Thomas William Bowlby (7 January 1818 – 22 September 1860) was a British correspondent for The Times in Germany and China in the 19th century.

In 1860, Bowlby was engaged to travel to China as the special correspondent of The Times to cover the Second Opium War, which was fought by the Chinese Qing Empire against the British and French.

Lord Elgin and Baron Gros were his fellow passengers on the steamship SS Malabar, which sank in Galle harbour on 22 May 1860 after being beached in a severe storm.

[2] In retaliation for the treatment of the delegation, the British and French burnt down the Qing Emperor's Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) in Beijing.

He was survived by his widow and five young children, among whom included the surgeon Sir Anthony Alfred Bowlby.