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John Bowring (1792–1872)

Archival location guide — where this economist’s surviving papers are held, their notable correspondents, and key published sources.

Portrait of John Bowring (1792–1872)

Born 1792 · died 1872

Sir John Bowring, or Phrayā Siam Mānukūlakicca Siammitra Mahāyaśa was a British political economist, traveller, writer, literary translator, polyglot and the fourth Governor of Hong Kong. He was appointed by Queen Victoria as emissary to Siam, later he was appointed by King Mongkut of Siam as ambassador to London, also making a treaty of amity with Siam on 18 April 1855, now referred to as the "Bowring Treaty". His namesake treaty was fully effective for 70 years, until the reign of Vajiravudh. This treaty was gradually edited and became completely ineffective in 1938 under the government of Plaek Phibunsongkhram. Later, he was sent as a commissioner of Britain to the newly created Kingdom of Italy in 1861. He died in Claremont in Devon on 23 November 1872.

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Where the papers are held

The surviving papers of John Bowring (1792–1872) are held at Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

Holding institution(s) sourced from Wikidata — confirm current location and access arrangements with the archive before visiting.

Read the works online

Digitised full-text books and writings by John Bowring (1792–1872) — free to read.

Related economists

Contemporaries whose surviving papers are also catalogued here. More from Before 1800 →

Cite this entry

John Bowring (1792–1872). “Archival papers.” Economists’ Papers, https://www.economistspapers.org.uk/bowring-john-1792-1872/ (accessed 2 Aug 2026).