Lionel Frost Bowen was born 28 December 1922 in Sydney. Mr Bowen was educated at Kensington Public school and Marist Brothers Secondary School (Randwick). He obtained an LLB from the University of Sydney.
Mr Bowen was an Alderman of Randwick Municipal Council 1948 to 1962, Mayor in 1950 to 1951 and 1955 to 1956. He was a Councillor, Sydney County Council, from 1957 to 1962.

From 1962 to 1969 Mr Bowen was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as the member for Randwick.  In 1969 he was elected as the Labor member to the House of Representatives for the Federal seat of Kingsford-Smith.

Mr Bowen had numerous ministerial appointments, including:

Postmaster-General in December 1972 until June 1974;
Special Minister of State and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister from November 1973 to June 1975;
Minister for Manufacturing Industry June to November 1975;
Deputy Prime Minister from March 1983 to 1990;
Minister for Trade March 1983 to December 1984;
Minister assisting the Prime Minister for Commonwealth-State Relations from March 1983 to 1990;
Leader of the House July 1983 to January 1984;
Attorney-General from December 1984 to 1990.

Mr Bowen was Deputy Leader of the Federal Parliamentary Australian Labor Party from 22 December 1977 until his retirement on 24 March 1990.  
In 1989 Mr Bowen became the longest serving ALP minister in Federal Parliament.

Mr Bowen served as Chairman of the Council of the Australian National Gallery from 1 January 1991 to 1994.
 
On 26 January 1991 Mr Bowen was named in the Australia Day Honours List as receiving the Companion of the Order of Australia.

SOURCES
 
WHO'S WHO IN AUSTRALIA, 1988
WHO'S WHO IN AUSTRALIA, 1992
WHO'S WHO IN AUSTRALIA, 1996
PARLIAMENTARY HANDBOOK, 1988
Sydney Morning Herald, 26 January 1991.