Cowley was born in
Belfast, a son of Sir
William Percy Cowley CBE, also a Liberal and a
Deemster on the
Isle of Man. He was educated at
Radley College and
Exeter College, Oxford where he received a
Master of Arts (Hons
Jurisprudence). In 1940 he married Margaret Hazel Teare, of
Ramsey, Isle of Man. They had one son and two daughters. Cowley served during the war as a Sergeant and then a Flight Lieutenant in the
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve from 1939–45. His spitfire was shot down over the English Channel and he was taken prisoner. He was a prisoner of war in
Germany from 1941 to 1944. While a prisoner he studied law. He made numerous attempts to escape and succeeded in reaching
Switzerland where he was held by the authorities. He made a further escape to
France, where the French Resistance helped him to link up with the Allied Forces. Cowley was
called to the bar by the
Inner Temple in 1946. He based himself in
Nottingham and practised on the Midland Circuit. In 1965 he became a
Queen's Counsel. In 1969 he became Deputy Senior Judge on the Midland and Oxford Circuit. In 1972 he became a
Bencher. In 1973 he successfully acted for the
Douglas Corporation at the
Summerland fire disaster inquiry. In 1974 he became a Recorder of the Crown Court. In 1979 he was leading counsel for John Le Mesurier in
Thorpe affair trial at the
Old Bailey. During the trial, Cowley advised Le Mesurier that his best chance of acquittal was by giving evidence that could harm the other defendants, including
Jeremy Thorpe. However, Le Measurier chose not to and was acquitted along with the other defendants. In 1982 he became Senior Judge in the Sovereign Base Areas, Cyprus. In 1984 he was appointed to the Mental Health Appeal Tribunal. In August 1949 Cowley was chosen as Liberal candidate for the
Brigg division of Lincolnshire and contested the 1950 General Election, standing against
Lance Mallalieu, a former Liberal MP who held the seat for the Labour Party. The Liberal Party did not have much of a track record in the constituency and did not even contest the
1948 Brigg by-election. He finished third, though he did manage to save his deposit. He did not stand for parliament again. In 1985 he died in
Castletown, Isle of Man at the age of 66. == Electoral results ==