Phinease Bowles

Coming from a family of London glass makers, Phineas Bowles went on to have a career in the army. In 1710, aged just twenty, he was commissioned a captain in the 27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot, initially stationed in Spain. In 1713, Bowles transferred to the 3rd Foot Guards (later the Scots Guards), as captain and lieutenant-colonel. In 1715, he helped in suppressing the Jacobite rising, and in March 1719, he succeeded his cousin as colonel of the 12th Lancers, stationed in Ireland.

Bowles settled in Ireland for the remainder of his life. His marriage in 1724 to heiress Alethea Maria brought with it a large Irish estate: portions of the estate were settled absolutely on Bowles and the rest was entailed strictly on the male issue of the marriage, an arrangement which was to cause much family argument and a long-running lawsuit after Bowles's death.

Between 1735 and 1741, Bowles was MP for Bewdly. His loyalty to the government of the day ensured rapid military promotion. In December 1735, he was raised to brigadier general, and in 1739, he was promoted major general and appointed governor of Limerick. Bowles lived at his town house in Dublin and his county seat, Beaulieu, near Drogheda, and died in his sixtieth year in 1749.

By his will of 11 September 1749, he left an estate valued at £200,000. In today's money that would be around £2.7bn.