William Nairn (1767 – 8 June 1853) was an English-born army officer and farmer in the

Swan River Colony The Swan River Colony, also known as the Swan River Settlement, or just Swan River, was a British colony established in 1829 on the Swan River, in Western Australia. This initial settlement place on the Swan River was soon named Perth, and it ...

(now

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

). Born in England, Nairn was commissioned in the

46th (South Devonshire) Regiment of Foot The 46th (South Devonshire) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1741. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 32nd (Cornwall) Regiment of Foot to form the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in 1881, ...

on 12 May 1800, promoted to captain on 29 June 1809 and major on 30 August 1827. In early 1814 he was sent to Hobart Town in charge of a company. In 1818 Nairn sailed with his detachment for India. After retiring from the army, he eventually settled in the

in 1833. Nairn was the original grantee of , known as Grass Valley, east of Northam, Western Australia. He later acquired a further on the Canning River. Nairn's only son, William Edward Nairn became president of the

Tasmanian Legislative Council The Tasmanian Legislative Council is the upper house of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. It is one of the two chambers of the Parliament, the other being the House of Assembly. Both houses sit in Parliament House in the state capital, H ...

. Nairn died in

Fremantle Fremantle () () is a port city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River in the metropolitan area of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth. The Western Australian vernacular diminutive for ...

on 8 June 1853, at the age of 86. Nairn Street in Fremantle is named after him.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nairn, William 1767 births 1853 deaths English emigrants to colonial Australia 46th Regiment of Foot officers Settlers of Western Australia English army officers