Bowyer Study Group Newsletter #18

1997

Author:
Mr. Denis Bowyer
Conkers
Hurst Green
Etchingham
East Sussex, TN19 7QD, UK

THE MAP

Bowyer siding pictured here is to illustrate a railway siding named Bowyer! Is it still called thus? It connects the 'Aramac tramway' to Mildure in Queensland. Edward William Bowyer was a prominent public figure around this area, becoming Chairman of the Aramac Shire Council 1915-1924. 'Ted' left England around the early 188Os, finding work in the shearing sheds, which suggests he is from an agricultural family. Book-keeper, then Council Clerk stood him in good stead when he started up his own business as a stock and auctioneer agent. He married Rachael Lockhart, having one son, George and three daughters, Winnie, Jessie and Ellie. E.W. Bowyer died in 1936 aged 79 years. For his great work in getting the siding built, Ted Bowyer played a prominent part in the opening celebrations, and was given his own private seat to ride the train freely whenever he pleased. I wonder if his name is still remembered in this area! I can find no clues as to his English roots, my Catherine House Index....I will not change the name!....tells me little. Surprisingly only two Edward Williams show up from start to around 1914, the only birth near a date of 1857 (1936-79) was registered in Epsom, Surrey, in 1864. with the death of a Edward William being that at Stone, Staffordshire in 1914,( aged 52 = born 1862).

From notes by Len Kingston.

BOWYER THE HORSE KILLER.

I have tried to find some logical reason why James the Second should want to hide in Bowyer House at Camberwell. His flight from London after William of Orange had landed suggests that he made his way quickly to Sheerness for a boat to France. He had left the Palace by a secret door, crossed the Thames at Vauxhall, throwing the Great Seal into the water, and thence into the hands of some fishermen at Sheerness who saw that they had a fine catch. He was rescued and returned to London. Hardly time for tea at Bowyer House! But the story does introduce us to Thomas Bowyer, the Collector of Customs at Dartmouth in November 1688. He had sent the news of William's impending landing by a messenger who rode seven horses to death on his sixteen hour journey to cover the 200 miles up to London. The man himself was so exhausted that it was feared that he would not live either, but then he was given over to the special care of the King's own doctors. A relieved Thomas Bowyer later reported that the ships were making for Torbay, I hope not via a further seven dead horses.

SHAKESPEARE versus SHALLOW.

By Leslie Hotson this book is about a Justice of the Peace, one William Gardener, described as a 'man of greed, usury, fraud, cruelty, and perjury.' A money lender at the high rate of ten in the hundred, he defrauded his own family and neighbours and 'rack rented' his tenants. William was born circa 1531, and died in 1597. He was J.P for the district of Brixton, and during his period of office (1580 to 1597) he committed 297 persons to prison, his nearest competitor on the bench was Edmond Bowyer of Camberwell with a total of 193 over the same period. I am told that the office of J.P. started in the reign of Edward 3rd.,1360 in fact. Every county was required to assign one Lord and three or four worthy citizens to restrain offenders and punish them according to the law. As there was no pay with the job, one wonders why it was such a desirable task. Hardly for the busy working man, however rich or poor. When you find your ancestral J.P. do you say 'Why Him?' or just sit back and bask in the glory? Was he held in high esteem by his fellow men? For the job comes from a recommendation. A successful man who could be relied upon to do the right thing, one who had not, or will not break the law himself. a forthright man with authority, a kindly man with a strict sense of justice. Go on, boast unashamedly! Unless your name be Gardener! Today J.Ps are appointed by the Chancellor directly, and may be removed by him without showing cause. Most resign owing to ill health or through neglect of duties owing to other commitments.

BOWYER THE PRINTER.

I have recently received a query concerning the name Bowyer as a Christian name. It appears that the baby was named after his aunt..... by her marriage surname. Probably with a future legacy in mind, would you think? I was once asked to identify John Bowyer Nichols, I think out of curiosity rather than an acute family interest. The Bowyer here concerned is William, a printer of renown, born in Dogwell Court, White Friars, during December l699. The son of William and Mary (nee King), he was a grandson of John, the Citizen and Grocer of London. This William (the younger) was twice married, secondly to Dorothy Dawks, their surviving son Thomas showing no interest in the printing trade. So William advertised for an apprentice "with some learning, the more the better" and took on John Nichols (1745-1826) at a sum of twenty pounds, half to be returned if he completed the course. Which he did, to great acclaim, and became William's partner and heir of the printing works. They produced many scholarly works, printing for Parliament (from 1729) and the Society of Antiquaries from 1736. Thus the Nichols son was named John Bowyer Nichols (1779-1863) born two years after his name sake had died, and himself became a printer of note, producing many county histories, including Clutterbuck's Herts and Hoare's Wilts. The ink continued to run in the veins of his son, John Gough Nichols (1806-1873) who became editor and printer of the Gentleman's Magazine, giving it a face lift. John Nichols wrote about his benefactor in his 'Literary Anecdotes', found in a 1967 printing edited by Colin Clair.

BOWY ......

I bet that would make you look twice if you saw this surname in a register? Wouldn't give it another glance if in the credits listing for an American film, where such strange spellings are often used. I wrote to Leonard Burden about it, he found the marriage of Mary Bowy to Walter Stringer in 1702, being interested in the latter surname. Could it be Bowyer, I asked? But then he found the bans as Mary Bowes, probably the long S was read as a Y for the purpose of the IGI entry, suggests Leonard. Yes, they do use strange spellings in the IGI as well!

BOWYER THE COMEDIAN.

I have been offered a theatre programme of 1934 which shows actor Norman Bowyer on stage along side Phyllis Neilson-Terry and George Bancroft. At f3.50 I am rather glad he is not one of mine. I seldom see the surname come up on T.V. credits. I did bump into Henry, born in Tonbridge, in the 1851 census returns, aged 18 in the company or fellow 'comedian' John Lamb at Hastings. They were staying with a Mr. and Mrs Edward Latter, "eating house keepers"!

ANOTHER NAME INDEX.

I have received three lots of leaflets from FONS (Family Origin Name Survey) who want me to become a life member at a cost of £5, with a further like sum for registration into the 'optional extra', the ' Non - register Archives 1600 to 1858.' project. I quote "FONS originated as a research programme into the origins and distribution of surname groups from 1086 to 1858" and is on "large databases". Entries from these are then supplied at f2 each, and apparently come in batches of five! Has anyone out there paid up a sub.? The address is The Strines, Upper Holme, Leek, ST13 8UL. A friend of mine has joined, hungry for anything Monham, so I will be able to report further. He has belonged for 'Oh! Nearly a year now' and has received one reply; a '71 census entry that he knew about. In fact another Monham is hiding in the same sheets, yet to be found and reported by FONS... at £2 a time. Where does the info. come from ? I ask. 'Mainly from legal documents' says my friend.

ONE FOR A QUIZ; What is a BOWYANG?.

SADLY,

I think that by now you have realised that I am scraping the bottom of the barrel. The fore going pieces were all in their embryonic state, awaiting a tidy up with additional facts to boost them out a little, before being dragged into service. Sorry about that. I am now out of interesting copy concerning the Bowyers for future newsletters. I seldom go up to London these days to go researching for new stories. I still have a few ideas sent in to me that I will work on, and perhaps send out a yearly letter to keep in touch. Please send any ideas that YOU have for a Bowyer article. So thanks to all that have sent in stamps to prod me into action, I have the intention of sending out a worksheet with this letter, if I can remember how to cut a stencil! With Email taking over the world, how old fashioned can you get? Straps for tying trouser legs to keep the bottoms out of the mud! Cheers, Denis.

Return to Bowyer Genealogy Page

HTML Author: Richard C Bowyer
E-mail: r.bowyer@dial.pipex.com