Sir Robert Fowler, 1st Baronet


Sir Robert Nicholas Fowler, 1st Baronet DL JP was a member of parliament and Lord Mayor of London.
He was born the son of Thomas Fowler of Gastard, Wiltshire. He attended Grove House School, Tottenham and London University where he was awarded a B.A. degree in 1848.
He was a banker and M.P. for the Penryn and Falmouth Constituency, and Conservative M.P. for the City of London Constituency. He was also elected Sheriff of the City of London for 1880 and Lord Mayor of London in 1883 and 1885, the last Lord Mayor to serve multiple terms. He was created a baronet in 1885.
He was the author of A visit to Japan, China and India.
According to Frank Harris, an admittedly unreliable source, Fowler excited the disgust of his fellow guests at a dinner given by William Thackeray Marriott by breaking wind copiously, and being apparently unconscious of giving offence.
George Shaw-Lefevre MP noted that, due to plural voting, Fowler had no fewer than thirteen votes in different constituencies. At one General Election Fowler managed, energetically, to use all thirteen votes in one day.
In 1890, Fowler was described as "of Gastard, Wilts., a JP and DL for Middlesex and Wilts, an Alderman of London".

Marriage and family

On 27 October 1852, Robert Nicholas Fowler married Sarah Charlotte Fox: she was the daughter of Sarah and Alfred Fox, of Falmouth, born on 15 March 1834.
They had ten daughters and one son: