Born: October 17, 1792, Heavitree, Exeter, Devon, England.
Died: November 23, 1872, Exeter, Devon England.
Buried: Higher Cemetery, Exeter, Devon, England. On his tombstone were the words from his hymn: In the Cross of Christ I Glory.
Bowring was the husband of Deborah Castle.
An accomplished linguist, he mastered five languages by age 16 without a teacher. It has been said he was eventually fluent in over 20 languages and could speak 80 more; he was known for his translations of Dutch poetry. At age 33, he became editor of the Westminster Review.
Bowring was also one of the preeminent British statesmen of his day: Commissioner to France, Consul at Canton (Guangzhou), Minister Plenipotentiary to China, Governor of Hong Kong, and twice a member of Parliament. Queen Victoria knighted him in 1854.