Edward Ernest Bowen

Edward Ernest Bowen (30 March 1836 – 8 April 1901) was a first-class cricketer, footballer, and an influential schoolmaster at Harrow School from 1859 until his death, and the author of the Harrow school song, "Forty Years On". He was notable in football for winning the first two FA Cup finals with the Wanderers.

Biography

The son of Christopher Bowen, he was born at Glenmore in Ireland; his elder brother was Charles Bowen, a well-known judge. He was educated in England at Blackheath Proprietary School and King's College, London before entering Trinity College, Cambridge.<ref name="BOOK">Template:Cite book</ref> While studying at Cambridge, Bowen served as president of the Cambridge Union in 1856.<ref name="BOOK"/> After graduating from Cambridge, he was appointed an assistant master at Marlborough College in 1858, and moved to Harrow School in 1859.<ref name=obituary>Obituary: Mr. E. E. Bowen. London: The Times. Issue 36426. 11 April 1901. p. 4</ref> He was appointed a fellow of Trinity College in the same year as his move to Harrow.<ref name="BOOK"/> As a schoolmaster, Bowen believed that boys must be interested in his lessons and at ease with him. This was in contrast with the grave formality typical of the Victorian era. He was the founder of the "modern side" at Harrow, which gave prominence to subjects other than Latin and Greek.<ref name=obituary/> Bowen was the author of the Harrow school song, "Forty Years On",<ref name="BOOK"/> which is still sung today, and to which an extra verse was later added in honour of Winston Churchill. He also wrote many other Harrow School songs along with the then Master in Charge of Music, many of which are sung by the school to this day at occasions known as songs every term. While at Harrow, he was housemaster of The Grove boarding house.

Bowen was considered a pioneer of association football at Harrow,<ref name="BOOK"/> and was an accomplished footballer himself. He played with the Wanderers in the inaugural FA Cup, helping the side reach the final of the competition against the Royal Engineers at The Oval, which the Wanderers won 1–0; they repeated their success in the 1872–73 FA Cup, defeating Oxford University in the final 2–0.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Bowen played for England in the first pseudo-international in 1870, against Scotland at The Oval; this match preceded the first official international in 1872.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Bowen played cricket at first-class level for Hampshire against Sussex at Hove.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He failed to score in the match, twice being dismissed by James Lillywhite.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> His other sporting endeavours expanded to cycling,<ref name="OBIT">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> mountaineering, skating,<ref name="BOOK"/> and walking. Whilst an undergraduate at Cambridge, he walked the 90 miles from Cambridge to Oxford in 26 hours.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> He was politically active and was a member of the Liberal Party. He was their candidate for Hertford in the 1880 General election, but lost to future Prime Minister Arthur Balfour.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

It was whilst on a cycling tour of France in 1901 that Bowen died suddenly at the village of Moux. Despite seemingly having been in perfect health,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> it was noted that his sudden death occurred while he was trying to mount his bicycle.<ref name="OBIT"/> Cyril Norwood said of him that he had "kept the eternal boy alive within his own breast to the very end".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> His elder brother was also a first-class cricketer. His grandson, I. M. B. Stuart, was an Irish rugby union international and broadcaster.

External links

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