Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

My research time has now been directed to this gentleman who won both the Military Medal and Meritorious Service Medal for his bravery during WW1.

I know he was the son of Joseph Henry Mowe and Ellen Mowe, both of 4 Lingholme Road, St Helens. William was born in March 1896. He was still registered as living there during WW1 as his name appears on the AVL.

I have found him on the 1911 Census and via the St Helens Cemetery search, the burial place of his parents and maternal grand parents. I can not however find when he died or where he was buried/cremated.

All his male relatives seemed to work for Pilkingtons and my assumption is that he was also employed by the company.

I have as yet been unable to find any mention of him in the local papers.


Williams medals: from left to right, top to bottom.

Military Medal, British War Medal

Victory Medal, Meritorious Service Medal

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This is a copy of William's MM Citation. The sharp eyed will have noticed that his service number is wrong; The 2 and 3 having been transposed. This error is also present on his Medal Index Card.

Hi Mark
Good luck with your search. I know you will be like a dog with a bone.
What about his brothers from 1901 census, can you connect to them and their offsprings?
Frederick H 10 & Albert 1.
Their Mum Ellen came from Brierley Hill Staffs, Dad Joseph from St Helens.
Not much help Mark sorry.

Tina

Thanks Tina,

It was interested to note where thier mother was from as I bought the medals from a chap who lived in the Wet Midlands. I wonder if a member of the family returned "home"?

Fascinating stuff this family history; maybe I'll do my own one day!!

Kind regards

Mark

Don't give Tina the challenge, she'll have it done for you in two minutes flat!!

Mary

I might have to challenge to my wife's family: Irish and Scottish. I believe the Irish aspect would prove difficult?

Mark

It's not the easiest, although there is more available than we used to think, particularly the 1911 and much of the 1901 census.

It's nice if you can get over there, maybe a holiday and do a little research at the same time.

Thank you Mary for a lovely compliment, however did someone mention Ireland research?

I've just booked myself to 6 months away on an ice-breaker to Antarctica.
No Internet..

Tina x

Tina,

Is it really that bad? I think I'll stick to the military stuff!

Colette's G Grandfather was killed at Galipolli with the 6th Btn South Lancashire Regiment-William O'Connor.

I hope you are well.

Mark

Just joshing Mark.
Mary is right, tramping around Ireland would be a great way to start and a holiday as well.
I will buy a poppy next Anzac Day for William O'Connor.
No I'm not well at the mo, full of a rotten head cold and a raw throat.
AT least me feet haven't turned into trotters....although I could murder a bacon butty!! Typical scouser, never loose their appetite..

Warmies from a very cold Oz (coldest July for 20 yrs)

Tina

I have spoken with a friend of mine who runs a bakery in Cambridge Road, St Helens. He remembers delivering to Mr and Mrs Mowe in the 1960's. He also mentioned that they were part of the congregation at the Methodist Church that stood near where ASDA is today.

Even with this help I can't find his death/burial.

The Christmas challenge is.......!

Have a good one

Mark

Hi Mark
A good breakthrough from your baker friend.
I wish you and your family a peaceful and safe Christmas.
Good luck with your searches in 2010.
Your work is much appreciated, I'm sure, by many.
Tina

If anyone is visiting St Helens library in the next few days, I wonder if they would be so good as to check "The Cullet" for a notice of his death.

Many thanks.

Mark

Stephen Nulty has sent me the following email:

"There is a marriage record in West Derby, Q4/1920 between William Mowe and Gertrude Evans. Would you think this is yer man?.

The only death record for a "Gertrude Mowe" is for a woman born in 1896 and who died in April 1988 in Horsham, Sussex, so she could be the woman referred to in the marriage.

Now it gets interesting....well, speculative but who knows?

There are two births registered for Mowe with Mother's Maiden Name of Evans; Norman (1922, St Asaph) and Eric (1928, Hendon). In 1957, Eric appears to have married Doreen Sharpe and they have two children, Deborah (1958) and William (1960).

Then in 1991, there is a marriage between Deborah Mowe and Michael Foxon in Horsham!

So my scenario is that William marries Gertrude and they move around a little and have their children, but at some point in time we lose sight of William. Their son Eric marries Doreen, and have daughter Deborah. Deborah can be seen to be living in Horsham in 1991 when she married Michael Foxon, and Gertrude is also recorded as dying in Horsham in 1988.

I would have a bet that Deborah was the informant of her grandmother's death.

But are these people related to William? Might be worth investing in a marriage certificate for William/Gertrude, then taking it from there.

Or just see if you can find Deborah Foxon and ask her! There's a record of a daughter being born in Haywards Heath in 1994, suggesting that they're still around there.

Interesting, eh? "

Why can't we find William?

A very puzzled Mark

Hi Mark
what are the dates of deaths for Williams parents. Next time I,m in Huyton I will look up their obits in the Prescot Reporter to see if we can narrow down the search.

Katie,

Thank you for the offer!

Joseph Henry Mowe died 3q 1934

Ellen Mowe died 3q 1950

Any info would be most welcome!

Best wishes

Mark

Hi Mark

I was hoping to find a funeral report in the Prescot Reporter, however all there was a Obit notice which reads:

Prescot Reporter 3rd August 1934

MOWE on July 31st at 4 Lingholme Road Joseph Henry beloved husband of Ellen Mowe aged 67 years. He was buried on the 4th August 1934 at St helens Cemetery.

For Ellen there was a Thanks for Sympathy Entry. Which reads:

Prescot Reporter 11th August 1950


MOWE,= The family of the late Mrs Ellen Mowe sincerely thank all relatives friends and neighbours, also Rev. W. Daglish for their kind expressions of sympathy and beautiful floral tributes received during their sad bereavement - 69 Rivington Road.


I will see if they placed an obit in the Liverpool Echo, if not you could ask the staff at St Helens to look in the St Helens Star for the dates above to see if there is anymore information.

But you now have two addresses if anyone wants to look up the electoral rolls to see who was residing in the house.

Kathy,

Very many thanks for that; really appreciated.

I have received the following from another forum:

"Might be coincidence but a William & Gertrude Mowe arrived in New York aboard the Mauritania on 18 May 1954 sailing from Southampton - both described as visitors.

The same couple are listed as returning to Southampton on 18 June 1954 aboard the Scythia. Their ages are given as 57 and their home address is 28 Danethorpe Road, Wembley Middlesex.

Also found this William Mowe death registered 1958 age 61 at Weston Super Mare,

Gertrude Mowe b 25 Sept 1896 death registered 1988 age 91 Horsham, Sussex"

Is this "my" man?

I now have a copy of the Death Certificate for the William Mowe who lived in Western Super Mare; no help at all!!

I am back to square one with this. Help!!

Mark

Hi Mark I havent found anything else on William but I am having a sort through my newspapers and I have the Roll of Honour for St Helens Rec Cricket Club and recorded on it is:

W. Mowe W L St Helens Engineers

is he the same man