​​˪     ​5.1          Richard Michael John Rowland was born on the 13th of September 13th, on the Peninsula Farm (Birth Reg. 10221/1867). Richard was born the year after his parents; Michael & Rebecca had married in Gingin. Young Richard was born the month before the last convict ship, the Hougoumont, departed England, bound for Western Australia. His full name includes his Grandfather Richard's and his father Michael's name.

Richard M Rowland Birth Notice - Inquirer & Commercial Times Wed 2 Oct 1867.

             Richard's father, Michael Rowland was listed as a 'farmer' at the time but had moved back to the Peninsula, before Richard was born.

           Richard was baptised three months later, on Sunday, the 8th of December 1867, in Perth Wesley, by the Rev. William Lowe. William Lowe was the minister for Wesley Church when the current Hay Street church building was opened the three years later in April 1870. (William Lowe was later to marry Mary Hardey, the daughter of Joseph & Ann Hardey. [Passengers on the Tranby])

              Richard spent his early years in Perth, with his father listed at the time, as a 'butcher'. His early education would have been in Perth.
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​              Richard then moved with his parents, and four other children, at the age of eleven years old, (during 1878) up to the Irwin area by horse and cart. His father Michael was listed in that year, as a 'Mail Contractor, Farmer and Butcher'. 


​                 The family lived in a two-story house on the bank of the Irwin River.

Irwin District

             After growing through his teens and working with his father Michael, Richard left the Irwin area in 1886, at age nineteen, and went inland to work for Joseph Watson at 'Yoweragabbie Station', near Mount Magnet. Mt Magnet is about 360km inland from Dongara.

Dongara to Mt Magnet - Google Maps 2024.

Pastrol Lease Murrum which ajoins Yoweragabbie Station. Via Shire of Yalgoo website https://www.yalgoo.wa.gov.au/community/pastrol-leases/murrum-station.aspx

   
​       'Yoweragabbie Station', had existed as a pastoral lease, since 1880, when it was purchased by the Watson family.

               In 1926, the property had a flock of 21,800 sheep and had that year, produced a clip of 458 bales of wool. Yoweragabbie is now a small town in the Mid-West region of Western Australia between the towns of Mount Magnet and Yalgoo. The town originated as a railway siding on the Mullewa to Cue line in 1898 when the line was opened, which was constructed to service the surrounding pastoral stations. In 1913, land was set aside for a townsite and was gazetted in 1914. Very little development ever took place at the town.​

 
                  Richard never married.

​              Richard continued to work on the one station for sixty years and was listed in the 1927 Post office Directory, as 'Station Overseer'. The station was sold in 1934, to the 'Yalgoo Pastoral Company' and Dr. A. Thompson for over £38,000, at this stage it occupied an area of 354,796 acres (143,581 ha) and had a carrying capacity of 30,000 sheep.​

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             Richard Michael John Rowland, the first child of Michael and Rebecca Rowland, died in the Mount Magnet Hospital, on November 26th, 1946. He was aged 80 years old.
​(Death Reg. No. Murchison: 4400033/1946)

                   His body was interred in the Mount Magnet Cemetery, on the 28th of November 1946.

               The Public Trustee elected to administer his estate on the 11th of September 1947.

Death Notice - Geraldton Guardian & Express - 10 Dec 1946.

Mt Magnet Cemetery - via 'Billion Graves' website.

5.1

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