George Bowes
Encyclopedia
Sir George Bowes was an English
Member of Parliament
and coal
proprietor.
George Bowes was baptized on 4 September 1701, the youngest son of Sir William Bowes
, MP, and Elizabeth Bowes (née Blakiston). The Bowes family had been prominent in County Durham
, with their ownership of the estate and castle of Streatlam but, in 1713, George's father acquired (from his wife's family) the Gibside
estate which included some of the area's richest coal seams and led to the family's acquisition of immense wealth through the coal trade. This wealth was, however, gained through the employment of men, women and children in conditions that would now be considered intolerable.
George Bowes inherited the family estates in 1721—although he was the youngest son, his elder brothers died young. In October 1724 he married the fourteen year old Eleanor Verney, but she died in December of that year. Her death was commemorated in a poem, written by Lady Mary Wortley Montagu
, which implied that she had died as a result of Bowes' sexual vigour.
Bowes went on to marry Mary Gilbert in 1747 and had one daughter, Mary Eleanor Bowes
, born 24 February 1748 (old style
)/1749 (new style
). She married John Lyon, 9th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
, who later took the name "Bowes", as a condition of the will of George Bowes, in order to inherit the Bowes estate. They formed the Bowes-Lyon family, one of whose descendants was the late Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
, known in Britain as The Queen Mother. Hence, George Bowes would be the present Queen's great-great-great-great-grandfather.
Bowes was for some years the Member of Parliament for County Durham
and he was rich and influential, largely on account of the coal which lay beneath his estates. In 1726 he was a founder of the Grand Alliance of coal owners, a cartel
for the control of the London coal trade.
George Bowes' principal residence was Gibside
, a mansion on the banks of the River Derwent
, in County Durham. The surrounding park was laid out by Lancelot "Capability" Brown
and includes a column, 140 feet high, dedicated to British liberty. On George Bowes death, Gibside passed to his son-in-law, the ninth Earl of Strathmore, who built a chapel in the grounds, in Palladian style
, as a mausoleum
, in which Bowes was finally interred, when it was completed it in 1812.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
and coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
proprietor.
George Bowes was baptized on 4 September 1701, the youngest son of Sir William Bowes
William Bowes
Sir William Bowes was a British landowner and M.P.William Bowes was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge. He was one of the two Members of Parliament for County Durham during the second, third and fourth Parliaments of Charles II, and then again in the second Parliament of William III and first...
, MP, and Elizabeth Bowes (née Blakiston). The Bowes family had been prominent in County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, with their ownership of the estate and castle of Streatlam but, in 1713, George's father acquired (from his wife's family) the Gibside
Gibside
Gibside is a country estate near Rowlands Gill, Tyne and Wear, North East England that was previously owned by the Bowes-Lyon family. It is now a National Trust property. The main house on the estate is now a shell, although the property is most famous for its chapel...
estate which included some of the area's richest coal seams and led to the family's acquisition of immense wealth through the coal trade. This wealth was, however, gained through the employment of men, women and children in conditions that would now be considered intolerable.
George Bowes inherited the family estates in 1721—although he was the youngest son, his elder brothers died young. In October 1724 he married the fourteen year old Eleanor Verney, but she died in December of that year. Her death was commemorated in a poem, written by Lady Mary Wortley Montagu
Lady Mary Wortley Montagu
The Lady Mary Wortley Montagu was an English aristocrat and writer. Montagu is today chiefly remembered for her letters, particularly her letters from Turkey, as wife to the British ambassador, which have been described by Billie Melman as “the very first example of a secular work by a woman about...
, which implied that she had died as a result of Bowes' sexual vigour.
Bowes went on to marry Mary Gilbert in 1747 and had one daughter, Mary Eleanor Bowes
Mary Eleanor Bowes
Mary Eleanor Bowes, Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne , known as "The Unhappy Countess", was the daughter and heiress of George Bowes...
, born 24 February 1748 (old style
Old Style and New Style dates
Old Style and New Style are used in English language historical studies either to indicate that the start of the Julian year has been adjusted to start on 1 January even though documents written at the time use a different start of year ; or to indicate that a date conforms to the Julian...
)/1749 (new style
Old Style and New Style dates
Old Style and New Style are used in English language historical studies either to indicate that the start of the Julian year has been adjusted to start on 1 January even though documents written at the time use a different start of year ; or to indicate that a date conforms to the Julian...
). She married John Lyon, 9th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
John Bowes, 9th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
John Bowes , born John Lyon, was the 9th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne and one of the ancestors of the Queen Mother. His father was Thomas Lyon, 8th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne and his mother was the former Jean Nicholsen.In 1767 he married Mary Eleanor Bowes, and upon the request of the...
, who later took the name "Bowes", as a condition of the will of George Bowes, in order to inherit the Bowes estate. They formed the Bowes-Lyon family, one of whose descendants was the late Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
, known in Britain as The Queen Mother. Hence, George Bowes would be the present Queen's great-great-great-great-grandfather.
Bowes was for some years the Member of Parliament for County Durham
County Durham (UK Parliament constituency)
Durham or County Durham was a county constituency in northern England, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1675 until 1832.- History :...
and he was rich and influential, largely on account of the coal which lay beneath his estates. In 1726 he was a founder of the Grand Alliance of coal owners, a cartel
Cartel
A cartel is a formal agreement among competing firms. It is a formal organization of producers and manufacturers that agree to fix prices, marketing, and production. Cartels usually occur in an oligopolistic industry, where there is a small number of sellers and usually involve homogeneous products...
for the control of the London coal trade.
George Bowes' principal residence was Gibside
Gibside
Gibside is a country estate near Rowlands Gill, Tyne and Wear, North East England that was previously owned by the Bowes-Lyon family. It is now a National Trust property. The main house on the estate is now a shell, although the property is most famous for its chapel...
, a mansion on the banks of the River Derwent
River Derwent, North East England
The River Derwent is a river on the border between County Durham and Northumberland in the north east of England. It broadens into the Derwent Reservoir, west of Consett. The Derwent is a tributary of the River Tyne, which it joins near the MetroCentre...
, in County Durham. The surrounding park was laid out by Lancelot "Capability" Brown
Capability Brown
Lancelot Brown , more commonly known as Capability Brown, was an English landscape architect. He is remembered as "the last of the great English eighteenth-century artists to be accorded his due", and "England's greatest gardener". He designed over 170 parks, many of which still endure...
and includes a column, 140 feet high, dedicated to British liberty. On George Bowes death, Gibside passed to his son-in-law, the ninth Earl of Strathmore, who built a chapel in the grounds, in Palladian style
Palladian architecture
Palladian architecture is a European style of architecture derived from the designs of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio . The term "Palladian" normally refers to buildings in a style inspired by Palladio's own work; that which is recognised as Palladian architecture today is an evolution of...
, as a mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
, in which Bowes was finally interred, when it was completed it in 1812.