Series 06: A 4286: James Bowman personal and miscellaneous papers, 1796-1848

A 4286/Items 1-4

series

1796-1848

1059098

Partly Digitised : Item 1 only selected for digitisation

James Bowman (1784-1846), surgeon and pastoralist, was the son of Edward and Ann Bowman of Carlisle, Cumberland, England. He entered the navy as an assistant surgeon in 1806, next year was promoted surgeon but in 1814 was reduced to half-pay. In consequence of the recommendation of William Redfern that naval surgeons be appointed to convict transports, Bowman sailed to New South Wales as surgeon and agent of the transport Mary Anne, arriving on 19 January 1816. Disappointed in his expectations of a colonial appointment he returned to England, strongly recommended by Governor Lachlan Macquarie for his 'assiduous and humane attention' to the convicts and for his 'mild, gentleman-like manners and accomplishments'.

In 1817, when surgeon of the transport Lord Eldon, Bowman first met John Macarthur, then returning to New South Wales after long exile. Two years later, having been appointed to succeed D'Arcy Wentworth as principal surgeon, he came out in the John Barry, in company with John Thomas Bigge, and took up his duties in September. He made many immediate improvements at Sydney Hospital.

In 1828 Bowman became inspector of colonial hospitals, but after (Sir) George Arthur and Sir Richard Bourke had both complained of laxity in supervision, in 1836 hospital administration was placed under military control and Bowman's services were no longer required. By this time his professional duties were the least of his concerns, for in 1823 he had married Mary, the second daughter of John and Elizabeth Macarthur, whose dowry included 2000 merino sheep and more than 200 head of cattle. His request for land commensurate with his fortune was granted in 1824 and with additional purchases his estate, Ravensworth, between Singleton and Muswellbrook, exceeded 12,000 acres (4856 ha).

For the next ten years Bowman remained in Sydney, taking little part in public affairs, save briefly as a local director of the Bank of Australasia. He applied for, but was refused, a town allotment, so John Verge built Lyndhurst for him on purchased land adjoining Wentworth Park. When his official salary ceased in 1838, two years after his services were dispensed with, he retired with his family to Ravensworth, but received once more his naval half-pay. Drought and depression, combined with ill-advised expenditure and inexperience, led inevitably to heavy financial losses. After Bowman's sudden death from apoplexy on 23 August 1846 his invalid widow and five children welcomed the generous and necessary assistance of William Macarthur.

Reference:
Australian Dictionary of Biography. http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/bowman-james-1812 (Accessed 17 September 2013)

Item 1
Personal and miscellaneous papers, 1796-1848

Item 2
Part of a diary, 1 January 1843-6 April 1843 [seems to have been written partly by Elizabeth Macarthur (with reference to the writing in her letters to Edward Bowman) and partly by Edward Bowman(?)]

Item 3
School exercise book [English grammar section dated 27 February-1 April, 1840]

Item 4
Skin of a lizard, Ravensworth, March 1845. 'Oedura robusta (Family Gekkonidae)' written on folded paper containing skin

Copyright status:: In copyright
Research & study copies allowed: Author has been deceased for more than 50 years

Mitchell Library and Macarthur Camden Park bookplates on inside front cover of items 1, 2 and 3.
Microfilm copy available at CY 2358.