Peter Bower
Open-knowledge reference entry
Peter Bower (1715/21 – June 1795) was an English clockmaker who settled in Wiltshire during the late 1730s, and established his working career in the village of Redlynch.
Early life
Bower was born between 1715 and 1723 in the borough of Westminster, London, where he was baptised in St Anne's Church, Soho, on 10 November 1723; he was the second eldest son of Peter Bowyer (1691–1794) and his wife Elizabeth (née Williams).
His father began his career as a shipwright, and at the time of his marriage on 25 December 1707 he is recorded as residing in Redriffe (Rotherhithe). His father would eventually establish himself as a clockmaker, and had premises in Great Windmill Street, Soho. He was a grandson of Peter Brent (1634–1676), Sergeant Plumber to King Charles II, and following the Great Fire of London the Plumbers' Company borrowed money from sergeant Peter Brent for the rebuilding of their Plumbers' Hall. He was also the great grandson of William Bowyer (1605–1653), clockmaker of London.
Marriage and issue
Bower was married in Saint Martin's Church, Salisbury, Wiltshire on 23 April 1739 to Susanna Bayly (1717–1787). They were known to have had seven children.
(i) Mary Bower (1739–1827), wife of Henry Plaskett
(ii) James Bower (b. 1743)
(iii) Sarah Bower (b.
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