John King

Who was John King?

John King was a Police Constable at the Eureka Stockade rebellion, one of Australia's few armed uprisings and often characterised controversially as the "birth of democracy" in Australia.

Born in the parish of Tumurah, County Down, Ireland, son of James King, farmer, and Jane, he attempted to join the British Army several times, but was rejected on account of his age. Finally on 24 November 1846, aged sixteen, he managed to enlist at Lisburn – partly by raising his age to eighteen. He served as a Private in the 61st Regiment for six years and 306 days – being with the Army of Punjab [sic] in India in 1848-49, being present during the ‘Passage of Cinaub’, and at the battles of Sadsolopoor, Chillianwalla and Goojerat. On 1 March 1853 he paid £18 to gain his discharge from the army and came to Australia. After trying his hand at mining, on 25 March 1854 he joined the police. His record sheet describes him as being ‘age 25, height 5 feet six and a half inches, eyes grey, hair brown; complexion light’.

After the storming of the Eureka Stockade he was a witness at the subsequent Eureka State Treason Trials.