Portrait of W.C. Bowman from Crystal Brook from the S.A. Northern Pioneers' composite, 1850-1859 (shown in position on B 6912/4).

William Bowman was 11 years old and his brother John 13 when they brought a consignment of sheep over to South Australia from Tasmania in 1839 aboard the Lady Emma.

The Bowman family migrated to Tasmania in 1829 and subsequently moved to South Australia in 1839. Edmund the eldest of the brothers was the first to come across but shortly after the rest of the family followed. They raised sheep at Islington (Enfield) before moving to Dry Creek, and later to the district of Burra before the copper mine was opened. The family did not stay there long however before shifting to land near the head of the Wakefield River. Land was also held at Werocata and Crystal Brook and at Poltalloch in the Coorong. Eventually Edmund managed the business side of the family's work from Adelaide while the stations were managed by John, William and Thomas. William was some 20 years at Crystal Brook.

He died in 1879.

Bowman, Edmund, 1818-1866

Bowman, John

Bowman, Thomas

Bowman, William

Cockburn, R Pastoral pioneers of South Australia Adelaide: Publishers Limited, 1925-1927 ("Reprinted from the Adelaide Stock and Station Journal.") vol. 1 pp. 20-21: Edmund Bowman [and his brothers]

[Bowman family] Our pastoral industry, Adelaide: Australian "Garden & Field", 1910 p. 57-68