# George Bowen

_British colonial administrator, 9th Governor of Hong Kong, 1st Governor of Queensland (1821-1899)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/george-bowen
Last updated: 2026-10-31

> Sir George Ferguson Bowen 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.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 2 November 1821 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1392013#P569))
- **Place of birth:** County Donegal ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1392013#P19))
- **Died:** 21 February 1899 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1392013#P570))
- **Place of death:** Brighton ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1392013#P20))
- **Citizenship:** United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1392013#P27))
- **Occupation:** politician ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1392013#P106))
- **Education:** Brasenose College; Trinity College; Charterhouse School ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1392013#P69))
- **Spouse:** Diamantina Bowen ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1392013#P26))
- **Positions held:** Governor of Hong Kong (30 March 1883 – 6 October 1887); Governor of British Mauritius (4 April 1879 – 9 December 1880); Governor of Victoria (30 July 1873 – 22 February 1879); Governor-General of New Zealand (5 February 1868 – 19 March 1873); Governor of Queensland (10 December 1859 – 4 January 1868); Member of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1392013#P39))
- **Awards:** Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George; Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society Te Apārangi ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1392013#P166))

## Questions

**When was George Bowen born?**  
George Bowen was born on 2 November 1821 in County Donegal.

**What positions has George Bowen held?**  
Positions held by George Bowen include: Governor of Hong Kong (1883–1887); Governor of British Mauritius (1879–1880); Governor of Victoria (1873–1879); Governor-General of New Zealand (1868–1873); Governor of Queensland (1859–1868).

**Where did George Bowen study?**  
George Bowen was educated at Brasenose College, Trinity College, Charterhouse School.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): George Bowen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Bowen) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q1392013](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1392013) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: George Bowen b.jpg by Unidentified (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:George_Bowen_b.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article George Bowen, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: George Bowen b.jpg — Unidentified, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"George Bowen". DigiNepal. Last updated 31 October 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/george-bowen. Retrieved 4 November 2026.