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522:, the excitement reached enormous heights. As well as residents of Brisbane, many of those present had travelled from other parts of Queensland to welcome the incoming governor. There was a 21-gun salute as they landed, there was a triumphal arch, fireworks and all manner of proclamations, speeches and celebrations, over a number of days.
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Her husband's career took the family all over the world, as governor postings were typically for five years. We do not know how
Diamantina felt about this frequent upheaval, but she cried copiously as the family departed from Brisbane, suggesting that she had had many close personal connections while
574:. Diamantina personally supervised the layout of the gardens of the house, which included lawns, tennis courts as well as flower and vegetable gardens. On 16 June 1862, the couple hosted the first ball in the new building, celebrating
518:. The arrival of the first governor and his family had been eagerly expected a few days earlier, but adverse winds had delayed their trip up from Sydney and so when the news came late on Friday that their vessel was seen entering
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Being still very much a prosperous but pioneer community on her arrival, Diamantina's dinner parties soon became the highlight of the social scene and she is credited with raising the tone of
Brisbane society.
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Living most of her life in
English-speaking countries, Diamantina spoke English well but with a slight accent. Although she spoke in English in public, it was claimed she spoke with her husband at home in
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Diamantina was described as "pretty" but tempered perhaps by the remark "her beauty being in her expression rather than her features". She was described as "slender but graceful".
342:. Their first child, a son, died twelve days old. Their second child, a daughter, was born on 17 August 1858 and was called Adelaide Diamantina Bowen, but was known as Nina.
768:
In 1898 a statue of Lady Bowen was commissioned by Angelo
Efstathis and sculptured by Brisbane artist Peter Piperides for the Greek Community Centre in South Brisbane. When
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and was an active patroness of a group of local ladies who established the Lady Bowen Lying-In
Hospital, Brisbane's first maternity hospital, the fore-runner of the present
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Picture: Diamantina Roma - First
Governor of Queenslands' wife - A biographical note by the current appointed Governor of Queensland, Ms Quentin Bryce, AC.
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With such a family, Diamantina had a privileged well-educated upbringing and was familiar with the workings of government, politics and diplomacy.
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776:, on 5 August 2009 the statue was relocated to the western lawn of Old Government House (the western side of the house being the "female" side).
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and his wife
Countess Orsola, née di Balsamo. Diamantina was the tenth of their eleven children. Her aristocratic family were descended from the
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Being the first
Governor, there was not yet an official residence for the Governor and so they lived in Adelaide House (now The Deanery of
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George, Diamantina and their sixteen-month-old daughter Nina arrived in
Brisbane on Saturday 10 December 1859 on board
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as a colonial administrator and a more complete understanding of her life can be obtained by reading about his life.
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style. Its grounds were surrounded by thirty acres (twelve hectares) of riverbank land, including the
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The
Arrival & Reception of His Excellency Sir G.F. Bowen, First Governor of Queensland
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Zoe Caroline Bowen, born 28 August 1860 at Adelaide House (the temporary Government House)
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to the social tone of Brisbane through her sense of style, education and accomplishments
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She could play the piano and sing well, even with previously unseen pieces of music.
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who was political secretary of the British Protectorate, and a former Rector of the
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A final daughter, Alfreda Ernestina Albertina Bowen, was born on 10 April 1869 at
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Diamantina was very popular in Queensland and many places were named after her:
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Diamantina was involved in establishing the first Sunday School for children.
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Diamantina participated in the public life in Queensland in a number of ways:
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Her son George William Howard Bowen married Gertrude Chamberlain (daughter of
423:, London, England on 17 November 1893 from acute bronchitis. She is buried in
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387:, her mother tongue. Diamantina was frequently described as "softly spoken".
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Statue of Lady Diamantina Bowen, beside Old Government House, Brisbane, 2013
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909:, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University,
1110:, by Owen Harris, Chairman, Diamantina Health Care Museum Association Inc
932:"Four influential Greek-born Queenslanders | State Library Of Queensland"
802:, by Owen Harris, Chairman, Diamantina Health Care Museum Association Inc
519:
882:
A history of Queensland, Raymond Evans, Cambridge University Press, 2008
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Much of Diamantina's life was dictated by the career of her husband Sir
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Her daughter Alfreda married Robert Lydston Newman in October 1899 at
1046:, Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXV, Issue 3660, 12 April 1869, Page 3
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intended to be named after her birthplace, one of the Ionian islands.
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1238:, Evening Post (Wellington, New Zealand), 24 November 1899, page 5
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Her daughter Nina married Allan Campbell, a Queensland grazier.
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1091:, Wanganui Herald, Volume XII, Issue 9361, 5 March 1879, Page 2
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which were commenced at the same time under the supervision of
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Queensland Registrar-General of Births, Deaths, and Marriages
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500:. As they stepped off their vessel at a landing stage at the
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Some sources attribute her birth to 1832 but others to 1833.
1283:, The Moreton Bay Courier, Tuesday 26 February 1861, page 2
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562:(sometimes incorrectly referred to as porphyry), in the
450:, London, England. His sister Alfreda was a bridesmaid.
1249:"Gladstone, The Courier, Monday 6 January 1862, page 3"
865:, The Brisbane Courier, Monday 27 November 1893, page 6
857:, The Brisbane Courier, Monday 20 November 1893, page 5
833:, Moreton Bay Courier, Tuesday 13 December 1859, page 2
1206:. Queensland, Australia. 27 February 1896. p. 7.
983:, Moreton Bay Courier, Saturday 25 August 1860, page 2
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in 1883 accompanied by their two unmarried daughters.
1174:. Victoria, Australia. 22 February 1896. p. 11.
841:, The Brisbane Courier, Monday 6 January 1868, page 2
589:) using with a silver spade and a cedar wheelbarrow.
1025:, The Brisbane Courier, Monday 11 April 1864, page 2
849:, The Brisbane Courier, Tuesday 3 March 1868, page 3
241:Diamantina di Roma was born in 1832 or 1833 in the
1435:Diamantina, Lady Bowen (nee di Roma) digital story
464:A sculpture of Diamantina was created by sculptor
362:George William Howard Bowen, born 9 April 1864 at
721:The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute
595:Diamantina was concerned about social welfare in
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287:Venetians who had settled in the Ionian Islands
758:, at Milford Sound in Fiordland, New Zealand
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1004:, The Courier, Tuesday 29 July 1862, page 2
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846:Reception of Sir G.F. Bowen in New Zealand
356:Agnes Herbert Bowen, born 26 July 1862 at
338:Their first two children were born in the
297:(1850-1856), titular Head of State of the
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16:Wife of Governor of Queensland (1832-1893)
1390:"First lady of the house returns to OGH"
698:Diamantina Hospital for Chronic Diseases
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1469:People from the Ionian Islands (region)
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799:Contessa Diamantina di Roma, Lady Bowen
664:, a Local Government Area in Queensland
550:Meanwhile, the official residence (now
542:to charity through her active patronage
293:. Her father was the President of the
66:30 March 1883 – 6 October 1887
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1304:from the original on 22 September 2017
1150:: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
723:, the sixth research Institute of the
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349:, they had three more children there:
215:1832/1833–1893), was a noble from the
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1474:Australian people of Italian descent
1255:from the original on 29 January 2022
1210:from the original on 29 January 2022
1178:from the original on 29 January 2022
1132:from the original on 9 February 2014
1101:Contessa Diamantina Roma, Lady Bowen
838:Departure of Governor Sir G.F. Bowen
809:, Australian Dictionary of Biography
529:) which was leased for three years.
1400:from the original on 15 August 2019
1370:from the original on 15 August 2019
1298:Brisbane Diamantina Health Partners
1057:"Index to "The History of Coryton""
774:Queensland University of Technology
772:was re-opened after restoration by
751:Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital
707:Brisbane Diamantina Health Partners
486:Queensland University of Technology
299:United States of the Ionian Islands
243:United States of the Ionian Islands
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1338:from the original on 18 March 2017
913:from the original on 10 April 2021
907:Australian Dictionary of Biography
317:Palace of St Michael and St George
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944:from the original on 14 July 2022
397:Eventually the couple retired to
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713:formed in 2014 and based on the
480:. In June 2009, it was moved to
256:. Her place of birth was either
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1324:"Diamantina Health Care Museum"
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568:Brisbane City Botanic Gardens
408:Diamantina worshipped in the
289:for centuries as part of the
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685:built for the A.S.N. company
657:Diamantina River, Queensland
7:
1439:State Library of Queensland
937:State Library of Queensland
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729:Princess Alexandra Hospital
715:Princess Alexandra Hospital
702:Princess Alexandra Hospital
640:Roma Street railway station
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645:Roma Street busway station
371:Government House, Auckland
301:. He was also appointed a
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1166:"ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN NOTES"
725:University of Queensland
681:the iron paddle-wheeler
502:Brisbane Botanic Gardens
442:) on 16 January 1896 in
315:On 28 April 1856 at the
1279:29 January 2022 at the
1021:29 January 2022 at the
536:as wife of the Governor
219:who became the wife of
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470:Greek Community Centre
459:Hanover Square, London
225:Governor of Queensland
199:Diamantina, Lady Bowen
1430:at Wikimedia Commons
1332:Queensland Government
1274:Shipping Intelligence
1106:7 August 2008 at the
815:Lady Diamantina Bowen
677:Gladstone, Queensland
650:Roma Street Parklands
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425:Kensal Green cemetery
412:during retirement in
410:Greek Orthodox church
323:, Diamantina married
276:Giorgio-Candiano Roma
150:Kensal Green Cemetery
54:Governor of Hong Kong
1454:People from Brisbane
1394:Old Government House
1363:Old Government House
1234:4 March 2012 at the
1229:Anglo-Colonial Notes
1203:The Brisbane Courier
1087:4 March 2012 at the
1042:4 March 2012 at the
1000:14 July 2022 at the
979:14 July 2022 at the
770:Old Government House
689:Diamantina Orphanage
552:Old Government House
482:Old Government House
345:After their move to
862:The Late Lady Bowen
854:Death of Lady Bowen
817:, Brisbane Memories
747:Lady Bowen Hospital
742:Diamantina Hospital
662:Shire of Diamantina
607:Named in her honour
583:Ipswich, Queensland
527:St John's Cathedral
444:Holy Trinity Church
432:Richard Chamberlain
419:Diamantina died at
1358:"Social Structure"
1328:Metro South Health
1218:– via Trove.
1186:– via Trove.
617:
455:St George's Church
440:Colonial Secretary
436:Joseph Chamberlain
118:Diamantina di Roma
87:Catherine Hennessy
1426:Media related to
1396:. 5 August 2009.
901:Gilchrist, Hugh,
673:Diamantina Island
636:and consequently
466:Phillip Piperides
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520:Moreton Bay
427:in London.
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870:References
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683:Diamantina
515:Greek flag
510:Union Jack
478:Queensland
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