A team research project by Alan Bowles, David Cooper and Tom LaPorte

The earliest record of a Bowles in Essex that I have found is one from 1480 when John Bolle of Kent held a joint lease on Southchurch Hall which today is the oldest standing building in Essex.  ref.   ref.

Most of the Bowles records I received were concentrated in the Colchester area chiefly at Halstead, Earl's Colne and Wake's Colne to the northwest and at Kelvedon to the southwest.  These two areas are about 5 to 8 miles apart so their records can be considered together.  The Estate of Kelvedon came into the possession of the Bolles of Swineshead and Haugh, Lincolnshire in 1464 but they sold it again in 1469 ref. and it's not known if the Bowles of that area are their descendants.

I have also found a large number of Bowles references at Romford. 

The Bowles of Eltham, co. Kent also had a connection to Essex.  Humphrey Bowles (see 2.3.12 in the Bowles of Eltham family tree) bought Wanstead Grove near Romford in 1759 and the property was passed down through several generations until it was sold in 1849.  Also from the Eltham line, the Rev. George Cranley Bowles (see 2.3.12.4.1.2 in the Bowles of Eltham family tree) was the Rector of East Thorpe from 1845 until his death in 1878.

The lone Bowles of Great Bromley reference was married at Halstead so I've included it with the Bowles of Colchester mentioned above.  There are a few records at Waltham Abbey and at Great Waltham which have not yet been connected up but I've also included them under Colchester. 

I have heard something of a Bowles line at Tollesbury but not in enough detail to include specific information here yet.  However in this same area there are references for Bowles at Maldon,  Heybridge, Ulting, Woodham Walter and at Hatfield Peveril. See the Bowles on the Blackwater Estuary