Sir George Ferguson Bowen (; 2 November 1821 – 21 February 1899) was an Anglo-Irish author and colonial administrator who served as a governor of Queensland, New Zealand, Victoria, Mauritius and Hong Kong and as chief secretary of Ionian Islands.

Early life

Bowen was born the eldest son of the Rev. Edward Bowen (1779–1867), Church of Ireland Rector of Taughboyne, a parish in the Laggan district in the east of County Donegal in the north-west of Ulster. It is likely that Bowen was born and raised at Bogay House, just outside the village of Newtown Cunningham, at what was then the northern end of the Church of Ireland Parish of Taughboyne. Bogay (pronounced 'Bo-gay') House had been built c. 1730, possibly for The 6th Earl of Abercorn, and was later used as the Church of Ireland rectory for Taughboyne in the late eighteenth century and for most of the nineteenth century. In 1846 Bowen had some naval training, serving for sixteen days on .

Bowen became the chief secretary to the government of the Ionian Islands in 1854. Bowen's influence in Queensland was greater than that of the governors in other Australian colonies in a large part due to Robert Herbert, who accompanied Bowen from England, and later became colonial secretary and then first Premier of Queensland in 1860–66.

Governor of New Zealand

thumb|left|The [[flag of New Zealand as designed by Markham in 1869, approved by Bowen.]]

In 1867 Bowen was made Governor of New Zealand, where he was successful in reconciling the Māori reaction to British rule and saw the end of the New Zealand Wars. Bowen also instituted the New Zealand Cross for colonial soldiers, one of the rarest bravery awards in the world and equivalent to the Victoria Cross (he was reprimanded for exceeding his authority, but it was upheld by Queen Victoria herself).

In 1869, Albert Hastings Markham, first lieutenant of submitted a design to Bowen for a national ensign for New Zealand. His proposal, incorporating the Southern Cross, was approved and remains in use to this day. In 1871, he visited Milford Sound aboard and Bowen Falls was named after his wife to mark the occasion.

Governor of Victoria

In March 1873, Bowen was transferred to the colony of Victoria as the Governor of Victoria,

Governor of Hong Kong

On 30 March 1883, Bowen was made Governor of Hong Kong. During his tenure, his administration established the Hong Kong Observatory, which also served as the meteorological institute of the territory. He founded the first college in Hong Kong, and ordered the construction of the Typhoon Shelter in Causeway Bay, and a government hospital. He retired in 1887, due to ill health.

Post-governorship

Bowen returned to England after his time in Hong Kong and was appointed chief of a Royal Commission sent to Malta in December 1887 to help to draft the new constitution for the island. All recommendations made by the commission were adopted. Afterwards, Bowen was sworn into the Privy Council.

Personal life

thumb|Sir George Bowen

Bowen was married twice.

His first wife was Contessa Diamantina di Roma, only daughter of Count Candiano di Roma. Their children were:

  • first child, a son who died when twelve days old, born in the Ionian Islands
  • Adelaide Diamantina (Nina) Bowen, born 17 August 1858 in the Ionian Islands
  • Zoe Caroline Bowen, born 28 August 1860 at Adelaide House (the temporary Government House), Brisbane, Queensland
  • Agnes Herbert Bowen, born 26 July 1862 at the first Government House in Brisbane
  • George William Howard Bowen, born 9 April 1864 at the first Government House, in Brisbane
  • Alfreda Ernestina Albertina Bowen, born 10 April 1869 at Old Government House, Auckland, New Zealand

Diamantina died in London in 1893 at about the age of 60.

He married his second wife, Letitia Florence White, in late 1896 at Chelsea, London. The exhibition was part of Queensland State Archives' events and exhibition program which contributed to the state's Q150 celebrations, marking the 150th anniversary of the separation of Queensland from New South Wales.

His wife Diamantina appears to have been more popular than George in Queensland, as there are many Queensland places named after her.

Several objects connected to Bowen are held in the collections of the State Library of Queensland, including his ceremonial sword, an 1865 sterling silver ceremonial spade presented to Bowen during turning of the first sod of the first section of the Queensland Northern Railway and an 1882 pastel portrait by artist Henry Gordon Fanner.

Honours

  • CMG, 1855
  • KCMG, 1856
  • GCMG, 1860
  • Privy Counsellor, 1886
  • Honorary DCL Degree, Oxford, 1875
  • Honorary LLD Degree, Cambridge, 1886.

Literary works

  • Ithaca in 1850, (London, 1851