Richard Bowden was born on 9 June 1866 at Bothwell, the son of Edward Bowden and Sarah Allen. He grew up in Bothwell and, as a young man, worked as a butcher before becoming a farmer later in life. Throughout his life, he was actively involved in the local community, serving on juries at coronial inquests and appearing frequently in valuation rolls and electoral records as an occupier and later owner of the property Cluny. On 6 July 1889, Richard married Florence Lucy Cunningham Hughes, daughter of William Wood Hughes and Emma Harriet Cunningham, at the residence of her father in Bothwell. The couple had one daughter, Marion Bowden, born in 1889, who sadly died in infancy in 1890. Florence died in January 1892 at the age of 23. Richard remarried on 15 September 1896 in Hobart to Ida May Denholm, daughter of Alexander Denholm and Annie Spurway Smith. Together they raised a large family, most of whom were born in or around Bothwell. Their children were: Beryl Evelyn (1897), Richard Vernon (1902), Edna Jewel (1904), Lyndon (1908), Mervyn  (1910), and Cecily Claire (1915). By the early twentieth century, Richard and Ida were living at Cluny near Bothwell, where Richard farmed approximately 2,190 acres. Richard died at Cluny on 7 September 1945, aged 79, and was buried at Bothwell Cemetery. Ida died on 17 August 1957 and was also buried at Bothwell.

RICHARD BOWDEN, son of Edward Bowden and Sarah Allen.

Born: 9 Jun 1866, Bothwell; informant: Edward Bowden, father, innkeeper.

Baptised: 22 Jul 1866, Bothwell.

Married (1): 6 Jul 1889, Florence Lucy Cunningham Hughes, [B4] Dalrymple St, Bothwell; Richard: 23, bachelor, butcher; Florence: 21, spinster; witnesses: Emma McDowall, Euphemia Hughes.

Married (2): 15 Sep 1896, Ida May Denholm, Holy Trinity Church, Hobart; Richard: 30, widower, butcher; Ida: 18, spinster; witnesses: Alexander Denholm, Minnie Denholm.

Died: 7 Sep 1945, Cluny, Bothwell; aged 79.

Death Notice: BOWDEN - On September 7, 1945, at his late residence, Cluny, Bothwell, Richard, the dearly beloved husband of Ida Bowden, in his 80th year. [TROVE]

Buried: 9 Sep 1945, Bothwell Public Cemetery.

Spouse (1) - FLORENCE LUCY CUNNINGHAM HUGHES, daughter of William Wood Hughes and Emma Harriet Cunningham.

Born: 7 Jul 1868, Bothwell; informant: William Hughes, father, tailor.

Baptised: 25 Oct 1868, Bothwell.

Married: 6 Jul 1889, Richard Bowden, [B4] Dalrymple St, Bothwell; Richard: 23, bachelor, butcher; Florence: 21, spinster; witnesses: Emma McDowall, Euphemia Hughes.

Died: 18 Jan 1892, West Hobart; aged 23, phthisis.

Buried: 20 Jan 1892, Bothwell Public Cemetery.

Child of Richard Bowden and Florence Lucy Cunningham Hughes:

1. Marion Bowden.

   Born: 2 Jul 1889, Bothwell; informant: Richard Bowden, father, butcher.
   Baptised: 6 Jul 1889, Bothwell.
   Died: 14 Mar 1890, Bothwell; aged 8 months, convulsions.
   Buried: 15 Mar 1890, Bothwell Public Cemetery.
   

Spouse (2) - IDA MAY DENHOLM, daughter of Alexander Denholm and Annie Spurway Smith.

Born: 23 Jul 1878, Green Ponds; informant: Alexander Denholm, father, farmer.

Married: 15 Sep 1896, Richard Bowden, Holy Trinity Church, Hobart; Richard: 30, widower, butcher; Ida: 18, spinster; witnesses: Alexander Denholm, Minnie Denholm.

Died: 17 Aug 1957, Tasmania; aged 79.

Buried: Bothwell Public Cemetery.

Children of Richard Bowden and Ida May Denholm:

1. Beryl Evelyn Bowden.

   Born: 13 Dec 1897, Bothwell; informant: Annie Spurway Denholm, grandmother.
   Baptised: 12 Jan 1898, Bothwell.
   No further research has been carried out at this time.

2. Richard Vernon Bowden.

   Born: 30 Apr 1902, New Town.
   Died: 16 May 1981, Bothwell; aged 79.
   Buried: Bothwell Public Cemetery.

3. Edna Jewel Bowden.

   Born: 14 Sep 1904, Hobart.
   Married: 8 Mar 1925, Edward Norwood Archer, Hobart.
   Died: 19 Jun 1986, Tasmania; aged 81.
   Buried: Bothwell Public Cemetery.

   Spouse - Edward Norwood Archer, son of Edward Lewis Archer and Emily Gertrude Moodie.

   Born: 8 Nov 1899, Bothwell; informant: Mary Ann Moodie, grandmother.
   Enlisted: 7 Jan 1918, Australian Imperial Force, named on the War Memorial Avenue Plaque.
   Married: 8 Mar 1925, Edna Jewel Bowden, Hobart.
   Died: 13 Dec 1971, Tasmania; aged 72.

   Buried: Bothwell Public Cemetery.

4. Lyndon Bowden.

   Born: 28 Dec 1908, Bothwell.
   No further research has been carried out at this time.

5. Mervyn Bowden.

   Born: 21 Nov 1910, Bothwell.
   No further research has been carried out at this time.

6. Cecily Claire Bowden.

   Born: 20 Jan 1915, Battery Point.

   No further research has been carried out at this time.