Edward Dumaresq

Who is Edward Dumaresq?

Edward Dumaresq was a landowner, magistrate and acted as Surveyor General of Van Diemen's Land.

Dumaresq was born in Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales, the youngest son of Colonel John Dumaresq and was educated at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He accepted a cadetship after three years study in the East India Company.

Dumaresq became a lieutenant in the Bombay Native Infantry, also working in the Revenue and Topographical Survey Department of Gujarat. Granted sick leave in 1823, he spent some time recuperating in Mauritius, then jpourneyed to Hobart and Sydney. He briefly returned to England after being deemed unfit for tropical duty, but was soon travelling again to Hobart. Dumaresq's sister had married Ralph Darling, who in 1824, had been appointed Governor of New South Wales. Darling, his wife and Dumaresq sailed in the Catherine Stewart Forbes and arrived in Hobart in October 1825.

Lieutenant-Governor Sir George Arthur had made Dumaresq Surveyor General of Van Diemen's Land in 1825, although this appointment was not ratified by the British government.