Eric Bowden

The Honourable Eric Bowden
Member of the Australian Parliament for Nepean
In office 12 December 1906 – 13 April 1910
Preceded by	New seat
Succeeded by	George Cann
In office 13 December 1919 – 16 December 1922
Preceded by	Richard Orchard
Succeeded by	Seat abolished
Member of the Australian Parliament for Parramatta
In office 16 December 1922 – 12 December 1929
Preceded by	Herbert Pratten
Succeeded by	Albert Rowe
Personal details
Born	(1871-09-30)30 September 1871 Parramatta, New South Wales
Died	13 February 1931(1931-02-13) (aged 59)
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Anti-Socialist (1906–09) Liberal (1909–16) Nationalist (1916–29)
Spouse(s)	Reinetta May Murphy
Occupation	Solicitor

Eric Kendall Bowden (30 September 1871 – 13 February 1931) was an Australian solicitor and politician.

Early life

The second son of John and Sarah Bowden, he was born in Parramatta, New South Wales, where his family had resided for four generations. Educated at Newington College (1882-1884)^[1] and Sydney Boys High School (1888–92),^[2] he qualified as a solicitor in 1894 after serving articles with his father. Four years later married Reinetta May Murphy.^[3]

Political career

In the Federal election of December 1906, and while serving as an alderman in Granville, he won the seat of Nepean. In 1910 he was defeated and again practised in partnership with his father until 1919 when he regained the seat of Nepean as a Nationalist. From 1922 he represented Parramatta after Nepean was absorbed by that seat. From 1923 Bowden served as Minister for Defence, resigning in 1925 due to ill health. He served on, and at times chaired, the joint select committee on electoral law in 1926 and 1927 and was a royal commissioner on the constitution between 1927 and 1929. In the 1929 election he lost his seat.^[3]

References