| PERSONAL DETAILS | |
|---|---|
| Name/Alias | William DOWLING |
| Birth date and place | c.1826 Carlow, Carlow, Ireland. |
| Baptism date and place | |
| Civil Census Residences | Chatham Barracks, Medway, Kent (1841). Royal Sappers & Miners Barracks, Woolwich, Greenwich, Kent (1851). Staddon Cottages, Plymstock St Mary, Devon (1871). Fort Bovisand, Plymstock, Devon (1881). See Musters below (1851, 1861). |
| Trade | Carpenter. |
| Physical Description | Height: 5 ft. 8 ins. Complexion: fresh. Eyes: light brown. Hair: black. Marks or Scars: scar on top of left shoulder; large one in front of right thigh; 6 moles on right arm. |
| Marriage date and place | 2 Dec 1852 Fremantle, Western Australia. |
| Spouse | Rachel WELLS/WILLS. |
| Children | William b. 1854, Fremantle, Western Australia. Richard b. 1856, Fremantle, Western Australia. James Joseph b. 1858, Plymouth, Devon. John b. 1861, Gibraltar. Sarah Jane b. 1864, Gibraltar. Mary b. 1866, Gibraltar. Alice b. 1870, Plymouth, Devon. |
| Death date and place | 28 Nov 1890 Victoria Barracks, Judge Street, Petrie Terrace, Brisbane, Queensland. Cause of Death: rheumatic gout; cirrhosis of liver; heart disease. |
| Burial date and place | 29 Nov 1890 Toowong Cemetery, Brisbane, Queensland. |
| Will and Probate | None. |
| Death Notices | Brisbane Courier 29 Nov & 5 Dec 1890. Brisbane Telegraph 2 Dec 1890. |
| ARMY SERVICE DETAILS | |
| Corps and Company | Royal Engineers 20th Company (formerly Royal Sappers & Miners). |
| Service No. and Rank | #2112 Private. |
| Attestation date and place | 9 Sep 1848 Liverpool, Lancashire. |
| Service/Campaigns | Western Australia 6 years 3 months. Gibraltar and Malta 8 years 6 months. |
| Musters | WO11-126 20th Company, Woolwich (1851). WO11-130 (1852) to WO11-158 (1858) Western Australia. WO11-192 27th Company, Gibraltar (1861). |
| Promotions | Private to Sapper 9 Sep 1858. Sapper to 2nd Corporal 1 Oct 1860. 2nd Corporal to Corporal 1 Dec 1862. |
| Medals, Clasps and Badges | Five Good Conduct Badges. |
| Other Awards & Prizes | The Great Exhibition 1851. Bronze Medal and Present. |
| Casualty/Medical | None. |
| Courts Martial | None. |
| Discharge date and place | 26 Oct 1869 Chatham. |
| Length of Service | 21 years 48 days. |
| Chelsea Pension Reference | WO97-1360-132. |
| Post Discharge Residence | Hooe, Plymouth, Devon. |
| Pension District | Plymouth (1869). |
| Pension | 17½d. per diem. |
| ARRIVAL IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA | |
| Ship | Marion. |
| Departure and Arrival dates | Dep. Plymouth 2 Nov 1851. Arr. Fremantle 30 Jan 1852. |
| Occupations post-arrival in WA | Instructing Warder. York Convict Depot Apr 1854 to Dec 1855 (at least). |
| Land Acquisition | None in Western Australia. |
| Ship ex-WA | Dolphin. |
| Departure date and destination | Dep. Fremantle 2 Feb 1858 for London. |
| Emigration to Queensland | Immigrated to Brisbane, Queensland with his wife Rachel on SS Merkara . Dep. London 22 May 1886. Arr. Brisbane 22 Jul 1886. Mary Dowling, daughter, left England for Brisbane in 1891 on the same ship. (See sidebar for details of SS Merkara). |
