Diamantina Bowen

Lady Diamantina Bowen (nee di Roma) (1833-1893) was the wife of Sir George Ferguson Bowen, the first governor of Queensland.

Personal life

The Contessa Diamantina di Roma was born about 1832-1833 on the Ionian Islands off the coast of Greece. Some sources attribute her birth to 1832 but others to 1833. Similarly, some sources put her birth on the island of Zante (Zakynthos while others say the island of Corfu. Regardless of the specifics, both islands were part of the United States of the Ionian Islands, a British Protectorates at that time.

Her parents were Conte Giorgio-Candiano Roma and his wife Contessa Orsola, née di Balsamo. Diamantina was the tenth of their eleven children. Her aristocratic family were descended from the Venetians who had occuped the Ionian Islands for centuries as part of the Republic of Venice. Her father was the President of the Ionian Senate (1850-1856), titular head of the Ionian Islands. He was also appointed a Poet Laureate by Queen Victoria.

With such a family, Diamantina had a privileged well-educated upbringing and was familiar with the workings of government, politics and diplomacy.

On 28 April 1856 at the Palace of St Michael and St George on Corfu, Diamantina married Sir George Ferguson Bowen, who was political secretary of the British Protectorate.

Their first two children were born in the Ionian Islands. Their first child, a son, died twelve days old. Their second child, a daughter, was born on 17 August 1858 and was called Adelaide Diamantina, but was known as Nina.

After their move to Brisbane, they had three more children in Brisbane:

• Zoe Caroline, born 28 August 1860
• Agnes Herbert, born 26 July 1862
• George William Howard, born 9 April 1864

Another child (a son?) was born in New Zealand.

Diamantina was described as "pretty" but tempered perhaps by the remark "her beauty being in her expression rather than her features". She was described as "slender but graceful".

She could play the piano and sing well, even with previously unseen pieces of music.

Living most of her life in English-speaking countries, Diamantina spoke English well but with a slight accent. Although she spoke in English in public, it was claimed she spoke with her husband at home in Italian. Diamantina was frequently described as "softly spoken".

Her husband's career took the family all over the world, as governor postings were typically for five years. We do not know how Diamantina felt about this frequent upheaval, but she cried copiously as the family departed from Brisbane, suggesting that she had had many close personal connections while there. Eventually the couple retired to London, England in 1883 accompanied by their two unmarried daughers.

Diamantina worshipped in the Greek Orthodox church during retirement in London, suggesting she maintained her connection to her religious roots throughout her life, despite so many years spent in British colonies.

Diamantina died at Bethnal Green, London, England on 17 November 1893 from acute bronchitis. She is buried in Kensal Green cemetery in London.

A sculpture of Diamantina was created by sculptor Phillip Piperides in 1989 for the Greek Community Centre, South Brisbane, Queensland.

Public Life in Queensland

George, Diamantina and their sixteen-month-old daughter Nina arrived in Brisbane on Saturday 10 December 1859 on board The Cordelia. As they stepped off their vessel at a landing stage at the Brisbane Botanic Gardens near Gardens Point, they were welcomed by a huge crowd of over 4000 people waving flags, both the British Union Jack and the Greek flag. The arrival of the first governor and his family had been eagerly expected a few days earlier, but adverse winds had delayed their trip up from Sydney and so when the news came late on Friday that their vessel was seen entering Moreton Bay, the excitement reached enormous heights. As well as residents of Brisbane, many of those present had travelled from other parts of Queensland to welcome the incoming governor. There was a 21-gun salute as they landed, there was a triumphal arch, fireworks and all manner of proclamations, speeches and celebrations, over a number of days.

Being the first Governor, there was not yet an official residence for the Governor and so they lived in Adelaide House (now The Deanery of St John's Cathedral) which was leased for three years.

Diamantina participated in the public life in Queensland in a number of ways:

• as wife of the Governor
• to the social tone of Brisbane through her sense of style, education and accomplishments
• to charity through her active patronage

Being still very much a prosperous but pioneer community on her arrival, Diamantina's dinner parties soon became the highlight of the social scene and she is credited with raising the tone of Brisbane society.

Meanwhile, the official residence (now Old Government House) was being constructed and the family moved into the house in April 1862. It was an elegant and spacious building, constructed of sandstone and Brisbane porphyry, in the Classic Revival style. Its grounds were surrounded by thirty acres (twelve hectares) of riverbank land, including the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens which were commenced at the same time under the supervision of Walter Hill. Diamantina personally supervised the layout of the gardens of the house, which included lawns, tennis courts as well as flower and vegetable gardens. On 16 June 1862, the couple hosted the first ball in the new building, celebrating Queen Victoria's birthday.

In 1864 at Ipswich, Queensland, Diamantina turned the first sod for Queensland's first railway-line between Ipswich and Bigge's Camp (later Grandchester) using with a silver spade and a cedar wheelbarrow.

Diamantina was involved in establishing the first Sunday School for children.

Diamantina was concerned about social welfare in Brisbane and was an active patroness of a group of local ladies who established the Lady Bowen Lying-In Hospital, Brisbane's first maternity hospital, the fore-runner of the present Royal Brisbane Women's Hospital.

Named in her Honour

Diamantina was very popular in Queensland and many places were named after her (both directly and indirectly):

• The town of Roma, Queensland
• Roma Street, Brisbane
• Diamantina River, Queensland
• Diamantina Shire Council, a Local Government Area in Queensland
• Diamantina Island near Gladstone, Queensland
• the iron paddle-wheeler Diamantina built for the A.S.N. company
• HMAS Diamantina, the name of two ships in the Royal Australian Navy
• Diamantina Orphanage, established in 1883 in Brisbane
• Diamantina Hospital for Chronic Diseases, which was established in 1901 on the site of the Diamantina Orphanage and was later replaced by the Princess Alexandra Hospital
• The Diamantina Institute for Cancer, Immunology and Metabolic Medicine, an Institute of the University of Queensland, based at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane
• Diamantina Healthcare Museum, established 2004 in the only remaining building of the Diamantina Hospital
• Lady Bowen Lying-In Hospital, Brisbane's first maternity hospital, the fore-runner of the Royal Brisbane Women's Hospital

Some places are named after her indirectly:

• Diamantina Trench and the Diamantina Deep, a trench in the Indian Ocean, were named after the HMAS Diamantina

See also

Much of Diamantina's life was dictated by the career of her husband Sir George Ferguson Bowen as a colonial adminstrator and a more complete understanding of her life can be obtained by reading about his life.

References

• Diamantina Bowen, Australian Dictionary of Biography
• Lady Diamantina Bowen, Brisbane Memories
• Picture: Diamantina Roma - First Governor of Queenslands' wife - A biographical note bythe current appointed Governor of Queensland, Ms Quentin Bryce, AC.
• The Arrival & Reception of His Excellency Sir G.F. Bowen, First Governor of Queensland, Moreton Bay Courier, Tuesday 13 December 1859, page 2
• Death of Lady Bowen, The Brisbane Courier, Monday 20 November 1893, page 5
• The Late Lady Bowen, The Brisbane Courier, Monday 27 November 1893, page 6