The Flag setup of Queensland
“The question of where the Maltese cross came from”
The Right Hon. Sir George Ferguson Bowen GCMG, (1821-99). In 1854 George Bowen served as the chief secretary of government in the Ionian Islands and Malta. Former Governor of Queensland 1859-68; New Zealand 1868-73; Victoria 1873-79; Mauritius 1879-83 and Hong Kong 1883-87. Bowen retired to England after his tenure as Governor of Hong Kong, and was appointed as a chief of a Royal Commission which was sent to Malta with regard to the new constitution for the island in December 1887. All recommendations made by Bowen were adopted. Afterwards, Bowen served as a privy councillor in Great Britain.
His first wife, Countess Diamantina di Roma (d. 1893) was of Ionian and Maltese descent through her mother Orsola Balsamo (in Maltese Balsano) and also two of her ancestress were Maltese.
Francesco di Roma, Chancellor du Pretoire in Zante 1625, married (1) 1637 to Bianca Mocenigo, married (2) 1649 to Isabella Squiro, with issue.
1. Candino di Roma, (1635-), Receiver of Imports in Moree, married 1668 to Giulia Ventura (d/o Stamatello), with issue. 1.1. Francesco di Roma, (1670-1742), Defended Corfu in 1716, 1727 and 1731. Created Conte 1723 by the Venetian Empire and a Colonel, married 1724 Birgu Malta to Faustina Serra, with issue. 1.1.1. Conte Giorgio di Roma, (1725-96), Senator of Venice, Consul of Venice in Arcadia 1780., married 1767 to Diamantina dei Conti Capnissi, with issue. 1.1.1.1. Conte Dionyssios di Roma, (1771-1857), Consul of Venice in Moree, Ambassador in Paris 1810., married 1797 to Adriana Stavraki-Locatelli, with issue. 1.1.1.1.1. Conte Giorgio -Candiano di Roma, (1798-1860), created “d’Altresse”., married to Orsola dei Conti Balsamo, with issue. 1.1.1.1.1.1. Conte Nicolas di Roma, (1823-75), Greek Army, married to Roxanne Spiro-Paul, with issue. 1.1.1.1.1.2. Conte Camillo di Roma, (1825-), married to Adele Knekitch, (sister of the Princess of Montenegro), dsp. 1.1.1.1.1.3. Conte Spiridion di Roma, (1826-81), Deputy of Zante, married to Princess Aspanie Mourousi, with issue. 1.1.1.1.1.4. Conte Candiano-Cesar di Roma, (1827-92), ADC to King Otto of Greece, married to Maria Kosaki Tipaldo, with issue. 1.1.1.1.1.5. Conte Giorgio di Roma, (1832-1910), dunm. 1.1.1.1.1.6. Conte Pierre di Roma, (1833-1914), Deputy in Braila in Roumania, married (1) to Princess Sophia Ypsilanti, married (2) to Marie Vogoridi, with issue. 1.1.1.1.1.7. Conte Robert di Roma, (1834-1920), Deputy in Zante, dunm. 1.1.1.1.1.8. Contessa Diamantina di Roma, (d. 1893), married 1856 to Sir George Ferguson Bowen GCMG, with issue. 1.1.1.1.2. Conte Giorgio-Demetrio di Roma, (1806-74), Professor in Bologna, Deputy in Zante, married to Luisa de Rossi, with issue. 1.1.1.1.2.1. Contessa Susanne di Roma, (1846-1903), married to Conte Giovanni Comuto. 1.1.1.1.2.2. Conte Ludovico di Roma, (1848-1907), Deputy in Zante, dunm. 1.1.1.2. Contessa Chryssula di Roma, married to Antonio Micalizzi. 1.1.2. Conte Zan-Dario di Roma, (1728-31), d.inf. 1.1.3. Contessa Maria di Roma, (1737-), married 1759 to Nicolo Siguro. Reference: 1. http://www.health.qld.gov.au/pahospital/history/contessa_roma.asp