Major General William Biddlecomb Marlow (19 February 1794 – 4 January May 1864) was an English military engineer of the Corps of Royal Engineers. In New Zealand he played key role in the battles of the Flagstaff War—Ōhaeawai, Ruapekapeka—and in the construction of Albert Barracks, Auckland.
Early life William Biddlecomb Marlow was born 19 February 1794 at Gosport, Hampshire, England, the son of Benjamin Marlow and Jane Biddlecomb. He trained at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, for four years and three months to 1814.
Career Gentleman Cadet Marlow was commissioned as no. 546, 2nd lieutenant in the Corps of Royal Engineers, Board of Ordnance, at Woolwich, on 1 September 1814. He was stationed at Portsmouth in 1816-17, Chatham in 1816-17 and Portsmouth in 1817-19. On 4 January 1819, he married Catherine Mulhollan at his home village of Alverstoke, Gosport, and was thereafter stationed in Ireland from March 1819 to December 1820, where at Greencastle, County Donegal, their first son Benjamin William Marlow was born in March 1820.
Canada Assigned to Canada in May 1823, Marlow advanced to rank of lieutenant from 23 March 1825. Later that year, on 16 August, the family suffered the death of their infant daughter, Catherine, at Chambly, Quebec. One of his more notable assignments of this period was the exploration of the Black River with Lieutenant William Mein Smith, RA, and an Indian guide in 1826. They were to examine and report on the river to its source, the country between its source, the Rice Lakes, and the Talbot River, the length of portages and most feasible methods of opening communication with the Talbot River to Lake Simcoe. From his base in Kingston on 22 September 1826, Marlow and Smith reported to Colonel John Ross Wright, RE, that the mouth of the Black River was to be found emptying in to the Matchadash or Severn River, rather than the narrows of Lake Simcoe as previously supposed, that making communication to the Ottawa River through the falls and hard granite bed of Black River would be difficult and not be easily accomplished, compared to making communication by the Talbot River with its soft limestone bed. However, a canal from the source of the Black River through the Morass and Rice Lakes to the Ottawa and Talbot Rivers could be easily achieved. He also surveyed Chambly Basin on the Richelieu River in 1828. Second son John By Durnford Marlow was born at Bytown in 1829.
England Back in England, Marlow was stationed in Hull from November 1828 to 1833, Chatham and the Medway District to April 1833.
Bermuda Assigned to Bermuda between May 1833 and December 1837, he worked on Military buildings, particularly the casemated barracks on Ireland Island There, he was promoted to 2nd captain on 28 March 1837.
North Britain From 1838 the Marlow and family were stationed at Fort George, Scotland. In February 1841, Marlow sought assignment overseas for the welfare of his family, preferably New South Wales rather than America. In consequence, he was posted to New South Wales in September 1841 the family traveling by the barque Sir Edward Paget which had departed from Cork on the 26 October 1841. Eldest daughter, Jane Mary, had married William Cruickshank, 93rd Highlanders, at Inverness on 5 June 1841.
New South Wales Marlow and family landed at Sydney from the barque Sir Edward Paget, on 14 February 1842. The construction of the Victoria Barracks, Sydney had been underway since 1841, with the officers quarters completed in 1842, and the main barrack block destined for completion in 1846. In July 1843 Marlow and the crew of the engineer department boat, came to the rescue of an intoxicated fisherman who fallen from his dingy in the harbour during a squall, saving the fellow from drowning. Second daughter, Marianne Catherine married John Smith Burke at St Lawrence Church, Sydney, on 26 November 1844. Dr Ludwig Leichhardt and the Marlows had become friends on the Sir Edward Paget Cork–Sydney voyage; Leichhardt thereon tutored son John Marlow and Marlow assisted Leichhardt in outfitting his 1844–45 expedition across the north of Australia, from Moreton Bay to Port Essington, for which, in appreciation, Leichhardt named the Marlow River in Far North Queensland after him. Following promotion to captain on 24 March 1845, on 16 May, Marlow was instructed to proceed to New Zealand to relieve Captain George Augustus Bennett as Commanding Royal Engineer in New Zealand. Bennett was to therefore to proceed to Sydney for the benefit of his health, but had died on 30 April, several weeks before Marlow had received instructions. Captain Marlow embarked with the officers and troops of the 99th Regiment, for Auckland, New Zealand, on the British Sovereign on 18 May, for the emergency that had broken out at the Bay of Islands in March. Whilst abroad, in July his residence at the New Military Barracks in South Head Road, Sydney, was burgled.
New Zealand
Ōhaeawai
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