C Corlette, P T Holm, W H Verrender. From 4th Division (draft) to Machine Gun Section - J Brown, W Kensal, J Richardson, G L Dicks, W D Mason, W Sohmich, A Esler, J A Meldrum, S A Sandstrum, W Fish, N McGowan, F S Wilding, J Ings, W R Mullampy, C A Winfield, W B Iredale, T A McShane, J J Woods. From 3rd Division (draft) to Machine Gun Section 2nd Regiment M. R. - F W Butcher, V H Smith, H C Watt. From 5th Division (draft) to Machine Gun Section 2nd Regiment M. R. -W F Bridges, C Smith. The under-named men having passed all tests, have been provisionally enrolled and posted as under: - 1st Division Draft -A E Andrews, A Apthorpe, 1st Division Draft -A E Andrews, A Apthorpe, W P Angrove, W Banks, S Baxter, T E Burgis, F E Bates, R E Barsley, E S Dransfield, E D Donshoe, J Donn, P Dean, F Easy, W G Fraser, D Grant, H H Hodgson, J A McCrossin, D N McClymont, M Morris, T J McMabou, J Neale, J Pallier (bugler), W H Ray, J Smith, G C Brown, W Beck, W Clancy, J Cantwell, D Christanson, W J Carroll, W Cliff, D G Davidson, C E Dent, E Dwyer, A Hall, H Holmes, A W Johnson, F Jolliffe, G E Kirby, Bugler S Lee, R Mason, Bugler P C Matthews, H McBride, G R McAlpine, A E Simpson, D G Smythe, F T Simeon, H Trafford, R O Thomas, F Turner, T H Wood, J Williamson, E O Wait, W Wood, E G Yard.5 |
| Article | 27 July 1901 | "The Nepean Times", Penrith, NSW; The War FROM THE FRONT. Trooper Peter Sheens writes from Krugersdorp, under date June 20th, as follows:— I have travelled over a great part of South Africa, and, by what I have seen of it, it is a rich and fertile country for produce. During the short time I have been here, I have been in three different engagements. The first we had was on the 10th May. The Boers had got the best of our column. It took place at Koraanderfontein. I think it was our own fault— the scouts and firing were too far ahead of the main body, and the Boers slipped in on our left flank. The main body did not know but what they were our own men till they did the damage. They shot five of our men and one officer wounded, seven men and one officer captured, and nine men and 16 horses. This was De la Ray's column. We followed them for two or three days, but did not run against them. We returned to Klerksdorp and camped for a few days. We started on the veldt again on 20th May, and on the 21st we came on a column of Boers, and after going after them for four hours we overtook them and managed to capture all their convoy and cattle, of which they had plenty, and goods. We also captured several prisoners. The next day we changed our direction, and on the 24th May we came in sight of a column of Boers about seven miles off. We took after them as fast as we could, and overtook them after travelling for six hours, when they were crossing the Vaal River into the Orange River Colony. Some of them got across, and the remainder had their position taken up behind the bank of the river. We opened fire on them with the guns and pom-poms, and they soon expanded all roads. We shot 15 of them and captured 20 of them and 22 waggons loaded with goods and ammunition, also 600 head of cattle. Some of the same horses they captured from us in the first engagement at Koraanderfontein we got back again. The Boers we captured threw their rifles in the river, but we soon sent them in to bring them out again. The only damage they did to our column was that they shot 16 of our horses. There was not a man of us hit with a bullet. This engagement occurred only a few miles from Klerksdorp, which is our remount depot. We left the Vaal River on 1st June to join General Dixson's column, which was about 50 miles away, and arrived at his column on 3rd June. General Dixson's column was cut up terribly on 26th May—the Boers shot 40 men in that column. All the gunners were killed, and the Boers captured two pom-pom guns from them; but the reinforcement made a rush and captured them back again. This engagement happened at night while General Dixson was on the march. The Boers had set fire to saw the place where they had the battle and where our comrades were buried. We travelled about for a week and then returned to Krugersdorp, where I got a day off and went into the town, I enjoyed myself very much. I get sick of riding about looking for a fight. I like to see a fight every day, but when you ride about for two weeks it gets stale looking for it—you would think there was no Boers here. As far as I can see, our general does not care about fighting, for we could have had several lashes if we had gone after them. I reckon I could get a fight nearly every day if they would give me four troops and two pom-poms. It appears to me that they do not want to finish the war too quickly, for it is a good paying game for the officers—they are having a great picnic here. All that we are doing is capturing all the stock we come across—poultry and pigs and the Boer women, and I think that is all we can capture. We are destroying all the Boer farmhouses we come across, as well as the things they contain. As far as I can see, I think the war will last another winter. My other mates from Penrith are with me and are having a good time, as also am I, up to the present time. They have all seen a little of active service, and know how to play the game.6 |
| Death of Father | 6 July 1921 | Castlereagh, NSW; Name: Henry Sheens Date of Death: 6 Jul 1921 Place of Death: Castlereagh, Municipality of Castlereagh NSW Occupation: Farmer Sex: Male Age: 76 Conjugal Status: Place of Birth: Louth, Lincolnshire England Time in Aust Colonies: About 72 years in NSW Father: Samuel Sheens Occupation: Shipwright Mother: Jemima Lingard Place of Marriage: Castlereagh NSW Age at Marriage: 25 Name of Spouse: Emma Byrnes Children of Marriage: George 49, Arthur 47, Peter 45, John 43, Isabel M 39, Eliza J 37, Allan 35, James 33, Alfred 31, Robert 25 living; 2 males, 1 female deceased Informant: James Sheens, son, Castlereagh Cause of Death: 1. Arterio Sclerosis 2. Chronic Parenchymatous Nephritis Length of Illness: 2. 12 months Medical Attendant: F C Higgins Date last seen: 28 Jun 1921 Date of Burial: 7 Jul 1921 Place of Burial: Methodist Cemetery Castlereagh Minister & Religion: S C Roberts, Methodist Undertaker: John Price and Son Witnesses: A E Elkington, George Clarke;Principal=Henry Sheens7 |
| Death of Mother | 26 December 1927 | Castlereagh, NSW; Name: Emma Sheens Date of Death: 26th December 1927 Place of Death: Castlreagh Municipality Occupation: Age: 77 Conjugal Status: Place of Birth: Penrith NSW Time in Aust Colonies: Father: Samuel Byrnes Occupation: Carrier Mother: Eliza Lewis Place of Marriage: Castlereagh NSW Age at Marriage: 19 Name of Spouse: Henry Sheens Children of Marriage: George 56, Arthur 53, Peter 51, Isabella M 45, Eliza J 42, Allan 41, James 39, Alfred 37, Robert 32 living; 3 males and 1 female deceased Informant: James Sheens, son, Castlereagh Cause of Death: Abdominal neoplasm Length of Illness: Medical Attendant: F C Higgins Date Last Seen: 23rd December 1927 Date of Burial: 27th December 1927 Place of Burial: Methodist Cemetery Castlereagh Minister & Religion: W J Stuart-Wright, Methodist Undertaker: J Price & Son Witnesses: W E Lance, J Grant Registered: 28th December 1927 Penrith;Principal=Emma Byrnes8 |
| Death* | 15 February 1946 | Nepean District Hospital, Penrith, NSW; Name: Peter Sheens Date of Death: 15 Feb 1946 Place of Death: Nepean District Hospital, Penrith Municipality; late of Castlereagh Road Penrith, Castlereagh Municipality Occupation: Carpenter, War Pensioner Sex: Male Age: 69 Conjugal Status: Place of Birth: Castlereagh NSW Time in Aust Colonies: Father: Henry Sheens Occupation: Farmer Mother: Emma Byrnes Place of Marriage: Never married Age at Marriage: Name of Spouse: Children of Marriage: Informant: L M Tippett, niece, Castlereagh Road Penrith Cause of Death: Chronic Myocarditis Length of Illness: Medical Attendant: K C Faulder Date last seen: 2 Jan 1946 Date of Burial: 16 Feb 1946 Place of Burial: Methodist Cemetery at Castlereagh Minister & Religion: G A Little, Methodist Undertaker: Nelson Price, of the firm of J Price and Son Witnesses: C W Paskin, H Corr9 |
| Article | 21 February 1946 | "The Nepean Times", Penrith, NSW; Death of Mr. Peter Sheens Mr. Peter Sheens, of Castlereagh, died in Nepean District Hospital on Friday, 15th inst., at the age of 69 years. He had been ailing for about eight months and was admitted to hospital on the previous day. He was the son of the late Henry and Emma Sheens, of Castlereagh, where he was born. He served in the Boer War and afterward went to New Zealand, where he lived for a number of years. Later he returned to the Nepean district. Deceased, who never married, leaves four brothers and two sisters, viz.: Allan (Union Road, Penrith), George (Union Lane, Penrith), Arthur (Emu Plains), Fred (Emu Plains) Mrs. Major Stanton (Sydney), and Mrs George Willett (Lambridge). The funeral took place on Saturday afternoon, proceeding to the Methodist Cemetery, Castlereagh. The servic [sic] was conducted by Rev. G. A. Little.10 |
Citations
- [S41] NSW Wesleyan Baptism Registers, 1788-1855 ",18734/1876 Peter Sheens."
- [S111] NSW Birth Certificate, 18734/1876 Peter Sheens.
- [S199] NSW Penrith Methodist Baptism Registers, 1860-1964 ",18734/1876 Peter Sheens."
- [S402] Arthur T Gates Literary cuttings manuscript and extracts from the Nepean Times 1899.
- [S154] Australian Newspapers, trove.nla.gov.au, The Sydney Morning Herald, Saturday, February 9, 1901.
- [S154] Australian Newspapers, trove.nla.gov.au, The Nepean Times, Saturday, July 27, 1901.
- [S107] NSW Death Transcript (Marilyn Rowan), 14648/1921 Henry Sheens.
- [S106] NSW Death Certificate, 22784/1927 Emma Sheens.
- [S107] NSW Death Transcript (Marilyn Rowan), 5195/1946 Peter Sheens.
- [S154] Australian Newspapers, trove.nla.gov.au, The Nepean Times, Thursday, February 21, 1946.