COVENTRY, Thomas. Barrister L.I. 1 July 1824; author of Concise forms in conveyancing 1827; On conveyancers’ evidence 1832; A readable edition of Coke upon Littleton 1830; author with Samuel Hughes of Analytical digested index to the common law reports 2 vols. 1827. d. Nice 19 April 1869 aged 72.
COWAN, Charles (son of Rev. Thomas Conolly Cowan, who d. Reading 1856). M.D. Edin. and L.R.C.S. Edin. 1833, M.D. Paris 1834; pres. of Hunterian Soc.; an early exponent of the science and art of auscultation; practised at Bath 1835–9, at Reading 1839 to death; senior phys. Royal Berkshire hospital 1839, the best speaker in the profession; author of A Bedside manual, or a physical diagnosis of the lungs, &c. 1836; Phrenology consistent with science and revelation 1841, and many other works. d. Reading 6 Dec. 1868 aged 62. Barker’s Photographs (1868), ii, 9–13, portrait.
COWAN, John (son of Hugh Cowan of Ayr). b. Ayr 1798; ed. at Ayr academy and Univ. of Edin.; called to Scotch bar 1822; sheriff of Kincardineshire 10 Jany. 1848; solicitor general for Scotland 18 April 1851; lord of session and lord of justiciary 23 June 1851 to Jany. 1874 with courtesy title of Lord Cowan. d. Elmbank, Edinburgh 1 Aug. 1878.
COWARD, James. b. London 25 Jany. 1824; a chorister in Westminster abbey; obtained 13 prizes for glees 1845–67; organist of Lambeth parish church; organist at Crystal palace 1857 to death; conductor of the Western Madrigal Society, Oct. 1864 to March 1872; organist of St. George’s church, Bloomsbury 1866–69, of the Sacred Harmonic Society and of Grand lodge of Freemasons; organist of St. Magnus the Martyr, London Bridge to death; published O Lord correct me an anthem, Sing unto God a canon, Airy fairy Lilian and other part songs. d. 38 Lupus st. Pimlico, London 22 Jany. 1880.
COWELL, Joseph Leathley. b. near Torquay 7 Aug. 1792; midshipman R.N. 1805–8; made his debut 23 Jany. 1812 at Devonport as Belcour in The West Indian; first appeared in London at Drury lane theatre 1812 as Samson Rawbold in Colman’s Iron Chest, acted there till 1818; composed and acted on the Lincoln circuit a three hours olio called ‘Cowell alone or a trip to London’; played at Adelphi, Drury Lane and Astley’s; first appeared in America at Park theatre, New York, Oct. 1821 in The foundling of the forest; left the Park theatre 24 July 1823; opened Philadelphia theatre at Wilmington, Delaware, Sep. 1827; acted at Adelphi and other London theatres; author of Thirty years passed among the players in England and America 2 vols. 1845. d. Vauxhall, London 14 Nov. 1863. J. N. Ireland’s Records of New York stage i, 394–5 (1866); Era 22 Nov. 1863 p. 10, col. 1.
COWELL, Samuel Houghton (son of the preceding). b. Craven buildings, Drury lane, London 5 April 1819; first appeared on the stage at Boston, U.S. 1829 as Crack in T. Knight’s Turnpike Gate; acted in all chief theatres in the U.S.; played Alessio in La Sonnambula at Surrey theatre, London 15 July 1844; acted at T.R. Edinburgh 4 years, then in London at Olympic, Princess’s and Covent Garden, at Glasgow, Belfast and Dublin; one of the leaders of the Monte Christo row at Drury Lane theatre 12 June 1848; the leading comic singer at chief music halls in London and the provinces 1851–60; sang in United States 1860–62; his best songs were Billy Barlow, Lord Lovel, The ratcatcher’s daughter, Alonzo the brave and Richard the Third; sang The Ratcatcher’s Daughter at Canterbury Arms 12 Feb. 1855 and more than 50 nights afterwards; sang Lord Lovel 600 times; composed music to his own ballads Clara Cline, The Yellow Busha-Belle, In Westminster 1855, &c. d. Crown hotel, Blandford, Dorset 11 March 1864. Rambles by Patricius Walker [W. Allingham] 1873, pp. 252–55; Tallis’s Illustrated life in London (1864) 86, 88, 89, 2 portraits; Theatrical times iii, 241–2 (1848), portrait; Illust. sporting news iii, 92 (1864), v, 268 (1866), portrait; Era 20 March 1864 p. 6, col. 2; S. Cowell’s New illustrated pocket songster 4 vols. 1856.
COWELL, William. b. Dublin 1820; connected with Broadway theatre, New York 1847; travelled with Barry Sullivan the actor as business manager 1858; wrote pamphlets in defence of the stage against attacks of Rev. Dr. Hatfield of Chicago; his pamphlets were considered as able a defence of the profession as ever written. d. Philadelphia 24 Feb. 1868.
COWELL-STEPNEY, Sir John Stepney, 1 Baronet (elder son of Andrew Cowell of Coleshill, Bucks., general who commanded brigade of guards in Irish rebellion, and d. 21 Sep. 1821). b. 23 Feb. 1791; ensign Coldstream guards 18 May 1809, captain 15 June 1830 to 22 May 1832 when he sold out; served in 6 campaigns under Duke of Wellington and Lord Lynedoch; assumed additional surname of Stepney 29 Dec. 1857; sheriff of Carmarthen 1862; M.P. for Carmarthen 1868–74; K.H. 1832; created baronet 22 Sep. 1871; author of Leaves from the diary of an officer of the Guards 1854. d. 5 St. George’s place, London 15 May 1877. T. Nicholas’s County families of Wales i, 282 (1872).
COWEN, Sir Joseph (eld. son of John Cowen of Winlaton, Durham). b. Greenside, Durham, Feb. 1800; a fire brick and clay retort manufacturer; alderman of Newcastle; chairman of Gateshead Board of Guardians; appointed by act of parliament a life member of Tyne improvement commission, chairman of this commission; M.P. for Newcastle upon Tyne, July 1865 to death; knighted at Buckingham palace 14 March 1872. d. Stella hall near Blaydon-on-Tyne 19 Dec. 1873. I.L.N. lxiv, 22, 36 (1874), portrait, lxviii, 35 (1876).
COWEN, William. b. Rotherham, Yorkshire; landscape painter; exhibited at Society of Artists 1811, at British Institution 1823–60, at the R.A. 1824–39; published Yorkshire scenery from drawings by W. Cowen 1826; a series of 12 etchings of Corsica 1843 included in his Six weeks in Corsica 1848; contributed view of Kilchurn castle, Loch Awe to fresco competition in Westminster hall 1844. d. about 1860.