[Bell Historians] Founder: Bowen of London

[c.j.pickford at talk21.com]

I’ve had a slightly closer look at this. Briefly:

*	The Bridgwater (Pike apprentice) and Richard Offen’s Kent ironfounder seem to be unconnected after all
*	The Bowen enterprise had its roots firmly in Clerkenwell
*	If the 1808 foundation date is to be believed, then the business may have been started by Robert Bowen (b.1787-d.1838)
*	It was continued after his death in 1838 by Mary Ann Bowen, his widow (who died in 1859) – and, interestingly, most of the known bells fall in the period when she was at the helm of the family business
*	Gradually Robert and Mary Ann’s sons joined the business. They were

*	George Mason Bowen (b.1814-d.1874)
*	Frederick Bowen (b.1820-d.1854)
*	Charles Bowen (b.1825-d.1868)

*	After the death of G.M. Bowen in 1874 the Phoenix foundry seems to have passed into the hands of others
*	The foundry was still in existence in 1944

 

The main bellfounding activity was in the years 1846-1859 with only a couple of bells outside that period. David Kelly has told me of another, dated 1848, that was used as a demonstration bell at Emberton, Bucks. I found a newspaper report of Bowen having supplied a bell to Pentonville Chapel (a daughter church of St.James, Clerkenwell) about 1873. George Dawson saw a school bell by Bowen & Co at Taylors in 2013, undated but from a school built in 1876. I imagine the undated Woodhall Spa bell – supposed to date from the 1890s – must date from little later than 1875.

 

The Post Office Directory, 1870, p.698, lists “Geo. Mason Bowen, brass, copper, church & turret bell founder & engineer. Phoenix foundry, 11 Dorrington st, Clerkenwell”. In 1871 the census entry for George Mason Bowen lists him as “brass founder employing 30 men & 10 boys”. This was clearly more than just a bellfoundry, and the casting of bells must have been a relatively minor aspect in a considerable larger business. 

 

Hope this is of interest

 

Chris Pickford

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