Hi there,
I would not dismiss the John DOWDALL index entry that Neil has found without first obtaining the details from the actual document that the index entry is pointing to.
DOWDALL may not be a name change, but simply a mis-heard DOWDEN.
The information was recorded in 1862, in long hand, and a summary of the register was transmitted in long hand to the Registrar General's office in the following quarter. Then it was not until the 1930s that the current index for the NSW BDM online website was initially prepared for use at NSW BDM. So, for over 70 years the NSW BDM's head office register was regularly thumbed through pages worn out/ torn /marked etc. "Dowdall" v "Dowden" in longhand 19th Century style handwriting may well be a worthwhile option. Of course you would likely need to actually purchase the death certificate itself rather than an official transcription to see the actual handwriting to actually form you own opinion as to whether it may be possible for the surname to be Dowden/Dowdan. But the official transcription would give you the information that the informant provided when the death was being registered. So it may have responses to the family history section. For example, it may have the length of time in the colonies; the place of birth; if known to be married, the wife's name including nee; details about the children of the marriage; his occupation; and other clues to help you eliminate or validate John DOWDALL as being your elusive chap.
JM
