Walter Bowman (antiquary) facts for kids

Walter Bowman was a Scottish man who lived a long time ago and was very interested in old things. He was known as an "antiquary," which means someone who studies and collects objects from the past. He passed away in 1782.

Walter Bowman's Life

Walter Bowman was born in Scotland. He owned a large piece of land called an estate in a place called Logie, in Fife.

He worked as a special teacher, called a travelling tutor, for the oldest son of a very important person, the 1st Marquess of Hertford. Because of his good work, Bowman was given a job as the comptroller of the Port of Bristol. This meant he helped manage the busy port in Bristol.

For many years, Walter Bowman lived in East Molesey, Surrey. Later, he moved to his own property in Egham, which is also in Surrey.

Bowman loved to travel and collect interesting items. He was quite famous in his time as a "virtuoso," which means someone who is very skilled and knowledgeable about art and old objects. He was also seen as a man of science.

Because of his knowledge, he became a member of two important groups. In 1735, he joined the Society of Antiquaries. This group studies history and old things. In 1742, he also joined the Royal Society, which is a famous group for scientists.

Walter Bowman stopped being a member of both societies a few years before he died in February 1782.

Walter Bowman's Writings

Walter Bowman wrote several papers for the Society of Antiquaries. These papers were mostly about ancient Roman and Greek history and objects. Three of his papers were printed in a book called Archæologia.

He also wrote a letter to a scientist named Dr. Stephen Hales. This letter was about an earthquake that happened in East Molesey on March 14, 1749-50. This letter was published in a science journal called Philosophical Transactions.