Item 106 - General Views - Aerial

Robert Eric Bowley, an Engineering Chemist, amateur photographer and philatelist, was born 12 May 1922 to Mary Salmon Stalker and Eric Ernest Bowley in Hagersville, Ontario. He graduated from Welland High School, where he learned to take and develop photographs. In 1941 he started at Queen's University, where he joined the C.O.T.C. During his time at Queen's, Bowley was a photographer for the Queen's Journal with Ken Carey. In 1942, he joined the Royal Canadian Artillery as a Lieutenant and served in Canada until 1945. After graduating from Queen's as an Engineering Chemist, he worked in industry for fourteen years before becoming a chemistry teacher at Peterborough Collegiate Vocational School. His lifetime devotion to philately taught him the history and geography of many countries, culminating in his grand adventure of sailing from Mongareva to Pitcairn Island in the South Pacific. He published a book about his travels and a number of booklets about Peterborough history. He was a long-time member and Past President of the Kawartha Philatelic Society and the Peterborough Historical Society. Robert Bowley passed away in Peterborough on 26 November 2000.