William Bowles (abt. 1746 - 1824)

Born about 1746 in England [uncertain]

Husband of Mary (Biddlecomb) Bowles — married 16 Oct 1799 (to 28 Jul 1800) in St Mary, Alverstoke, Hampshire, England

Husband of Jane (Varlo) Bowles — married Sep 1804 (to 9 Sep 1824) in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England

Died 9 Sep 1824 at about age 78 in Boarhunt, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom

Biography

William Bowles was born in about 1746 (based on his age at death of 78).

The first notice so far found for William Bowles was the application for a marriage license to marry Mary Biddlecomb the daughter of William Biddledomb) at St Mary, Alverstoke in Hampshire, 17th Oct 1799^[1]. Strange, because they appear to have married on the 16th of October 1799^[2].

Hampshire Telegraph 21 October 1799, page 3:

Gosport

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19.

Tuefday was married here Mifs Biddlecomb, of this town, to Mr. Bowles, of Afhlands, near Southwick.^[3]

Their only daughter, Mary, was born the following year on 7th of July and was baptised at St Nicholas, Boarhunt on the 25th of July^[4].

Sadly his wife Mary died on the 28th of July 1800^[5].

William married a second time, to Jane Varlo in September 1804:

Salisbury and Winchester Journal 01 October 1804, page 4:

Wednesday was married, John Bowles [sic], Esq. of Ashlands, near Southwick, to Miss Jane Varlo, daughter the late P. Varlo, Esq. of Portsmouth.^[6]

They likely remained childless.

William passed away on the 9th of September 1824 aged 78^[5]. He was buried on 17th September 1824 at Boarhunt, Hampshire^[7].

After his death, the following notice was published on page 1 of the Sun (London) dated 20th of May 1825:

To be SOLD, by AUCTION, by Mr. WELLER, on the Premises, on Tuesday, the 31st may, and the following Days, at Twelve o'Clock.

A TRULY Desirable FREEHOLD ESTATE, comprising an excellent MANSION, replete with domestic offices, detached coach house, stables, granary and Cottage, gardens and pleasure grounds, called Ashlands, near Southwick, a delightful sequestered spot, a beautiful sheet of water, adorned with stately timber, which forms a Sylvan scenery truly picturesque, together with fifty-four statute acres of arable and pasture land, in a fine sporting country, near two packs of Fox Hounds. Also, the genuine HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE and upwards of seven hundred ounces of plate, domestic linen, fine damask table cloths, Holland and other sheets, and a library of five hundred volumes, the greater part divinity; few classics, and other branches of useful and polite literature, some hundred of antique casts, paintings, several unique gems in the graphic art, by those estimable old masters Edelinck, Roullet, Strange, Woollet, Houbraken, rare specimens of old China, with an amplitude of furniture, in the good old style which in many respects surpass the fashion of the present day.

Also, the Live and Dead Agricultural Stock, consisting of five clever cart horses, seven cows and heifers, very forward in calf, pigs, two ricks of meadow and one of cloverhay, part of barley and oat ricks, wagons, carts, ploughs, harrows, and other useful husbandry implements. The above the Property and residence of the late William Bowles, Esq. Ashlands is one mile from Southwick, four from Wickham and Fareham, seven from Portsmouth and ten miles from Southampton.

The whole may be viewed any day previous to the sale, between the hours of eleven and two, by tickets, which may be obtained from George Soaper, Esq. Solicitor, Portsea, or of Mr. Weller, Chichester.^[8]

Catalogues were priced at 1s. each.

His widow Jane died in 1832.

Sources

1. ↑ Hampshire, England, Allegations for Marriage Licences, 1689-1837 (Alverstoke 17 October 1799 William Bowles (of Gosport) gent bachelor and Mary Biddlecomb 21 of Gosport spinster William Biddlecombe gent, bondsman)
2. ↑ England, Select Marriages, 1538–1973 FHL Film Number 918902 (Alverstoke, Hampshire, England 16 Oct 1799 William Bowles married Mary Biddlecomb) Viewed at Ancestry. Text only
3. ↑ Hampshire Telegraph 21 October 1799, page 3, https://search.findmypast.co.uk/ (requires subscription).
4. ↑ England & Wales, Christening Index, 1530-1980 (Boarhunt, Hampshire, England 25 Jul 1800 Mary Bowles born 7 Jul 1800 daughter of William and Mary Bowles) Viewed at Ancestry. Text only
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Memorial Inscriptions St Nicholas, Boarhunt
6. ↑ Salisbury and Winchester Journal 01 October 1804, page 4, https://search.findmypast.co.uk/ (requires subscription).
7. ↑ "England, Hampshire Bishop's Transcripts 1680-1892," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QLYH-N49S : 16 March 2018), William Bowles, 17 Sep 1824; citing Burial, Boarhunt, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom, Lancashire Record Office and Hampshire Record Office, United Kingdom.
8. ↑ Sun (London) 20 May 1825, page 1, https://search.findmypast.co.uk/ (requires subscription).