weshallremember Posted 16 February , 2022 Share Posted 16 February , 2022 good afternoon i have a puzzle to solve looking for information about james bowker possible re-marriage james bowker born 8th april 1979 hanging heaton yorkshire father was joseph bowker mother was mary bowker maidon name robinson mary died in 1890 james married alice kelley on 24th oct 1898 james and alice sems to have split up as they were each living with their own parents in 1901 census. now the tricky part james was a dyer (cotton) by trade but seems to have disappeared not found on 1911 census now on find my grave ( dont know how accurate the info is ) there is a james bowker listed as died in canada with correct birth and age and family details as the man i am looking for who apparently married in 1903 miss mary a billett born 1879 in dorset ( married in canada ?? ) can anyone help with details of miss mary a billet or any marriage details that would confirm that this is the correct james bowker the other weird thing is if they were married in 1903 how come his first wife alice was still listed as alice bowker and married on the 1911 uk census and was re-married to ernest swallow in 1920 still under the name of alice bowker possible james going to canada in 1906 again weird if he was married in 1903 thanks trevor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrmh Posted 16 February , 2022 Share Posted 16 February , 2022 Mothers maiden name Davis if that helps: BILLETT, MARY ANN DAVIS GRO Reference: 1879 J Quarter in WAREHAM Volume 05A Page 303 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWK Posted 16 February , 2022 Share Posted 16 February , 2022 (edited) A short bio of James : Quote JAMES BOWKER. One of the most popular and efficient public officials of Lethbridge was James Bowker, late chief of police. He was born in Yorkshire, England, on the 8th of April, 1879, a son of Joseph and Mary (Robinson) Bowker, likewise natives of Yorkshire. The father was a dyer and chemist by trade and at one time operated a dye works on his own account. The remainder of the time he worked as a foreman in large factories in Eng- land. Mr. and Mrs. Bowker died in their native country, where they were consistent communicants of the Church of England. To their union nine children were born, James being the sixth in order of birth. Etc.... More on : https://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/john-blue/alberta-past-and-present--historical-and-biographical-volume-3-eul/page-43-alberta-past-and-present--historical-and-biographical-volume-3-eul.shtml And photo of his grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/116478252/james-bowker Edited 16 February , 2022 by JWK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weshallremember Posted 16 February , 2022 Author Share Posted 16 February , 2022 JAMES BOWKER.One of the most popular and efficient public officials of Lethbridge wasJames Bowker, late chief of police. He was born in Yorkshire, England,on the 8th of April, 1879, a son of Joseph and Mary (Robinson) Bowker,likewise natives of Yorkshire. The father was a dyer and chemist bytrade and at one time operated a dye works on his own account. Theremainder of the time he worked as a foreman in large factories in Eng-land. Mr. and Mrs. Bowker died in their native country, where they wereconsistent communicants of the Church of England. To their union ninechildren were born, James being the sixth in order of birth.James Bowker received his education in the elementary and churchschools of Yorkshire and subsequently entered an apprenticeship in a dyeworks, working under his father. Upon the completion of his apprentice-ship as a dyeing chemist, he enlisted, in 1899, in the Boer war, going toSouth Africa as a member of the King's Own York Light Infantry. Heenlisted as a private and was honorably discharged as a sergeant. Hespent two years in active service in Africa, and upon his return to Eng-land accepted a position as manager of a dye works and subsequentlybecame a member of the police force at Yorkshire. He was active in thatconnection until in the early part of the twentieth century, when he cameto Canada and located in Montreal. There he followed his trade for sometime and later removed to Nova Scotia and thence to Philadelphia. In1907 he came to Alberta and located at Lethbridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weshallremember Posted 16 February , 2022 Author Share Posted 16 February , 2022 WOW OK SO HE ENLISTED IN 1899 ARE THERE ANY DETAILS OF WHEN HE WENT TO SOUTH AFRICA BUT WAS STILL ON THE 1901 CENSUS AS A DYER ?????????? AND WHERE AND WHEN DID HE MARRY MISS A BILLET?????? IT WAS MENTIONED AS 1903 THE OTHER QUESTION ON MY MIND WAS HE DIVORCED FROM ALICE??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWK Posted 16 February , 2022 Share Posted 16 February , 2022 (edited) 42 minutes ago, weshallremember said: BUT WAS STILL ON THE 1901 CENSUS AS A DYER ?????????? "he enlisted, in 1899, in the Boer war, going to South Africa as a member of the King's Own York Light Infantry. He enlisted as a private and was honorably discharged as a sergeant. He spent two years in active service in Africa, and upon his return to England accepted a position as manager of a dye works" The family on the 1916 Canadian census (also here) No answer to all the other questions I'm afraid. Edited 16 February , 2022 by JWK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weshallremember Posted 16 February , 2022 Author Share Posted 16 February , 2022 very sad as he had a son by his first marriage who was killed in ww1 percy was born 4th jan 1899 59935 PTE P. BOWKER 1ST/ 5TH BAT NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS 50TH DIVISION 149TH BRIGADE KILLED IN ACTION 3RD BATTLE OF AISNE 27/5/18 AGED 19 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weshallremember Posted 16 February , 2022 Author Share Posted 16 February , 2022 MANY THANKS TO JWK THE LAST PIECES OF THE JIGSAW IF AT ALL POSSIBLE IS THERE ANY REFERENCES OR MEDAL ROLLS TO HIM IN THE BOER WAR AND WHERE DID HE MARRY MARY ANN BILLETT IN 1903 THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP TREVOR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrmh Posted 16 February , 2022 Share Posted 16 February , 2022 One reference, but don’t know what it says: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weshallremember Posted 16 February , 2022 Author Share Posted 16 February , 2022 yes did find this but confused with the record date 1908 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrmh Posted 16 February , 2022 Share Posted 16 February , 2022 It may just be the date the medal was issued? Not sure though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 16 February , 2022 Share Posted 16 February , 2022 James bowker 354 won a military medal in WWI with KOYLI so perhaps not your man? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helpjpl Posted 16 February , 2022 Share Posted 16 February , 2022 ancestry has a list of individuals entitled to the South Africa Medal and Clasps and among them is a Private J Bowker: JP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark1959 Posted 16 February , 2022 Share Posted 16 February , 2022 There is a Bowker J - Service Coy, 1st Vol Battalion KOYLI. 7513. In the Boer War medal rolls here. There is a Dorset Mary Ann Billett - father Frederick - who married a chap called Bonfield in 1901. One ancestry tree suggest they both died in 1902 but no evidence of that, Cannot find a Bowker-Bonfield marriage either Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 16 February , 2022 Share Posted 16 February , 2022 (edited) The only J Bowker I could see on the KOYLI roll for South Africa was a private, 7513. Actually there are two rolls. But this number turns up a service record for a John Bowker of Clayton, Lancashire, son of Jane Ann who attested Lancashire and was discharged underage. So the service record cannot be same man as on Roll but bit of a coincidence? Ignoring that last para, then I think the medal roll, one of which is headed 1st Vol BN, is your James because he was part of the Batley contingent that returned per this newspaper article Nov 1900. He was still in the Volunteers 1902. "The British Newspaper Archive | findmypast.co.uk" https://search.findmypast.co.uk/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0000076%2f19001128%2f011&stringtohighlight=bowker yorkshire light Edited 16 February , 2022 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 16 February , 2022 Share Posted 16 February , 2022 (edited) A May 1902 article says James Bowker of the Batley Volunteers was going to attend the coronation proceedings in London. "The British Newspaper Archive | findmypast.co.uk" https://search.findmypast.co.uk/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0002857%2f19020530%2f107&stringtohighlight=bowker batley volunteers Note- the last mention of him seems to be march 1903 with the volunteers. Edited 16 February , 2022 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weshallremember Posted 16 February , 2022 Author Share Posted 16 February , 2022 so did he spend two years active service in south africa and end up a sergeant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 16 February , 2022 Share Posted 16 February , 2022 Rank. Bowker is a private on the SthAfrica roll and a Corporal on the newspaper articles. I cannot post a snippet of the FmP press articles because I don't know how to. Hence only the links. Can anyone else help me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travers61 Posted 16 February , 2022 Share Posted 16 February , 2022 The marriage to Mary A Billett is given as October 1903 in the Alberta Past & Present extract, which is the source of the info in the findagrave entry. The Canadian 1916 census gives his entry to Canada as 1905 & Mary's as 1906. This gap is usual and happened in our family, the husband going over first to get work, then getting the wife to come over, maybe once he had saved her fare. In the meanwhile she may have been living with relatives in the UK. The oldest child showing in the bio & the census, James was born Alberta 1908/9, so this fits with starting a family once established in Canada. Assuming there were no older children who did not survive. I could not clarify the marriage or entry dates from the 1921 Canadian Census index as have failed to find James, Mary & family there. Maybe any of the children's birth certs or James or Mary's death certs can help. If the birth certs are like the British Columbia ones I have seen they would at least have mothers birth place and number of children (inc still borns ) from the marriage. Old Alberta certs are available here for what looks like Can$ 5.25. https://provincialarchives.alberta.ca/how-to/search-your-genealogy Also maybe this Alberta Genealogy Group can help ? https://afhs.ab.ca In Victorian times (not sure when it stopped) when divorce for the majority of the population was too expensive etc it was common to remarry after seven years of desertion/not hearing from spouse without fear of prosecution for bigamy. The second marriage was of course "technically" void, but it was a usual practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaySearching Posted 16 February , 2022 Share Posted 16 February , 2022 Me thinks James Bowker and Mary Ann Bonfield (nee Billett) the daughter of Frederick and Eliza Ann Billett (nee Davis) both abandoned their respective partners, and eloped together to Canada where they started a new live together Where they may or not have legally married (I have been known to be wrong) Now is this the 1st marriage of the Mary Ann Billett in question There is a WFA pension card in respect of Alice Bowker in respect of the son KIA Alice Bowker remarried on the 18th Dec 1920 Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaySearching Posted 16 February , 2022 Share Posted 16 February , 2022 are James or Mary Ann listed on any passenger lists traveling to Canada and in what year ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 16 February , 2022 Share Posted 16 February , 2022 (edited) There is a 1907 passenger list Liverpool to Halifax with Albert Bonfield a 30 year old stonemason and his 27 year old wife Mary. Albert Edwin Bonfield who married Mary Billett 1901, was a stonemason b 1876 and Mary was born c 1879. So I suggest any bust-up happened in Canada. Edited 16 February , 2022 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaySearching Posted 16 February , 2022 Share Posted 16 February , 2022 6 minutes ago, charlie962 said: There is a 1907 passenger list Liverpool to Halifax with Albert Bonfield a 30 year old stonemason and his 27 year old wife. Albert Edwin Bonfield who married Mary Billett 1901, was a stonemason b 1876 which indicates I have the wrong Mary Ann Billett then Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weshallremember Posted 16 February , 2022 Author Share Posted 16 February , 2022 NOW THIS IS DEFINITLEY GETTING WEIRD WHAT ARE THE ODDS OF 2 MARY BILLETTS GOING TO CANADA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 16 February , 2022 Share Posted 16 February , 2022 8 minutes ago, RaySearching said: which indicates I have the wrong Mary Ann Billett then Ray Or the shipping record is not him? If a rule was broken somewhere then the story may have been adapted for the audience and dates changed to avoid embarrassment? 1 minute ago, weshallremember said: 2 MARY BILLETTS No, 2 Mary Bonfields. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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