A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Bowker, John Harrison
BOWKER. (Commander, 1845. f-p., 20; h-p., 24.)
John Harrison Bowker entered the Navy, in May, 1803, as a Volunteer, on board the Culloden 74, Capt. Harrington Dacres, flag-ship afterwards of Sir Edw. Pellew on the East India station; previously to proceeding whither he appears, on 2 Sept. 1803, to have assisted in chasing the French 74-gun ship Duguay Trouin and 40-gun frigate Guerrière into Corunna. In Sept. 1807, after a servitude of two years as Midshipman in the Duncan, Capt. Lord Geo. Stuart, and Beldone, Capt. John Bastard, both in the East Indies, Mr. Bowker was discharged; but he re-embarked, in Nov. 1809, on board the Amethyst 36, Capt. Jacob Walton, and continued to serve in that ship on the Home station, until wrecked in Plymouth Sound, 16 Feb. 1811. He was subsequently, until the receipt of his first commission, bearing date 7 Feb. 1815, employed in the Mediterranean and West Indies, latterly as Acting-Lieutenant, on board the Undaunted 38, Capt. Rich. Thomas, Euryalus 36, Capt. Chas. Napier, Stromboli bomb, Capt. John Stoddart, Euryalus again, Capt. C. Napier, Venerable 74, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Philip Chas. Durham, and Columbine 16, Capt. Rich. Henry Muddle. While in the Undaunted we find him engaged in co-operating with the patriots on the coast of Catalonia, and also in blockading the port of Toulon. On 28 July, 1815, being at the time Senior Lieutenant of the Fairy sloop, Capt. Henry Loraine Baker, he was detached in command of the boats to cut out a convoy at St. François, Guadeloupe, in the execution of which service, however, he was desperately wounded by a musketball passing through the right lobe of the lungs. He invalided in consequence immediately afterwards; and, on 23 Jan. 1817 [errata 1], was awarded a pension of 91l. 5s. His subsequent appointments were – 21 April, 1821, and 26 March, 1823, to the Northumberland 74, Capt. Thos. Harvey, and Brisk sloop, Capts. Edw. Stewart and Adolphus FitzClarence, both employed at Sheerness – 1 Jan. 1824, to the Tribune frigate, Capt. Gardiner Henry Gnion, stationed in the Mediterranean – 4 Feb. 1825, to the Windsor Castle 74, Capts. Hugh Downman and Edw. Durnford King, lying at Plymouth, where he was placed on half-pay in 1826 – and, 31 Aug. 1840, to the command of the Savage 10, in which vessel he served in the Mediterranean until the close of 1844. He attained his present rank 17 Jan. 1845; and has since been on half-pay. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.