George Bowes (soldier)
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Sir George Bowes (1527 – 20 August 1580) was an
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
military commander.


Family

George Bowes was the third but eldest surviving son of Richard Bowes (d. 10 November 1558) and Elizabeth Aske. He had four brothers, Ralph, Francis, Christopher and Robert Bowes, and seven sisters: Bridget, who married Thomas Hussey, esquire; Anne, who married Marmaduke Vincent, esquire; Muriel, who married John Jackson; Margery, who married the Scottish reformer John Knox; Elizabeth, who married George Bainbrigge; Margaret, who married firstly Thomas Middleton and secondly Ambrose Birkbeck; and Jane.


Career

At the age of fourteen he was married to Dorothy, daughter of Sir William Mallory of Studley Royal. He early went to the Scottish war, and in 1549 is mentioned as being in command of one hundred cavalry at Douglas. In 1558 he was made Marshal of
Berwick-upon-Tweed Berwick-upon-Tweed (), sometimes known as Berwick-on-Tweed or simply Berwick, is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, and the northernmost town in England. The 2011 United Kingdom census reco ...
. By then a widower, he strengthened his position by an alliance with the powerful house of Shrewsbury, when he married Jane, daughter of Sir John Talbot of Albrighton. His opinion was often asked by the government about border affairs. In April 1560 he was knighted at Berwick by the
Duke of Norfolk Duke of Norfolk is a title in the peerage of England. The seat of the Duke of Norfolk is Arundel Castle in Sussex, although the title refers to the county of Norfolk. The current duke is Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk. The dukes ...
, who noted that his landed income of 600
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a year suited his new status. Soon afterwards he resigned as Marshal of Berwick and retired to his house at
Streatlam Castle Streatlam Castle was a Baroque stately home located near the town of Barnard Castle in County Durham, England, that was demolished in 1959. Owned by the Bowes-Lyon family, Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne, the house was one of the family's thre ...
. In 1568 he was employed to escort
Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legitimate child of James V of S ...
, from Carlisle to
Bolton Castle Bolton Castle is a 14th-century castle located in Wensleydale, Yorkshire, England (). The nearby village of Castle Bolton takes its name from the castle. The castle is a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The castle was da ...
, a duty he carried out courteously; Mary in later years wrote to him as to a friend. In 1569 the Rebellion of the Northern Earls threatened Elizabeth's throne, and he played a major part as a loyalist, remaining at Streatlam and facing down unpopularity. Streatlam was not far from
Brancepeth Brancepeth is a village and civil parish in County Durham, in England. It is situated about from Durham on the A690 road between Durham and Weardale. The population of the civil parish taken at the 2011 census was 414. Brancepeth Castle was u ...
, the seat of Charles Neville, 6th Earl of Westmorland, who was the centre of the disaffected party. On 7 March,
Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon KG PC (4 March 1526 – 23 July 1596), was an English nobleman and courtier. He was the patron of the Lord Chamberlain's Men, William Shakespeare's playing company. The son of Mary Boleyn, he was a cousin of E ...
wrote, 'The country is in great hatred of Sir George Bowes so as he dare scant remain there'. Bowes kept watch on all that was passing, and sent information to
Thomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex Thomas Radclyffe (or Ratclyffe), 3rd Earl of Sussex KG (c. 15259 June 1583), was Lord Deputy of Ireland during the Tudor period of English history, and a leading courtier during the reign of Elizabeth I. Family He was the eldest son of Hen ...
,
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, who was stationed at
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. The Earl of Sussex for some time did not believe that the rebellious earls would proceed to any open action. At length their proceedings were so threatening that Bowes on 12 November left Streatlam, and shut himself up in
Barnard Castle Barnard Castle (, ) is a market town on the north bank of the River Tees, in County Durham, Northern England. The town is named after and built around a medieval castle ruin. The town's Bowes Museum's has an 18th-century Silver Swan automato ...
, which belonged to the crown and of which he was steward, with forces levied for Queen Elizabeth and gentlemen of the neighbourhood. He wished to use this small force for the purpose of cutting off the rebels who were gathering at Brancepeth; but Sussex hesitated to give permission, and things were allowed to take their course. On 14 November the rebel Earls entered
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, and advanced southwards for the purpose of releasing Queen Mary from her prison at
Tutbury Tutbury is a village and civil parish in Staffordshire, England. It is north of Burton upon Trent and south of the Peak District. The village has a population of about 3,076 residents. It adjoins Hatton to the north on the Staffordshire–Derby ...
; but they did not agree internally, changed their plan suddenly, and retreated northwards. Bowes's house at Streatlam was destroyed, and Barnard Castle was besieged. Bowes held out for eleven days, but fearing treachery within he made a surrender on honourable terms, and marched out with four hundred men. He joined the Earl of Sussex and was appointed provost marshal of the army. The royal army had marched northwards, and the rebels retreated and gradually dispersed. Elizabeth gave orders that severe punishment should be inflicted on the ringleaders. The executions were carried out by Bowes, as provost marshal, while the lists of those to be executed were drawn up Sussex, who commended Bowes to the queen. In 1572 he received some minor grants of forfeited lands, which appear to have been of small value. In 1571 he was elected M.P. for
Knaresborough Knaresborough ( ) is a market and spa town and civil parish in the Borough of Harrogate, in North Yorkshire, England, on the River Nidd. It is east of Harrogate. History Knaresborough is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as ''Chenares ...
, and in 1572 for
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. In 1576 he was made high sheriff of the county palatine of Durham. In 1579 he relieved his brother Robert Bowes, who wished for a leave of absence from the post of marshal of Berwick-upon-Tweed. He was involved in acquiring a portrait of James VI painted at Stirling Castle.Cuthbert Sharp, ''Memorials of the Rebellion of 1569'' (London, 1840), p. 392: Patrick Fraser Tytler, ''History of Scotland'', vol. 8 (Edinburgh, 1842), p. 418: Duncan Thomson, ''Painting in Scotland 1570-1650'' (Edinburgh, 1975), p. 9. After staying at Berwick for nearly a year he begged to be relieved. Soon after his return to Streatlam he died, in 1580. His heir was his eldest son by Dorothy Mallory, William Bowes. Another son
George Bowes Sir George Bowes (21 August 1701 – 17 September 1760) was an English coal proprietor and Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons for 33 years from 1727 to 1760. George Bowes was baptized on 4 September 1701, the youngest son of Sir ...
(d. 1606) was involved in prospecting for gold in Scotland.


Notes


References

* * * ;Attribution *


External links


Bowes: Geographical and Historical information from the year 1890
Retrieved 31 October 2013 {{DEFAULTSORT:Bowes, George 1527 births 1580 deaths English knights 16th-century English soldiers High Sheriffs of Durham