Thomas John Bowling
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Thomas Bowling at the wedding of his daughter Ellinor Muriel Bowling to David Sanderson Lloyd at Bong Bong in December 1929. Mary Lloyd mother of the groom also in the photo
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Late Thomas Bowling
----------- The death of Mr. Thomas Bowling will have caused a note of considerable regret to the older generation of the people of Inverell, where deceased was so conspicuous and so important a figure some 25 years ago (says the "Times.") He was a typical progressive Englishman and did much in his youth and energy to develop the rural capacity of the Inverell district. He was born in Lancashire in 1865 and was educated at the Lancashire Grammar School. His spirit of adventure early showed itself when he emigrated to New Zealand at the age of 21, where he remained for a few months only, then departing for Tasmania. He acquired country near Port Arthur in company with his brothers. Later the five Bowling brothers surveyed and pioneered King Island, off the coast of Tasmania, where they remained for several years. Later on Mr. Bowling went to Queensland to enter the service of the Australian Pastoral Company and subsequently took on stock dealing, operating in many parts of Queensland and this State. Mr. Bowling first came to this district in 1903 when he purchased Arrawatta from Mr. H. Morewether and conducted it for a while as a grazing proposition. In 1910 he purchased Nullamanna and used it in conjunction with Arrrawatta for his dairy herds. After a few years at Arrawatta Mr. Bowling went to England for a holiday and on his return commenced to develop Arrawatta as a high-class dairy estate, establishing lucerne and growing that and many other crops under spray irrigation. He also introduced a number of Scottish families to work on Arrawatta. While in England Mr. Bowling took the opportunity to study the latest in the designing of up-to-date dairy buildings, equipment etc. He also brought back plans of what he considered a suitable cheese factory for the estate. Mr. Bowling also visited some of the most famous milking Shorthorn studs and as this breed pleased him so much he arranged for the importation of two highly bred English sires. Mr. Bowling's ambition was to have at least 1,000 dairy cows in milk and he had established eight fully equipped dairies with all necessary buildings, silos, yards etc. A cheese factory was also equipped on the estate. It will be gratefully remembered how Arrawatta contributed to Inverell's winning of the great Commonwealth District Exhibit at Sydney Royal Show over several years in which he went to no end of trouble or expanse in providing a magnificent exhibit. Bad health and dry seasons together with over capitalization and similar troubles prevented Arrawatta from being a financial success and this was another case where the followers benefited greatly from the experience of him who went before. While at Arrawatta Mr. Bowling established a Corriedale stud— then Comparatively new breed of sheep —importing his foundation flock from New Zealand, and developed his stud to a high degree of perfection during his residence at Glen Leigh, Glen Innes, which he purchased in 1924 after the disposal of Arrawatta to the New South Wales Government, which was used as a youthful emigrants' training farm for some time under the management of Mr. Fred Harding.
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Taken from the Pastoral Review, 15 July 1916 …
“There was great competition in the Corriedale classes and considerable interest was taken in the breed. Flocks are growing in number, and judging by this show, improving in quality. Judged by J.A. Sloane, Mulwala, NSW, the Champion ram was shown by Donald McFarlane, Eurella, Rylstone NSW and the Champion ewe was shown by Thomas Bowling, Arrawatta, Glen Innes, NSW.” |
