Benjamin Bowring

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Benjamin Bowring (born May 17, 1778 , † June 1, 1846 ) was an English - Canadian watchmaker , jeweler and businessman . In 1811 he founded the Bowring trading, shipping and insurance businesses, later known as the Bowring Brothers in Canada and the United States , and as CT Bowring & Co. in the UK and elsewhere.

Life

Childhood and youth

Benjamin Bowring was born in Exeter to Nathaniel and Susannah Bowring. His family had been in the wool industry for two centuries. His cousin, John Bowring , was the fourth governor of Hong Kong . His father died when he was nearly three years old, after which his mother and family moved to their hometown of Moretonhampstead , where Benjamin spent his teenage years. After completing his school career, he was an apprentice to watchmaker Charles Price, whose daughter Charlotte he later married. On October 6, 1803, three days before his wedding, he opened his own watchmaker's shop in Exeter.

Career

In 1811 Bowring visited Newfoundland to look for new ways to trade. He traveled there several times in the following years. In 1815 he became one of the permanent residents of the port and his family followed suit the following spring. His wife opened a small dry goods store attached to his watchmaker's shop. Their venture proved successful and Bowring decided to stop watchmaking to focus on growing retail. In 1823 he bought two schooners to export goods from England to Newfoundland and fish and seal products. The following year he renamed his company Benjamin Bowring and Son when his eldest son William became his partner. William drowned four years later.

In 1833 he supplied a volunteer fire department in St. John's . His new fire protection attempt was of no help when, on July 7th that year, Bowring's offices and much more on the south side of Water Street in St. John's burned out.

The following year he gave control of his company to his son Charles Tricks Bowring and returned to England with the rest of the family . In 1835 he founded a trading company known as Benjamin Bowring in Liverpool . Bowring stayed in regular contact with his son, offered his advice, and did the auditing . In the 1830s, the company experienced major expansion, reaching the fore-ranks of Water Street trading companies. In 1839 the name of the company was changed to "Bowring Brothers" when Charles' brother Henry became his partner. Two years later, her brother Edward joined them.

Retirement and death

In 1841 he handed over the business in Liverpool to Charles. Under Charles, this company, renamed CT Bowring and Company , became a major international shipping and insurance company, while Bowring Brothers became a leader in cod, seal, and food and industrial procurement in Newfoundland . After Benjamin Bowring's death, the company expanded its insurance business and gained importance in the trade in metals , coffee , fertilizers and food , petroleum products, chemicals and other goods. Today, Bowring Brothers is a successful chain of upscale gift shops with more than sixty locations in Canada and also operates a smaller chain of home furniture stores. In 1979 the MV Benjamin Bowring was named after him. CT Bowring and Co. was acquired by Marsh & McLennan Companies in 1980 .

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ^ The MV Benjamin Bowring ( Memento from January 1, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
  2. ^ Marsh & McLennan Companies UK history ( Memento of February 5, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
personal data
SURNAME Bowring, Benjamin
BRIEF DESCRIPTION English-Canadian watchmaker, jeweler and businessman
DATE OF BIRTH May 17, 1778
DATE OF DEATH June 1, 1846