George Bowes (soldier)

Sir George Bowes (1527 – 20 August 1580) was an English military commander.

George Bowes was the third but eldest surviving son of Richard Bowes (d. 10 November 1558) and Elizabeth Aske. He had four elder 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.

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. 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, and in 1560 he was knighted at Berwick by the Duke of Norfolk. Soon afterwards he resigned as Marshal of Berwick and retired to his house at Streatlam Castle. In 1568 he was employed to escort Mary, Queen of Scots, from Carlisle to Bolton Castle, 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, 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 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, Lord President of the North, who was stationed at York.