Hugh Whitehead Bowling
b 24 July 1871
d 6 July, 1951
father Roger Thomas Bowling
mother Elizabeth Bowling
married Alice Sophia Collier
IT Is A FAR CRY in terms of distance and time from Berrow, three miles south of Lancaster in England, of 24th July, 1871, to Currie, King island, Tasmania, of 6th July, 1951, but within the compass of those extremes is the life story of Hugh Whitehead Bowling,— familiarly and affectionately known here for more than a half century, as "Mr Hugh" — and who, from the diminishing number of this Island's pioneers, was laid to rest in, the Currie Cemetery on Sunday afternoon.
On 12th August, 1886, Mrs Elizabeth Bowling with her large family left Tilbury (Eng.) for a long journey to a new life
that was 'to end for her in July twenty-eight years later in a small burial ground at Surprise Bay .
The eldest member of the family, a daughter, had married about this time and remained in England, but Hugh W. (at 15 years of age) went with his family which included Jim, Fred, William, Charles, Maud (now Mrs Buskley), Robert and Maisie. The eldest brother, Tom, had gone to New Zealand previously and, from his observations there, influenced the family to make 'Journey's End' in Tasmania rather j
than also going on further. Mr Hugh had received governess instruction and schooling in England and continued this in Hobart where the family resided for about a year. On then to Carnarvon (Port Arthur) and the family home for some years.
In about 1893, the brothers Hugh and Tom looked over King Island for the first time for a couple of months,
The following year then saw the Bowling history really commence here. By ketch and similar not-so-comfortable means, the
whole family assembled here with Fred favouring the Yellow Rock area while Hugh remained in the south, where at the Surprise Bay and Pearshape area there grew up the history remembered in names such as Clair Cottage Pioneer and Woodlands. At the beloved Clair Cottage home of his mother in the south, Mr Hugh spent his early years, and, as old age came on, he found peace within those walls again, although now the residence is at Currie some 20 miles from its original location.
Mr Hugh had much to do in the earlier days with making this southern corner of the Island very much an important link in Island life. It was a centre of hospitality, with its own hall as time went on, and it played its part in the provision of recreational pursuits.
In 1903, at the old Currie hall (near the |East coast turn-off), Rev Ashcroft officiated at the marriage of Mr Hugh and Miss Alice Sophia Collier, of Hobart, and the latter survives her husband after sharing with him years of pioneering in which hardship formed a big part.
Mr Hugh saw hardship And disappointment. He recalled the days of the big timber on King. Island and experienced the heartbreak of seeing it disappear in the big bush fires.
From the time when the population here was less than 50, Mr Hugh had laboured on and for King Island to such effect that all who ever knew him genuinely mourn his passing, He took his place with the first Municipal Council on King Island when it met on 1st February, 1908. He gave lifelong and faithful service to his Church, and, in many other ways, his unobstrusive yet cheerful and kindly influence has left its mark in innumerable phases of Island life and in the hearts of all we who knew him.
A large gathering was present at All Saints Church of England on Sunday when Rev F. Littlejohn conducted a short service prior to interment.
b 24 July 1871
d 6 July, 1951
father Roger Thomas Bowling
mother Elizabeth Bowling
married Alice Sophia Collier
IT Is A FAR CRY in terms of distance and time from Berrow, three miles south of Lancaster in England, of 24th July, 1871, to Currie, King island, Tasmania, of 6th July, 1951, but within the compass of those extremes is the life story of Hugh Whitehead Bowling,— familiarly and affectionately known here for more than a half century, as "Mr Hugh" — and who, from the diminishing number of this Island's pioneers, was laid to rest in, the Currie Cemetery on Sunday afternoon.
On 12th August, 1886, Mrs Elizabeth Bowling with her large family left Tilbury (Eng.) for a long journey to a new life
that was 'to end for her in July twenty-eight years later in a small burial ground at Surprise Bay .
The eldest member of the family, a daughter, had married about this time and remained in England, but Hugh W. (at 15 years of age) went with his family which included Jim, Fred, William, Charles, Maud (now Mrs Buskley), Robert and Maisie. The eldest brother, Tom, had gone to New Zealand previously and, from his observations there, influenced the family to make 'Journey's End' in Tasmania rather j
than also going on further. Mr Hugh had received governess instruction and schooling in England and continued this in Hobart where the family resided for about a year. On then to Carnarvon (Port Arthur) and the family home for some years.
In about 1893, the brothers Hugh and Tom looked over King Island for the first time for a couple of months,
The following year then saw the Bowling history really commence here. By ketch and similar not-so-comfortable means, the
whole family assembled here with Fred favouring the Yellow Rock area while Hugh remained in the south, where at the Surprise Bay and Pearshape area there grew up the history remembered in names such as Clair Cottage Pioneer and Woodlands. At the beloved Clair Cottage home of his mother in the south, Mr Hugh spent his early years, and, as old age came on, he found peace within those walls again, although now the residence is at Currie some 20 miles from its original location.
Mr Hugh had much to do in the earlier days with making this southern corner of the Island very much an important link in Island life. It was a centre of hospitality, with its own hall as time went on, and it played its part in the provision of recreational pursuits.
In 1903, at the old Currie hall (near the |East coast turn-off), Rev Ashcroft officiated at the marriage of Mr Hugh and Miss Alice Sophia Collier, of Hobart, and the latter survives her husband after sharing with him years of pioneering in which hardship formed a big part.
Mr Hugh saw hardship And disappointment. He recalled the days of the big timber on King. Island and experienced the heartbreak of seeing it disappear in the big bush fires.
From the time when the population here was less than 50, Mr Hugh had laboured on and for King Island to such effect that all who ever knew him genuinely mourn his passing, He took his place with the first Municipal Council on King Island when it met on 1st February, 1908. He gave lifelong and faithful service to his Church, and, in many other ways, his unobstrusive yet cheerful and kindly influence has left its mark in innumerable phases of Island life and in the hearts of all we who knew him.
A large gathering was present at All Saints Church of England on Sunday when Rev F. Littlejohn conducted a short service prior to interment.
