[6] Bowlby's first post after ordination was as a curate at St Luke's, Pallion, Sunderland 1952–1956.
He was then priest in charge of St Aidan's, Billingham (1956-1966) and Vicar of Croydon (1966-1972) before his ordination to the episcopate.
[7] Bowlby was nominated to Newcastle on 27 November 1972 and consecrated 6 January 1973.
[8] He remained an honorary fellow at Trinity College, Oxford.
After his retirement from his last bishopric he lived in Shrewsbury, Shropshire,[10] dying in December 2019 at the age of 93.