Family background
William Patrick Dowling appears to have been born about 1875. His father’s name was given as Patrick on his death certificate. No births in NSW correlate with that information but a William Patrick Dowling was born to a Patrick Dowling in Victoria in 1875. In 1935, Dowling was living at 82 Prospect Street. In 1939, he lived at 21 Pleasant Avenue with his wife Miriam and their family. In 1946 he was living at 12 Bridge Street. He had four children living at the time of his death. He died in hospital on 15 June 1958 and was buried in the Roman Catholic cemetery, Rookwood.
Community activity
In 1941, Dowling was the prime mover in a proposed joint scheme with nearby councils to establish ‘a County Council to control and conduct a rehousing plan’.
Local government service
William Patrick Dowling as an alderman on Erskineville Council in 1938-41. He was deputy mayor in 1941.
References
‘County Council for Re-housing’, Sydney Morning Herald, 21 Jan 1941, p. 11, http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/17718891
Sydney Morning Herald, 16 June 1958, pp. 20, 22