BOWYER, Henry (1786-1853), of Radley, Berks.

At the time of his return for Abingdon as a late substitute for his eldest brother, who had made himself vulnerable to a petition by infringing the Treating Act, Bowyer was intended for holy orders and had a living awaiting him. He voted with government in the major divisions on the Walcheren expedition, 26 Jan. and 30 Mar., but evidently supported both Whitbread’s motions on Lord Chatham’s narrative, 23 Feb. and 5 Mar. 1810. In view of his individual line on this question, it is difficult to understand why he was classed as a follower of Lord Sidmouth in the Whig list of March 1810, unless it was because of his family’s private friendship with Sidmouth. His only other recorded votes were against the release of John Gale Jones, 16 Apr. 1810, and with government on the Regency bill, 1 Jan. 1811. He apparently did not speak in debate during his brief tenure of the seat, which he handed over to his brother in June 1811 before proceeding to his ordination. He died 18 Oct. 1853.