Robert Henderson Cowan (1856 - 1931)

Born 2 Apr 1856 in York, Western Australia, Australia

Ancestors

Husband of Rosa Howard Du Boulay — married 28 Oct 1890 in Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia

Died 26 Dec 1931 at age 75 in Narngulu, Western Australia, Australia

Biography

Robert was born on 2 April 1856 in York, Western Australia.^[1][2] He is the son of Walkinshaw Cowan and Elizabeth Dyer.

COWAN-DuBOULAY.-On the 28th ult., at Christ Church, Geraldton, by the Rev. Canon T Louch, ROBERT HENDERSON, son of, the late William Walkinshaw Cowan, Esq, of York, to ROSA HOWARD, only daughter of Arthur Houssemayne, Du Boulay, Esq., of Woorree, near Geraldton.^[3]

Robert was an accountant in Geraldton from 1884, and was Acting Manager of the National Bank (1886-1889 Almanac).^[1]

The death occurred on Saturday of Mr. Robert Henderson Cowan, of Hills View, Narngulu, after a long illness. The deceased was the fourth son of the late Mr. James W. Cowan, who came out to West Australia many years ago to fill an important government posi-tion. Mr. Cowan entered the banking profession, and was eventually appoint-ed manager of the Geraldton Branch of the National Bank. This position he relinquished in the early nineties when he acquired the Hills View Estate at Narngulu, and where he had lived ever since.

In 1890 he married Miss Rosa Howard du Boulay, only daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. A. H. du Boulay, of Woorree. There were three children, two of whom survive him. His daugh-ter, Miss Helen du Boulay Cowan, nursed him right through his last ill-ness, and his youngest son, Digby Frank Cowan, has been associated with him at Hills View. His other son, Ger-ard Henderson Cowan, enlisted as a pri-vate in 1916 with the reinforcements of the 11th Battalion, and after going through several actions was wounded whilst assisting to bring in the wound-ed under fire. He later attained the rank of lieutenant in the R.A.F.C., and died whilst engaged in patrol work. Mrs. Cowan died in 1923. The deceased gentleman had been ill since about last July, and his death was therefore not unexpected. He was greatly respected by a large circle of friends, and the greatest sympathy will be extended to his son and daughter. Mr. James Cowan, formerly P.M. of Perth, and Mr. W. Cowan, late resident magistrate at Northam and York, were his brothers.

The funeral took place on Sunday after-noon at the Church of England ceme-tery, Utacarra, in the presence of a large gathering of friends. The funeral service was conducted by the Rev. K. B. Halley, Rector of Geraldton.

A friend of the late Mr. R. H. Cowan writes as follows:— "Mr. R. H. Cowan was a member of a very old Scottish family, and his forbears play-ed a prominent part in the rising of 1745, when an attempt was made to win the British Crown for Bonnie Prince Charlie, the claimant for the House of Stuart. The deceased's father (Mr. Walkingshaw Cowan) came to Western Australia in 1830 as private secretary to Governor Hutt. He was afterwards appointed Government Resident at York, a position he occu-pied up to the time of his death. Later one of his sons (Mr. W. D. Cowan) filled the same position until his retire-ment a few years ago. After complet-ing his education Mr. R. H. Cowan engaged for a time in agriculture, but having an inclination for banking he joined the staff of the National Bank and worked himself up to the position of manager. When Mr. Booker, the manager of the Geraldton Branch, was recalled to Perth Mr. Cowan was appointed to succeed him, and he held the position for several years until his retirement in 1901. He was always an ardent sportsman, and took a keen interest in many movements. He was an enthusiastic volunteer, and became Captain of the Geraldton Volunteers, and on his retirement was succeeded by Major Buchanan.

In 1889 he was instrumental in forming what was then known as the Geraldton Mounted Infan-try, which met with a hearty response in the surrounding district. The mem-bers took great pride in their mounts, and the standard of the horses was particularly high. That body was for a time under the charge of Lieut Frank Wittenoom. Mr. Cowan was a great lover of horses, and always obtained the best blood possible in his hacks. In 1885 he purchased a well known horse, which was called "Young Banker." At the annual meeting of the Victoria District Turf Club in 1885 he rode the horse to victory in the Ladies' Bracelet, and on the follow-ing day Mr. H. B. Woolhouse, a mem-ber of the well known Greenough fam-ily of that name, won the Geraldton Cup with it. Mr. Cowan later disposed of the horse to a syndicate, which in 1886 entered the horse in the event called the Metropolitan Handicap, but which is better known now as the Perth Cup. Young Banker was coming in an easy winner, when it had the misfortune to wrench a foreleg, break-ing a bone, and it had to be destroyed. The syndicate, to show their apprecia-tion of the horse and its breeder, the late Mr. Maitland Brown, had one of the hoofs removed, and mounted as an inkstand, this, bearing a silver plate, on which was the inscription "Young Banker, 1886. As a mark of apprecia-tion of the man who bred him," was presented to the late Mr. Maitland Brown, who greatly appreciated the gift and the sentiment that prompted it, and it was one of his most cherished possessions. It is now owned and prized by Mr. W. Mc-Kenzie Grant, of Newmarracarra, his son-in-law.

The late Mr. Cowan was a crack shot, and in 1890 he was selected as one of the team to repre-sent Western Australia in a contest against the other States at Melbourne. In 1901 he was again selected to repre-sent Western Australia in the East at the time of the visit of the Duke and Duchess of York (the present King and Queen). On that occasion he was accompanied by his wife on his visit to the Eastern States. The late Mr. Maitland Brown and Mr. Cowan were regarded as two of the finest shots in the district. In July last he became seriously ill, and it was realised that his malady was incurable. His great wish was that he should live long enough to spend one more Christmas with his family, and he put up a great fight against increasing weakness. His wish was gratified, as he was able to have Christmas Day with his family, but he died early the following day. There are many of the older residents who will recall his many good quali-ties as a citizen and a sportsman, and will tender their sympathy to his bereaved relatives."^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} The Bicentennial dictionary of Western Australians, pre-1829-1888. [compiled by Rica Erickson], https://www.friendsofbattyelibrary.org.au/bicentennial-dictionary
2. ↑ WA Birth Index 1856/3186
3. ↑ Family Notices (1890, November 14). The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), p. 2. Retrieved February 24, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3138491
4. ↑ LATE MR. R. H. COWAN (1931, December 29). Geraldton Guardian and Express (WA : 1929 - 1947), p. 2. Retrieved February 24, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article67294313