William Downing Biden F.G.S.

  Notes:

Wendy found; Morning Chronicle Thus July 10 1856; Mary Eliza Batemen on 5inst at the New Church Argyle Sq William Downing BIDEN Esq to Mary Eliza eldest daughter of Henry Bateman FRCS .

According to Ann G-P research they had 4 sons and 6 dau.

Elected fellow of the Geological Society 1857.

1861 Census; Living as head (age 41) at 9 Landsdown Cottages, Lower Road, (Finsbury) Islington with wife and 3 children and 2 servants. Occupation; Actuary and Manager of Estate Agents.

Author of;
1. 1852; The History and Antiquities of Kingston-upon-Thames
2. 1861; Rules, Formulæ, and Tables, for the valuation of estates, in possession or in reversion; with new rules and tables for ascertaining the correct market value or fair price to be given for annuities, reversions, advowsons, and next presentations, etc (by "W Downing Biden FGS, Actuary etc of 9 Lansdowne Cottages, Lower Road, Islington)
3. 1862; Practical rules for valuers : with notes on the valuation of freeholders, leaseholds for lives or for years, ... the construction of railways ...
4. Diagram shewing the Values of Annuities and Reversions and Single and Annual Premiums for Assurance according to the English life table for males no. 2

Biden, W.D., 1867a: Plan of Two Portions of Land in the Parish of Hay, County of Northumberland. N.S.W. Department of Lands Catalogue No. N727 1501.
and
Biden, W.D., 1867b: Plan One Portion of Land in the Parish of Blaxland, County of Northumberland Comprising 100 Acres and Road 12 Perches No. 52 Measured for Auction. N.S.W.Department of Lands Catalogue No. N728 501.

There are references to a WD Biden, Mining Engineer in the National Library of Australia, thought prbly not him, but also mentions Practical rules for valuers : with notes on the valuation of freeholders, leaseholds for lives or for years, ... the construction of railways ...by W. Downing Biden in same thing, so IS him.

From ancestry;
Two burials being noted as being at the Church of England Cemetery at Singleton, NSW: William Downing BIDEN (Died: 3 June, 1876) and his wife: Mary Eliza BIDEN (Date unknown).
and
Singleton FHS published 6 vols of district cemetery transcriptions. William bur Whittingham, the name for one of main cemeteries for Singleton. In their "Singleton Pioneer Register" 1989 they list his spouse as Mary Eliza Biden (nee Bateman) CofE d. 31.3.1880 bur. Waverley. William reported to been surveyor with AA Coy."


I think this might be crossed wires (lots of mention of 'attribution' in the original) but ;
Dictionary of Australian Artists;
W. D. Biden professional photographer, advertised that he had opened a photographic gallery at 247 Pitt Street in the Sydney Morning Herald of 12 January 1865. His prices for cartes-de-visite, advertised four days later, ranged from two for 5s up to 14 for £1.
Also known as: Biden, William Downing
Gender: Male
Period active: Dates: c. 1865 - 1865
Death: Date: 1876 Place: Patricks Plains, NSW
Medium: Photography
Residence: Dates: c. 1865 - 1865 Place: Sydney, NSW
Other occupation: Professional photographer
Biographer: Staff Writer
Source of info: The Dictionary of Australian Artists: painters, sketchers, photographers and engravers to 1870
Summary: W.D. Biden worked as professional photographer in Sydney in 1865. In January of that year he advertised the opening of his photographic gallery in Sydney's Pitt St in the Sydney Morning Herald.

William married Mary Eliza Bateman, daughter of Dr. Henry Charles# Bateman FRCS, LSA and Mary Jones, on 5 Jul 1856 in New Church, Argyle Square, Islington. (Mary Eliza Bateman was born on 13 Mar 1835 in Islington, London, died on 31 Mar 1880 in Singleton, NSW, Australia and was buried in Church Of England Cemetery, Singleton, NSW, Australia.)