George Clowes
(1840-1918)
14 March 1862

Volume 6, page 96, sitting number 7254.

[The sitter is identified as 'Georges Clowes' in the Silvy daybooks in the archives of the National Portrait Gallery.]

This is almost certainly the son of George Clowes of 89 Westbourne Terrace, Bayswater. The 1861 census lists George Clowes père as a 'Printer employing between 400 and 500 men and boys' and George Clowes fils, aged 20, as a 'Student at Cambridge.' 

His grandfather founded the printing firm of William Clowes Ltd in London in 1803. The firm developed the use of steam-powered printing presses, eventually becoming the largest printing works in the world. The business became William Clowes and Sons in 1839, the sons in question being William, Winchester and George. 

Born on 13 May 1840, George was educated at Eton and at Trinity College, Cambridge (BA, 1863; MA, 1866). He was ordained a deacon in 1864 and a priest in 1865. From 1864 to 1870 he was the Curate of Christ Church, Surbiton. He was then the Vicar of Fordcombe in Kent from 1870 to 1887 and the Rector of Hayes in Kent (now within the London borough of Bromley) between 1887 and 1918. From 1914 to 1918 he was also an Honorary Canon of Rochester Cathedral. 

On 21 June 1871 at Little Dunkeld in Perthshire he married Frances Louisa Burns. Their marriage does not appear to have produced any children.

Reverend George Clowes died, aged 78, on 18 November 1918 at the Rectory in Hayes. He left an estate valued at £1096.