John Alexander McLeod Bowie (1877 - 1960)

Born 10 Feb 1877 in Elgin, Moray, Scotland

Husband of Elizabeth (Gerrard) Bowie — married 29 Mar 1905 in Elgin, Moray, Scotland

Died 14 May 1960 at age 83 in Farnham, Hampshire, England

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Biography

John Bowie was born in Scotland.

John Alexander McLeod Bowie was born in Elgin on 10 February 1877 and was the son of John Bowie and Margaret McLeod.^[1]

On the 1881 census, John is living in Burnside House, Elgin, with his parents and siblings. His father is a journeyman shoemaker.^[2] On the 1891 census, John is living with his parents at Crossley, Elgin, where he is attending school. Five more siblings have been born.^[3]

John married Elizabeth Gerrard in Forres, Moray, on 29 March 1905. The marriage certificate confirms William and Ann as Elizabeth's adoptive parents and notes John is a police constable.^[4] Elizabeth and John settled in Moray and had seven children, however they eventually moved down to Surrey.

1. Elizabeth Margaret Ann (Bowie) Miller (1906–2004)
2. Kathleen McLeod (Bowie) Harrison (1907–1991)
3. Bella (Bowie) Puddock (1908–1995)
4. James Gerrard Bowie (1909–1997)
5. John Walker Coutts Bowie (1911–1942)
6. Jean Mary (Bowie) Calder (1912–2003)
7. William Robert Bowie (1914–1941)

On the 1911 census, John, a police constable, and Elizabeth are living at 55 Main St, Elgin, with their children: Elma (5 years), Kathleen (3 years), Belle (2 years) and James (1 year).^[5]

On the 1921 census, John, a lance sergeant, and Elizabeth are living at 31 St Michael's Road, Aldershot, Surrey, with their children: Elizabeth (15 years), Kathleen (14 years), Belle (13 years), James (11 years), John (10 years), Jean (8 years) and William (6 years).^[6]

On the 1939 Register, John, a widower, is living in Aldershot, Hampshire, with his daughter, Edna (Elizabeth), who is staying with him while her husband is on war duty. John is working as a printer's timekeeper.^[7] The Second World War would take its toll on the family as John would lose two sons, John Coutts Walker Bowie and William Robert Bowie, as well as his son-in-law, Robert Alexander Miller, who was married to his daughter, Elizabeth.

John Alexander McLeod Bowie died, aged 83 years, on 14 May 1960.^[8]

Census Records

1881 Scotland Census

• James Bowie, Head, Married, 28 years, Journeyman Shoemaker, Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland
• Maggie Bowie, Wife, Married, 27 years, Lochbroom, Ross-shire, Scotland
• John Bowie, Son, Single, 4 years, Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland
• James Bowie, Son, Single, 3 years, Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland
• Isabella Bowie, Daughter, Single, 2 years, Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland
• Mary J Bowie, Daughter, Single, 10 months, Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland

1891 Scotland Census

• Margaret M Bowie, Head, Widowed, 37 years, Lochbroom, Ross-shire, Scotland
• John Bowie, Son, Single, 14 years, Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland
• James Bowie, Son, Single, 13 years, Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland
• Isabella Bowie, Daughter, Single, 12 years, Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland
• Mary Ann Bowie, Daughter, Single, 10 years, Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland
• Jeanie Bowie, Daughter, Single, 8 years, Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland
• Robert Bowie, Son, Single, 7 years, Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland
• Elizabeth Bowie, Daughter, Single, 6 years, Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland
• Thomas Bowie, Son, Single, 5 years, Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland
• William Bowie, Son, Single, 4 years, Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland

1911 Scotland Census

• John Bowie, Head, Married, 34 years, Police Constable, Elgin, Moray, Scotland
• Elizabeth Bowie, Wife, Married, 34 years, Gamrie, Banffshire, Scotland
• Elma (Elizabeth) Bowie, Daughter, Single, 5 years, Elgin, Moray, Scotland
• Kathleen Bowie, Daughter, Single, 3 years, Elgin, Moray, Scotland
• Belle Bowie, Daughter, Single, 2 years, Elgin, Moray, Scotland
• James Bowie, Son, Single, 1 year, Elgin, Moray, Scotland

1921 England Census

• John Bowie, Head, Married, 44 years, Lance Sergeant, Elgin, Moray, Scotland
• Elizabeth Gerrard Bowie, Wife, Married, 44 years, Gamrie, Banffshire, Scotland
• Elizabeth Margaret Bowie, Daughter, Single, 15 years, Elgin, Moray, Scotland
• Kathleen Bowie, Daughter, Single, 14 years, Elgin, Moray, Scotland
• Belle Bowie, Daughter, Single, 13 years, Elgin, Moray, Scotland
• James Gerrard Bowie, Son, Single, 11 years, Elgin, Moray, Scotland
• John Walker Coutts Bowie, Son, Single, 10 years, Elgin, Moray, Scotland
• Jean Bowie, Daughter, Single, 8 years, Elgin, Moray, Scotland
• William Bowie, Son, Single, 6 years, Elgin, Moray, Scotland

1939 Register England & Wales

• John Bowie, Head, Widowed, 62 years, 10 Feb 1877, Printer's Timekeeper
• Jean M Bowie, Daughter, Single, 27 years, 10 Jul 1912, Paper Worker
• Elma Miller, Daughter, Married, 33 years, 28 Jan 1906

Sources

1. ↑ BOWIE, JOHN ALEXANDER (Statutory registers Births 135/ 29 Elgin) Scotlands People
2. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1881 Scotland Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. Parish: Elgin; ED: 16; Page: 14; Line: 5; Roll: cssct1881_39. Original data: Scotland. 1881 Scotland Census. Reels 1-338. General Register Office for Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland.
3. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1891 Scotland Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007.Parish: Elgin; ED: 15; Page: 15; Line: 10; Roll: CSSCT1891_38. Original data: Scotland. 1891 Scotland Census. Reels 1-409. General Register Office for Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland.
4. ↑ GERRARD, ELIZABETH (Statutory registers Marriages 135/ 17 Elgin) Scotlands People
5. ↑ Scotland Census, 1911|National Records of Scotland, Ref: 135/ 20/ 12|ScotlandsPeople (accessed 5 July 2023)|John Bowie (34) in Elgin, Morayshire in Elgin registration district in Scotland.
6. ↑ 1921 Census Of England & Wale|Archive: The National Archives; Series: RG 15; Piece number: 03250; Page: 2; District reference: RD 34 RS 2 ED 14|FindmyPast (accessed 5 July 2023)
7. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1939 England and Wales Register [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2018. The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/2313F.
8. ↑ Ancestry.com. England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2007. General Register Office; United Kingdom; Volume: 5g; Page: 917.