Charles Rennie Bowring (October 7, 1839 – January 31, 1890) was a merchant and politician born in St. John's, Newfoundland.

Whilst an infant, his family moved to Liverpool, England, where he was educated and raised as a Unitarian.

He was a junior partner of Bowring Brothers in Liverpool until he moved back to Newfoundland to become manager of the operation there.

Among all of its other ventures they also acted as the Newfoundland agent for several shipping and insurance companies, including Lloyd's of London from 1866.

In 1873, Bowring had been elected as a Conservative to the House of Assembly for the district of Bonavista Bay, and was re-elected the next year following the defeat of the anti-confederate government led by Charles Fox Bennett.