Alexander King Bowman CBE (1893-1976)

Diploma certificates awarded to Bowman and his wife; CBE badge and related items; obituaries and photographs of Bowman; photographs of staff and building at Dungavel Auxiliary Hospital; “Scottish Soldiers in North America” unpublished MS; published biography of Sir William Macewen; clippings relating to honorary LLD; articles by Bowman; reviews and correspondence relating to the Macewen biography; book from BMA meeting in Glasgow; passport for Bowman and his wife.

Alexander King Bowman graduated MB ChB from the University of Glasgow in 1921 and became house surgeon to Sir William Macewen. Bowman found Macewen to be a continuing influence throughout his career, and he later published a biography of Macewen that remains authoritative to this day.

In 1923 Bowman moved to Princeton, New Jersey, where he remained until 1936, eventually returning to Scotland to take up a post as medical officer in the Department of Health. He was appointed senior administrative officer in the newly created Western Regional Hospital Board in 1948 and remained in this position until his retirement in 1959.

He was a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, was created CBE in 1957, and was granted an honorary LLD by the University of Glasgow in 1960.

Access to some items may be restricted. Please contact Heritage staff at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow.

Catalogued by Andrew McAinsh, Collections Manager, April 2018.

Instruments in Museum Collection (2018/7.1-5);

Papers of A.K. Bowman’s father, Archibald Allan Bowman (1883-1936), Professor of Moral Philosophy, University of Glasgow: University of Glasgow Archive Services: GB 248 DC 077