A culturally important group in connection with our bushranging days. This group comprises of an Edward VII Imperial Service medal (first star type) correctly period engraved to FREDERICK FOWLER. Indian Mutiny Medal jewelers clasp “CENTRAL INDIA” period re-named engraved caps. F. FOWLER 5 BENGL. EUROPN. CAVLRY. And a New Zealand War Medal dated “1861 to 1866” correctly impressed SERGT F. FOWLER. 3RD, WAIKATO REGT.
THERE IS SO MUCH INFORMATION ON TROVE FOR SUB-INSPECTOR FOWLER THAT WE HAVE COMPRISED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION AS ONLY THE START OF RESEARCH
After Frederick Fowler completed his service in New Zealand he was asked by the New South Wales Mounted Police to join. One Newspaper article reports the dismay of the other police at the time in the recruiting of a soldier. Australians in the Waikato War by Barton show his as the only medal sent out to the Mounted Police Force.
Rising through the ranks Fowler had an extraordinary career catching many Bushrangers, quelling mining riots and can even be found in the company of Senior sergeant Fitzpatrick (of Ned Kelly fame) in Clarendon at the time that they were hunting the Kelly Gang.
ISM London Gazette date June 26, 1908. The ISM was awarded to Sub –inspector Fowler who rendered special service at the Araluen riots and during the maritime and mining strikes.
During the Araluen riots the crowd “were armed with revolvers, which they were determined to use, lives would have certainly have been lost. Thirty-two revolvers, we understand, were taken from this body by the police”. FREEMANS JOURNAL SYDNEY SATURDAY 29TH OCTOBER 1870
Below is a list that we have found (so far) of the names of Bushrangers that the newspapers credit Fowler with catching. Some use different Alias’s and may be the same person who changed his name across the state borders.
WILLIAM SLEIGH
FRANK QUI(N)LAN
CLARENCE (RIVER) BUSHRANGER
A BUSHRANGER USING THE ALIAS “WARD”
BOMBALA MURDERER
GRAFTON BOY BUSHRANGER
SLY THE RICHMOND
TASMANIAN LYNCH
JACK-IN-THE-BOX
Important note: The Indian Mutiny medal is a self-award and the clasp has been modified (possibly in the colony) to say “CENTRAL INDIA”. There may be a temptation to exclude this medal from the already impressive group, but especially since this group has come directly from the family, we felt that it tells an extra part of his story. Period records suggest that as a boy he was in the Mauritius police for some time and also worked on the boats before settling in Australia and such, he may have even done something that made him believe he was entitled to it.
Comes with period miniatures and original photo.
SOLD
