 He played his first match on 8 February 1890 against Ireland and his last match on 12 March 1894 against England.He played at club level for Shrewsbury Town, of which he was a founder player, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers prior to beginning his practice as a solicitor.Bowdler was born in 1870, son of John Charles Bowdler, a Shrewsbury solicitor.