George Bowen
Sir George Ferguson Bowen, GCMG, PC (Chinese Translated Name 寶雲) (November 2, 1821 - February 21, 1899) was a British colonial governor who became the 9th Governor of Hong Kong.
Early life
George Bowen was born the eldest son of the Rev. Edward Bowen, in Taughboyne, County Donegal, Ireland. He was educated at Charterhouse School and Trinity College, Oxford, where two of his predecessors were also educated. Bowen, twice President of the Union, was awarded a first class degree in classics in 1844, and was elected a fellow of Brasenose College. He received an MA degree in 1847 and entered Lincoln's Inn in 1844. From 1847 to 1851 he was president of the Ionian University of Corfu.
Colonial services
In 1854 George Bowen served as the chief secretary of government in the Ionian Islands. Five years later, he was appointed the first Governor of Queensland, a colony that had just been separated from New South Wales. He was interested in the exploration of Queensland and in the establishment of a volunteer force, but incurred some unpopularity by refusing to sanction the issue of inconvertible paper money during the financial crisis of 1866.
In 1867 Bowen was made Governor of New Zealand, where he was successful in reconciling the Māori's reaction to the British rule there, and saw the end of the struggle between the colonists and the natives. (For a rather different view of the conflict and its partial resolution, see New Zealand land wars). He also instituted the New Zealand Cross, one of the rarest bravery awards in the world, equivalent to the Victoria Cross.
In 1872 Bowen was transferred to Victoria (Australia) as Governor of Victoria, where he embarked on an endeavour to reduce the expenses of the colony, and in 1879 he became Governor of Mauritius.
Governor of Hong Kong
In March 30 of 1883, Bowen was made Governor of Hong Kong, a position in which he served until 1887, when he retired due to ill health. This was his last post in the Colonial Service.
During his tenure, Bowen established the Royal Observatory, which became the meteorological institute for all of Hong Kong. He also established the first college in the territory, and ordered the construction of the Typhoon Shelter in Causeway Bay, and a government hospital.
Post-governorship
Bowen retired to England after his tenure as Governor of Hong Kong, and was appointed as a chief of a Royal Commission which was sent to Malta with regard to the new constitution for the island in December 1887. All recommendations made by Bowen were adopted. Afterwards, Bowen served as a privy councillor.
Personal life
Bowen was married twice. His first wife was Lady Diamantina Roma Bowen, daughter of Count Candiano di Roma. They had a son and four daughters. His second wife was Florence, daughter of Dr T. Luby. Bowen died in 1899.
Honours
- K.C.M.G., 1856
- G.C.M.G., 1860
- Privy Councillor, 1886
- Honourary DCL Degree, Oxford, 1875
- Honourary LLD Degree, Cambridge, 1886.
Literary works
- Ithaca, 1850 (London, 1854 translated into Greek in 1859)
- Mount Athos, Thessaly and Epirus (London, 1852);
- Murray's Handbook for Greece (London, 1854).
- Thirty Years of Colonial Government (London, 1889, edited by S. Lane-Poole)
Places named after him
- The town of Bowen, Queensland
- Bowen Road, and Bowen Drive in Hong Kong.
The town of Roma and the Diamantina River, both in Queensland, are named after his first wife, Lady Diamantina Roma Bowen.
External links
References
- This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
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