Francis Henry William Thomas Winifred Brownrigg Peter Welsh Thomson Margaret Jean Caldow /Hodsdon Frederick Edward Senior James Roger Francis Wyman Clark Richard Robertson Patricia Mae Mulligan Joachim Dido

Biographical Dictionary - Coorow, Carnamah, Three Springs


Surname

"Dave" / "John" David Ian McLean BOWMAN

Born 15 April 1917 in Perth, Western Australia [P1]
Son of John BOWMAN and "Maggie" Margaret Swan DOW [P1]
Received his first name after his paternal grandfather and his second middle name was his great grandmother's maiden surname [P1]
Not finding three names necessary he often dropped one, going by David Ian BOWMAN or David McLean BOWMAN [P176]
Resided with his parents on The Home Farm in Carnamah 1917-1942, except for time away for schooling and in the militia unit [P9]
Educated at the local Carnamah State School in Carnamah and then at Scotch College in the Perth suburb of Claremont [P9]
Travelled to Scotland with his mother and youngest sister in 1924 as his mother wished her only son to see his homeland [P9]
     They departed Fremantle, Western Australia on the steamship Ceramic and arrived in Southampton, England in May 1924 [204]
     During their visit they stayed with his paternal grandparents at Dundruid at Lundin Links in Largo, Fife, Scotland [204]
     On their return they departed Liverpool, England on the steamship Runic for Albany, Western Australia on 6 December 1924 [203]
Won 1st prizes for Writing and Mapping in the Educational section of the Carnamah Show and Sports Carnival in 1928 [4]
     Also competed in the Children's Sports portion of the Show and Sports Carnival and came 2nd in the Bicycle Race [4: 13-Oct-1928]
At the conclusion of 1934 he was Dux of  Scotch College in Claremont and was awarded a Government Exhibition [P1]
     Received Distinctions in English, Maths, Applied Maths, Chemistry, Physics and Commercial & Bookkeeping Methods [5: 19-Jan-1934]
Returned to Carnamah on the completion of his schooling in late 1934 and helped his father run The Home Farm in Carnamah [P1]
In March 1939 a militia unit was formed at Carnamah which was a part of the motorised 25th Light Horse Machine Gun Regiment [P15]
     Owing to his experience as an Army Cadet from when he was at Scotch College he was appointed Sergeant [P31]
     Sergeant of No. 2 Troop of C Squadron of the 25th Light Horse Machine Gun Regiment in 1939 and 1940 [P15] [0: image 03928]
     Initially they trained in Carnamah once a fortnight and were later based full time at camps in Rockingham and Canning Weir [P15]
     Returned to Carnamah from Canning Weir in October 1940 to accompany new recruits to camp [0: image 03928]
     Prior to enlisting in the Army he was the Commanding Officer of the 25th Light Horse Machine Gun Militia Unit [0: image 04021]
Enlisted in the Australian Army on 17 February 1941; service number WX11035 [16] [0: image 04098]
     Commissioned Officer and later Captain in the 2/10 Australian Regimented Armoured Division during the Second World War [5] [16]
Married "Nan" Hannah Spence DAVISON on 21 June 1941 at Saint George's Hall in Carnamah [P1]
     His best man at his wedding was his brother-in-law Peter Welsh THOMSON, who was a farmer in Marchagee [0: image 04021]
     Witnesses to their marriage were his wife's friend Mollie THOMAS, Peter W. JOHNSON and C. John McCUBBING [P1]
     During the war spent his leave in Carnamah, and his wife travelled to Perth and once to Melbourne to see him [P9]
Discharged from the Australian Army on 6 March 1945 [16]
Returned to Carnamah following his discharge and took over the running The Home Farm from his father [P9]
Farmer of The Home Farm / Prowaka Spring Farm on the Carnamah-Perenjori Road in Carnamah 1945-1996 [P1]
Resided with his wife and children in Lockington House next to the spring Prowaka on Lot M1017 of The Home Farm 1945-1953 [P1]
Member of the Carnamah Football Club in 1935, and Secretary in 1936 and 1937[5: 26-Jul-1935, 17-Apr-1936, 16-Apr-1937]
     Played for the North Midlands Football Association in a match against the Perenjori-Morawa Association in July 1935 [5: 2-Aug-1935]
     Attended the Carnamah Football Club's Premiership Dinner at the Carnamah Hotel on Sunday 6 September 1936 [5: 11-Sep-1936]
Member of the Carnamah Rifle Club in 1935 [5: 30-Aug-1935]
Member of the Carnamah Cricket Club from 1935-36 to 1937-38 - played for "Carnamah Blues" [5: 11-Oct-1935, 24-Dec-1937]
     Represented the Carnamah District Cricket Association in a match against the North Midlands on 1 December 1935 [5: 29-Nov-1935]
     Himself, Tom BUCKINGHAM, Teddy EDWARDS and Roger CLARK motored to Perth in early February 1936 [5: 14-Feb-1936]
     Played for the Carnamah District Cricket Association at Country Week Cricket in Perth during February 1936 [5: 14-Feb-1936]
     Played for victorious Carnamah in their cricket match against "The Rest" in Coorow on Sunday 22 March 1936 [5: 27-Mar-1936]
     Had the second highest batting average in the Carnamah Cricket Club for the 1935-36 season with an average of 27.8 [5: 3-Apr-1936]
     Played for the winning Carnamah Cricket Club in their special match against the "Bulk Handlers" on 11 October 1936 [5: 16-Oct-1936]
     Played for the North Midlands Cricket Association in their victory against the Morawa Association on 10 January 1937 [5: 15-Jan-1937]
     Represented the North Midlands at Country Week Cricket in Perth during the second week of February 1937 [5: 12-Feb-1937]
Attended the funeral of Carnamah agent William B. SHERIDAN at the Winchester Cemetery on 27 January 1936 [5: 31-Jan-1936]
In August 1936 he was requested to become a Committee Member of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society [5: 21-Aug-1936]
     Attended his first Committee Meeting of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society on Wednesday 2 September 1936 [5: 4-Sep-1936]
     Committee Member 1936-1940 and Financial Member 1939-1971 of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society [5: 4-Sep-1936] [13]
     Steward of the Sheep section at the Carnamah District Agricultural Society's Annual Shows from 1936 to 1940 [5: 4-Sep-1936] [13]
Secretary for the Linen Gift & Social Evening for Dinty & Hazel CHATEL at the Carnamah Hall on 15 October 1936 [5: 9-Oct-1936]
Received the Carnamah Football Club's trophy for being the "most consistent player" during the 1939 season [0: image 03818]
Member in 1945 and Vice President in 1946 of the Carnamah Cricket Club [0: images 04318 & 04408]
Committee Member of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society 1945-1969 [58]
Head Steward of the Sheep section at the Carnamah District Agricultural Society's Victory Show on 13 September 1945 [13]
In 1946 had an account with Carnamah blacksmith, wheelwright and motor mechanics Henry Parkin & Son [53]
Committee Member in 1947 and Patron in 1951 of the Carnamah Football Club [0: images 04466 & 04607]
President 1947-1949 [58] and later Patron and Life Member of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society [P1]
Casket bearer at the funeral of William Henry WATSON on 13 September 1948 at the Winchester Cemetery [0: 16-Sep-1948]
His home was telephone number Carnamah-5K from 1948 to 1962 and then number Carnamah-5 from 1963 to 1969 [60]
Member of the Carnamah Cricket Club - played for Carnamah Country 1949-1957 [0: images 02992 & 04728] [4: 5-Apr-1957]
Pallbearer at the funeral of Clarence Thomas McCONKEY on 21 March 1950 at the Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth [5: 23-Mar-1950]
Committee Member of Carnamah's branch of the Farmers' Union of WA 1950-1957, and Vice President in 1957 [4: 22-Apr-1950, 5-Apr-1957]
Member of the Carnamah Bush Fire Brigade - was one of its Lieutenants in 1951 [4: 8-Sep-1951]
Served on the Carnamah District Road Board representing the North Ward from 1951 to 1960 [7: page 112]
In 1952 collected donations in Carnamah for the Travelling Infant Health Clinic Appeal [0: image 04692]
Following his father's death in 1952 and after buying out his sisters shares he became the sole owner of his father's farm [P1]
     The farm was 7960 acres in size and was situated on the east and west sides of the Carnamah-Perenjori Road in two parts [62] [3]
The 7960 acres consisted of Lots M926, M927, M928, M950, M959, M997, M998, M1017 and M1064 of Victoria Location 1934 [3]
     M950 and M1064 were known as "The Homestead" and were situated on the east side of the road nearer Carnamah [P1]
     The remaining lots of the farm were situated further north of Carnamah on the west side of the Carnamah-Perenjori Road [P1]
During the 1952-53 financial year purchased the vacant block at 9 Yarra Street in Carnamah (Lot 13 of Victoria Location 1936) [3]
     Also purchased the old house off "Bill" William A. TURNER's Kilburn Farm and had it re-erected at 9 Yarra Street [P9]
     Purchased the house for "Belle" Isabella M. EASTON to reside in, and she lived there from 1952 until the early 1960s [P9]
     Bell had come out with his parents from Scotland and had lived with and worked for them from 1915 to 1952 [P9]
     His sister and brother-in-law K. Lesley & Donald V. JOHNSON resided in the house from 1962 to 1973 [P9]
     H. Edward & Gladys M. WHITE rented the house prior to it being occupied by his son Ross and daughter-in-law Yvette [P75]
Along with his wife and three sons was at the Carnamah Hall watching a movie on Thursday 24 December 1953 [4: 2-Jan-1954]
     A neighbour sent a message to him at the hall by telephone to say there was a fire on his farm, and they left immediately [4]
     On arrival their weatherboard home Lockington was absolutely ablaze and along with its contents was complete destroyed [P75]
     A few neighbours equipped with fire fighting equipment prevented the fire from spreading to nearby grass and stubble paddocks [4]
     The fire was suspected to have been caused by a kerosene refrigerator or kerosene hot-water system [4: 2-Jan-1954]
Being homeless they stayed a few days at Belle EASTON's house at 9 Yarra Street in Carnamah, as she was away at the time [P75]
     Later spent a few weeks with Nan's sister Alice and brother-in-law Bill GRIERSON at La Colline Farm in Carnamah [P75]
     Using the blackened bricks of the chimney from the burnt down house had a new power shed built for their generator [P75]
     Moved the generator from a room adjoining their car's garage and turned that room into a kitchen [P75]
     Enclosed in the garage itself and divided into two rooms which became their lounge room and master bedroom [P75]
     Built a small extension onto the garage of two rooms - a bedroom for their sons and a small bathroom [P75]
Employed local builder Charles J. DALLIMORE to construct a large brick and tile house on the site of the burnt house [P75]
     The permit for his new brick and tile house was approved by the Carnamah District Road Board in February 1954 [4: 13-Mar-1954]
     Resided in their renovated garage for two years while the new house, now New Lockington, was built [P75]
Resided at New Lockington House on Prowaka Spring Farm in Carnamah 1955-1987 [P75]
     In August 1955 while obtaining lost records officially changed the name of the farm from The Home Farm to Prowaka Spring [P1]
President in 1954 and Committee Member in 1955 of the Carnamah Cricket Club [0: image 04758] [4: 1-Oct-1955]
President of the Carnamah and Districts Cricket Association in 1955 [0: image 04792]
One of the directors of the North Midlands Farmers' Co-Operative Company Limited in 1956 [4: 19-Apr-1957]
Chief Fire Control Officer of the Carnamah Bush Fire Brigade in 1973 and 1974 [100]
Member of the Carnamah Pasture Improvement Group [P46]
Vice Patron of the Carnamah Bowling Club for 13 years [P274]
Purchase from Barry C. MARTYN of the neighbouring Cooleran Farm in Carnamah on 2 February 1973 [P75]
     Cooleran Farm, afterwards known as Martyns, was 1,433 acres and consisted of Lots 14 and 15 of the Inering Estate [P75]
     The two adjoining lots are on the southeast corner of Carnamah-Perenjori and Back Inering roads [P1]
Formed a partnership with his wife and their three sons and purchased two more farms on the Bunjil-Carnamah Road [P1]
His son John became the farmer of Bowhill Farm, Ian the farmer of Eastern Grange and Ross took over Prowaka Spring [P1]
In 1981 his sister Mrs "Les" K. Lesley JOHNSON resided with him at New Lockington House on Prowaka Spring Farm [P9]
He attended the "Day of Pioneers" luncheon held at the Shire Council Chambers in Carnamah on 13 October 1982 [253]
Resided in the cookhouse on Prowaka Spring Farm in Carnamah 1987-1996 [P75]
Spent his last days at his son Ian's Eastern Grange Farm on the Bunjil-Carnamah Road, where he died at the age of 79 years [P1]
Father of John, Ross and Ian [P1]
Died 7 July 1996 at Eastern Grange Farm in Carnamah; buried at Winchester Cemetery, Carnamah (Row I, Plot 13) [1]
The ashes of his late wife Mrs "Nan" Hannah Spence BOWMAN were buried with him at the Winchester Cemetery [P1]


From The West Australian newspaper, Saturday 21 April 1917:
Births.  "BOWMAN – On April 15, at Nurse Bevan's, Kialla, 700 Beaufort-street, Mt. Lawley, to Mr. and Mrs. J. Bowman, of Home Farm, Carnamah – a son."


Reference:  Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'David Ian McLean Bowman' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 14 October 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/david-ian-mclean-bowman [reference list]




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