William Biddlecomb Marlow

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.