WALTER NATHANIEL BOWIE 1837-1926 was born at Barking side Essex on 29 December 1837 [1] and baptised at St. Botolph's, Aldgate, on 23 March 1838; he died on 7 January 1926 in Perth, West Australia and was buried in the Karrakatta Cemetery.

In 1853, Walter and his younger brother Thomas James Bowie were enrolled in the Melbourne Diocesan Grammar School as pupils number 141 and 142 respectively. [2] 

He married on 17 January 1876 EMILY ANN WEST  (born 29 November 1853 at Richmond; she died 21 on April 1948 in Mont Park Mental Hospital). Emily West was the eldest daughter of William and Mary West. Her father was a member of the 40th Regiment of Foot; the Regiment landed in Melbourne on 4th November 1852 and played a role in suppressing the Eureka uprising. [3]  Mary West died at St. Kilda aged 84 on 29 April 1909.

Walter Nathaniel Bowie was a farmer and vigneron at Digger’s Rest and was appointed Shire Secretary and Engineer at Melton and Gisborne . 

Bailliere's Victorian Directories record Walter Bowie, farmer,  at Digger's Rest from 1868-1871.

The 1875 Sands & McDougall Melbourne Directory has Walter Bowie and his brother William, vignerons at Sunbury.

In 1878 he was living at Sunbury, where his daughter Margaret Alice was born.

In 1880 his son Walter was born at Melton. Edith was born at Melton in 1883.

In 1885 his son Robert was born at Gisborne.

In November 1885 he was appointed Valuer for the Shire of Gisborne.

The 1886 Voter's Roll for the Bullengarook Riding, Shire of Gisborne, records him as owning a house and ten acres of land near the cemetery. He is also recorded the same year in the Voter's Roll for the Mountain Riding as owner of houses in New Gisborne.

On 28 May 1890 he was appointed Secretary of the Gisborne Water Works Trust at an annual salary of  £25. He resigned that position on 3 February 1891.

In 1892 he was living in New Gisborne, where he was was Honorary Secretary of a Committee of New Gisborne Residents.

His youngest child, Zillah, was born in Collingwood in 1896.

AER 

1917, 1918 Beaufort River C.E.

1925, 115 Newcastle Street North Perth Civil Engineer

[1] 1851 England Census

[2] Liber Melburniensis: The Book of the Church of England Grammar School. Melbourne 1879

[3] Smythies, Capt. R. H., A Short Record of the Services of the 1st Battalion the Prince of Wales's Volunteers South Lancashire Regt. Formerly the 40th (2nd Somersetshire) 1891

THE CHILDREN OF WALTER NATHANIEL BOWIE AND EMILY WEST

After his first few children, Walter Nathaniel Bowie developed a weird sequential alliterative system in which the children were named in alphabetical order: (not all dates here have been confirmed from primary sources)

MARY HELEN “NELLIE” BOWIE born 7 November 1876 at Echuca Vineyard; [1] died 13 March 1934. [2] Unmarried.

MARGARET ALICE BOWIE born 1878 at Sunbury; married Henry Joseph Whitely.

WALTER FREDRICK SYMINGTON BOWIE born 23 September 1880 at Melton and Christened at the Bacchus March Church of England on 25 January 1882; [3] married 1926 Maude White in Croydon S.A; died 15 March 1973 in Perth. Maude died on 18 February 1973 aged 86.

EDITH EMILY ELIZABETH "TOT" BOWIE 1883-1964 born at Melton, died 14 April 1964 at Sandringham; married Leslie Elmore Francis Porta in 1903 at Melton.

ROBERT WILLIAM BOWIE, hatter, born 11 February 1885 at Gisborne; [4] died 12 March 1941. Married Winifred Mary Butler 1922; sons Harold Robert and Laurence Walter. 

FLORENCE FRANCES FELICIA BOWIE born 4 July 1886 at New Gisborne; [5] died 10 April 1892 at New Gisborne. [6] She is buried, without a headstone, in the Gisborne Cemetery.

GLADYS GERTRUDE GRACE BOWIE 1887-1974 born at Gisborne; died at Williamstown; married William Norvay Slater in 1909; children: Dorothy Gertrude Millicent 1910, William Edgar John 1912.

HAROLD HARCOURT HICKS BOWIE 1890-1915 born at Gisborne; Killed in Action at Lone Pine 13 November 1915; private, 24th Battalion, Sixth Infantry Brigade. [7] Married 1913 Ada Clarke; daughters Gladys Mae (died 22 April 1914) and Dorothy "Dolly" Ivy, born 1912.

IRENE IDA ISABEL BOWIE 1892-1894 [8] She was buried on 4 July 1894 at the Melbourne General Cemetery, with her grandparents, Robert and Margaret Bowie.

ZILLAH ZOE ZENOBIA BOWIE 1896-1977 born 14 May 1896 at Collingwood; died 25th February 1977; married Michael Doocey 1927; mother of Helen and Robert.

DEATH OF HAROLD H. H. BOWIE

Preston Leader Saturday 20 November 1915 page 2

GALLANT AUSTRALIANS. PRIVATE H. H. BOWIE. The painful news was conveyed to Mrs. Bowie this week that her husband, Private H. H. Bowie, had been killed in action on the 13th inst., after having been in the firing line for a couple of months. Deceased, who was only 26 years of age, was, prior to enlisting, engaged for 8 years at McCrohan & Bardsley’s, felt hat manufacturers, Heidelberg road, and was well known in South Northcote. He was a member of the 24th Battalion, 6th Infantry Brigade, which sailed from Melbourne on the 8th May. Writing to his wife and little daughter on the 16th September, he says:- “We landed here on the 5th inst. It is not a bad place, but very quiet just now. I have been in the trenches for 4 days and have only seen one Turk. They keep their heads well out of the road. In some places where we are the Turks’ trenches are only four or five yards off. You can shake hands with them. They are all big men. Have seen a lot of fellows I know, some of whom have been here since the start. Received the photo of little Doll, and it is very nice of her.”

[1] Birth notice Argus (Melbourne), Saturday 11 November 1876, page 1

[2] Age (Melbourne), Thursday 15 March 1934, page 1

[3] Birth notice Bacchus Marsh Express (Vic.), Saturday 2 October 1880, page 2

[4] Birth notice Bacchus Marsh Express (Vic.), Saturday 21 February 1885, page 2

[5] Birth notice Argus (Melbourne, Vic.), Thursday 8 July 1886, page 1

[6] Death notice Argus (Melbourne, Vic.), Wednesday 20 April 1892, page 1; buried in Gisborne cemetery with no headstone

[7] Death notice Preston Leader (Vic.), Saturday 20 November 1915, page 2

[8] Irene Bowie, aged 2 years, buried 3 July 1894 in the MGC C of E Compartment F, grave 572, with her grandparents Dr. Robert and Margaret Bowie, and uncle Robert Bowie

A summary of Walter Bowie's career in Victoria appeared in Victoria and Its Metropolis, published in 1888, [1]  and is reiterated in an article on the history of Gisborne in the Leader newspaper in 1935: [2]  after arriving in Victoria early in 1852, was employed in the Chief Secretary's office for six months; for two years he worked in the City Surveyor's office, then for four years in the Warrnambool Road Board surveyor's office. For eleven years he was engaged in vine growing and was the first to introduce the cultivation of opium into the colony of Victoria. For a year he was engaged by the Forestry Department to determine the boundaries of the State forests, and for two years was manager of the Echuca Vineyard Company. For five years he was engineer and secretary of the Melton shire and in 1883 he was appointed secretary, engineer, valuer and collector for the Gisborne shire.

SUNNYSIDE VINEYARD, SUNBURY

In partnership with his brother Thomas and Alexander Kennedy Smith, Walter Bowie established the Sunnyside vineyard at Sunbury. The 30 acre allotment was located on the southern slope of the Bald Hill between Digger's Rest and Sunbury and was established under the novel industries clause of the land Act of 1862. The first vintage was in 1867. Part of the property was devoted to the cultivation of the opium poppy. [3]  Walter was the resident partner and manager; his partner Alexander Smith (1824-1881) was a highly accomplished engineer who became mayor of Melbourne in 1875 (see his obituary below).

Walter's elder brother William managed the nearby Eighnane Vineyard, a property of 20 acres which occupied a fertile bend sloping down to Jackson's Creek. The winery comprised a bluestone building with an underground cellar. The Eighnane Hermitage was awarded a gold medal at the 1882 Bordeaux Exhibition. There was also an orange orchard.[4] 

Walter and his brother Thomas experimented with the cultivation of opium poppies. In 1868 he wrote at some length to the Australian newspaper to describe his experience with opium poppies and to offer his very detailed recommendations for their cultivation. [5] 

Walter and Thomas played cricket for the Sunbury team. Playing in 1869 at Sunbury for a team combined with Riddell's Creek against an eleven from South Melbourne, Walter bowled well, obtaining figures of five wickets for thirty runs; his brother Thomas Bowie, also performed very well with his "underhand" bowling style. [6]  He was still playing cricket for the Sunbury team in 1874. [7] 

The following article in the Bacchus marsh Express reveals that Walter Bowie was held in the highest regard by the local community: GISBORNE. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) As a proof of the estimation in which Mr. W. Bowie, our Shire Secretary and Engineer, is held by the ratepayers, fourteen ploughs assembled on Friday at a farm in the immediate neighbourhood of the township of which Mr. Bowie has lately become tenant, for the purpose of giving him a day's ploughing. The rain of the early days of the week left the ground in splendid order, and by 4 o'clock a 10-acre paddock was turned over ready for seed. An excellent dinner was provided for the ploughmen, and during the day "creature comforts" were liberally supplied to all engaged in the work, and to the numerous visitors attracted by the somewhat unusual sight. [8] 

He continued as Gisborne Shire Secretary and Engineer until he was forced to offer his resignation in 1893. His popularity in the community notwithstanding, in 1892 the Shire Council asked for his resignation after an auditor's report revealed "gross irregularities and unintelligible entries in his books." [9] 

The Sands & McDougall Melbourne Directories for the late 1890's record him as living in Dixon Street, Northcote but he is not listed after 1900. The 1901 Directory has Mrs Emily Bowie living in Cunningham Street, Northcote. Walter had decamped to West Australia, leaving his wife behind in Victoria. His son Walter would later move to the West also.

In 1908 he is recorded as an engineer with the Public Works in Perth, at a salary of £200 per annum. [10] 

In 1926 his last residence was at 115 Newcastle Street, Perth. [11]  

[1]  Sutherland, Alexander et. al., Victoria and its Metropolis, Past and Present 1888 Volume II page 421

[2] Leader (Melbourne, Vic.), Saturday 5 January 1935, page 22

[3] Leader (Melbourne, Vic.), Saturday 22 February 1868, page 9

[4]  Australasian (Melbourne), Saturday 17 May 1884, page 25

[5] Australasian (Melbourne, Vic.), Saturday 15 August 1868, page 25

[6] Kyneton Guardian and Woodend and Malmsbury Chronicle (Vic.), Saturday 3 April 1869, page 2

[7] Kyneton Guardian (Vic.), Wednesday 25 February 1874, page 2

[8]  Bacchus Marsh Express (Vic.), Saturday 20 April 1889, page 7 

[9] Sunbury News and Bulla and Melton Advertiser (Vic.), Saturday 17 December 1892, page 3

[10] West Australian (Perth), Saturday 29 August 1908, page 9

[11] West Australian (Perth).  Friday 8 January 1926, page 1 (funeral notice)

NEWSPAPER ARTICLES

Leader (Melbourne), Saturday 18 January 1868, page 9

VICTORIAN OPIUM. 

Sir, — I observe by a paragraph in your journal that a specimen of opium has been grown at the Echuca Company's vineyard, which is stated to be quite a new product, and has only been grown by way of experiment. As I have been growing opium for the last four years, I feel myself at liberty to contradict the latter portion of your paragraph. In 1864, my brother, T. Bowie, and myself grew opium at Northcote, for experiment only, the success of which experiment led to its being grown, in marketable quantities at the vineyard of Mr A. K. Smith, and myself at Sunbury, where it has been gathered as an annual crop for the last three years. I trust I have stated sufficient to prove that if the sample of opium spoken of in your paper is the first produced at Echuca, I can at least claim priority in this respect. Thanking you for the insertion of this letter, I am, Sir, your obedient servant, WALTER BOWIE. Bald Hill, Sunbury, 13th January.

Argus (Melbourne), Thursday 9 January 1873, page 7

NOTICE Is hereby given, that, the PARTNERSHIP which has for some time past been carried on by Alexander Kennedy Smith, Walter Nathaniel Bowie, and Thomas James Bowie, under the firm of A. K. SMITH and COMPANY, at the Sunnyside Vineyard, near Sunbury, in the county of Bourke, in the trade or business of vinegrowers and manufacturers of wine, was this day DISSOLVED, by mutual consent.

Dated the first day of July, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.

ALEX. KENNEDY SMITH. WALTER N. BOWIE. THOMAS JAMES BOWIE.

Weekly Times (Melbourne), Saturday 22 January 1881, page 19

DEATH OF MR. A. K. SMITH. M P.

Our readers will regret to learn of the death of Alex. Kennedy Smith, M.P., which took place Sunday night at ten minutes past 11 o'clock at his late residence, Studley Park, the combined causes being heart disease and general dropsy. It is generally known that the deceased gentleman has suffered for many years, and during the past two or three weeks our columns have recorded the fact from to time that Mr. Smith's health was in a very precarious condition. On Friday last the deceased gentleman was seen by Dr. James, his medical attendant, in consultation with Dr. James Robertson; and though Dr. James had been in constant attendance on the deceased up to the time of his death, nothing could be done beyond slightly prolonging his life and easing his suffering as far as possible. Mr. Smith passed away peacefully, at the hour named, in the fifty-seventh year of his age. Mr. Smith was born at Cauldmill, in the parish of Cavers, Roxburghsire, Scotland, on the 7th July, 1824. He was one of a family of eight sons and four daughters; six of the former (including the deceased) were bred engineers and all of them have held responsible positions both at home and abroad. Mr. Smith served a part of his apprenticeship with his father and brother, James and William Smith, engineers, Hawick. At the age of fifteen he received an appointment from the directors of the Clarence Railway Company, Stockton-on-Tees, but preferring to follow out the profession of an engineer, he left that railway in 1840, and completed his indentures with a provincial firm in Galashiels, where, during a period of five years; he attained proficiency in the several branches of his profession. In 1846 he entered the employment of the Great Western Railway Company, at their extensive Loco-motive works, New Swindon, Wiltshire, where he was engaged both in the works and in the drawing office. In 1847, he married Isabel Cochrane, the sixth daughter of the late Alexander Brockie, of Rachelfield, Berwickshire, and had issue four daughters, two of whom survive. In 1848, on the application of the county magistrates of Devonshire, the celebrated Isambard Kingdom Brunel selected and recommended Mr. Smith, who was appointed their engineer, and held that office with credit, until he commenced business as a civil and practical engineer in Exeter. In Devonshire Mr. Smith erected gasworks at Topsham; he was also engineer to the extensive papermakers, Charles Harris, of Countess and Trews Wear Mills, and John Dewdney, of Hele, and erected gasworks for both those gentlemen. He also designed and carried out extensive improvements at the ropeworks of Follett and Co., of Exeter and Topsham. Mr. Smith was also engaged by the Royal Agricultural Society of England to assist their consulting engineer in testing with the dynanometer the steam-engines and machinery at their exhibitions held at Exeter, Plymouth, Lewes, and Gloucester; and he also held the position of engineer to the Bath and West of England Agricultural Society. In 1852-8, he designed and laid out a model farm for John Daw, Esq., solicitor, at St. George's Clist, where, by utilising a small stream of water upon an overshot wheel, he could at will irrigate with water, or discharge liquid manure through pipes laid for the purpose (all over the farm) at the rate of sixty tons per hour, and which more than doubled its produce at a comparatively small outlay. In 1858, Mr. Westgarth visited Britain, and publicly advertised for a duly qualified engineer to go out to Melbourne to erect and manage the proposed gasworks. The liberal salary offered held out great inducements at that period, and no less than sixty-four applications were sent in from Britain and the Continent. Out of that number, Mr. Smith was chosen, with a five years' engagement, and to the regret of many friends, whose esteem he had won, left England on the 10th January, 1854, and arrived at Melbourne on the 8th of April following, when he commenced his onerous duties, and after surmounting many difficulties, carried them to a most successful issue. In the month succeeding Mr. Smith's arrival in the colony, the City Council offered a premium of £50 for the best practical plan tor disposing of the refuse of the city. He competed, and was awarded the prize. In his essay, Mr. Smith anticipated by many years what is now known as Captain Liernur's system, as well as the hermetically sealed carts now used by the corporation. Mr. Smith, in 1848, was a member of the first volunteer rifle corps raised in England, at a time when there was some threatened aggression on the part of France; and in August, 1854, was, with the present commandant, and Captain John Scott, and others, one of the first promoters of the volunteer movement in this colony. He was gazetted as captain to the first rifle corps, and subsequently, in 1868, received his commission as major in the V. V. Artillery Regiment, and was, at his death, one of the oldest field officers in the colony. Mr. Smith always took an interest in scientific matters, and was a member of several learned societies. In 1853, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Scottish Society of Arts, and in this colony was one of the promoters and a member of the Victorian Institute, the Mining Institute, the Philosophical Society, the Humane Society, the Royal Society of Victoria, the Architects and Engineers' Society, etc., and contributed many articles to the " Transactions" of these societies. He projected the suburban railway, and was consulting and locomotive engineer to the company. He predicted the abandonment of the loop-line at St. Kilda, and used his best efforts to prevent the expenditure upon its construction. He successfully carried out many other works — notably the Ballarat, Castlemaine, Sandhurst, and Newcastle (N.S.W.) gasworks, and de-signed, made, and erected mining machinery, waterwheels, sawmills, etc., in this and the adjoining colonies, and from time to time was professionally and otherwise engaged in preparing plans and specifications, and reporting upon the Coliban and Sydney water supply, the supply of gas to Melbourne and its suburbs, to the cities of Sydney, Bathhurst and Goulburn, Shanghai, Yokohama, Auckland, Dunedin, Hokitika, Nelson, Hobart Town, Maryborough, Creswick, Kilmore, Portland, Warrnambool, Stawell, etc. He represented Latrobe ward in the City Council for upwards of twelve years, and occupied the position of Mayor of Melbourne during 1875-76. On his leaving office the Chinese residents in the city presented the council with a full-length portrait of Mr. Smith, in his robes of office, painted by one of their number, which painting now hangs in the council-room amongst the other city fathers. Mr. Smith took high degrees as a Freemason, and at one and the same time held a position possibly without precedent in the craft, viz.: — Worshipful Master of the Lodge of St. Clair, Eminent Commander of the Pembroke Encampment of Knight Templars, and M.W. Sovereign of the Metropolitan Chapter of the Sovereign Prince Rose Croix. Mr. Smith twice contested the electorate of Carlton, but without success. He also twice contested a seat in the Legislative Council for the Central Province, but was defeated by Messrs. Sumner and Sargood. At his death he represented the important electorate of East Melbourne, as a member of the Legislative Assembly. He has ever identified himself with the leading questions of the day, and has taken an active part in the debates. He was a magistrate for the Central Bailiwick; a member of the Royal Commission for Victoria for the Paris Inter-national Exhibition of 1878, and a Commissioner of the present Melbourne International Exhibition, chairman of local land board, Polynesia Company, Plate-glass Insurance Company, Masonic-hall Company, etc., etc. The last occasion on which Mr. Smith took part in the proceedings of the House was on Dr. L. L. Smith's want of confidence motion, about a week after which he was confined to his bed by the illness to which he succumbed. The funeral of the late A. K. Smith took place, pursuant to notification, on Tuesday afternoon, and was largely attended by the private friends and public associates of the deceased. The Rev. Mr. Wilson, pastor of the Kew Presbyterian Church, conducted the funeral service according to the rites of that church prior to the funeral taking place, and at 2 o'clock punctually the cortege left the deceased's residence, Albert Park, and proceeded to the boundary of the city corporation at Hoddle street, where the Mayor of Melbourne and the members of the City Council, accompanied by the Town Clerk and other civic officers, joined the procession. At the intersection of Spring and Flinders streets the Druids joined the cortege, which moved on through Collins and Swanston streets to the junction of Lonsdale street, where the members of the Masonic order, headed by Captain Standish and Messrs. Lempriere, Baker, and Lowrie, took up a prominent position next the hearse, which was drawn by four horses, and elaborately decked with the attractive emblems of the order. The Masonic burial service had been conducted in the Masonic-hall prior to the arrival of the hearse, to prevent unnecessary delay. The procession then passed on to the cemetery gates, when the Druids opened out, and allowed the Masons and the hearse to pass through, and so on to the grave. The pall bearers were Messrs. C. K. Smith, J. Finlay, T. W. Smith, David Smith, Richard Bell, James Smith, James Finlay, and the Rev. D. Ballantyne. The Rev. Mr. Brooke, of Sandridge, the chaplain of the Masonic order, in which the deceased held a high and honoured position, officiated at the grave, in conjunction with the Rev. Mr. Wilson, and Brother De Gruchy. The funeral was attended by Messrs. Gillies, Zox, L. L. Smith, M.L.A.'s, and a large number of the deceased's private and public friends. The arrangements were carried out in a most satisfactory manner by Mr. A. A. Sleight, the undertaker.