Charles Gowen

Courtesy BCA A-05110

    Charles Gowen was one of Victoria's most remarkable, albeit eccentric entrepreneurs.

    He was born in London, England.  He went to California in 1849 where he prospected for gold.  In the following ten years he operated a boarding house,  hotel,  freight business,  chair factory and  bowling alley.  In 1858, on his way to the Fraser River gold fields, Gowen passed through Victoria.  He returned with his profits in 1860 at which time he and his partner, Frank Laumeister, opened a saloon and purchased a share of the Victoria Brewery.  At this time, Gowen was not a brewer by trade, a fact that is quite evident in his previous business dealings, but he learned the craft of brewing in this venture.  

    The brewing business did not stop Gowen from investing in other ventures.  In 1862, Gowen was a participant in the scheme to import camels to the Fraser gold fields.

    In 1866, Gowen sold the Victoria brewery, mined for a short time, and moved back to Victoria to open a flour mill and distillery with Laumeister and Joseph Loewen.

    In 1868, Gowen opened the Phoenix brewery which turned into one of the most successful breweries in Victoria.