Albert Allan Fowler (1886 - 1937)

Born 1886 in Woolston, Southampton, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Agnes Callaghan — married Jul 1911 in West Hartlepool, Co Durham, England

Descendants

Died 31 Mar 1937 at about age 51 in 22 Wood Street, West Hartlepool, Durham, England, United Kingdom

Biography

My Grandfather Albert Allan Fowler was born in 1886 in a public house called "The White Hart Inn" in Southampton. His father John Allan Fowler was working as an 'iron rivetter' in the shipyard there. When he was less than one year old his father took the family back to his home town of Aberdeeen where they stayed ( in South Square, Fittie ) for several years. Albert's brother William was born there. Albert learned to speak in 'Fittie', and, like his father, he had a broad Aberdeen accent for the rest of his life. By 1891 the family had moved back to England, to West Hartlepool where there were several new shipyards employing many iron rivetters. This new town was expanding quickly, jobs and 'modern' new houses were available. The family set up home at 23 York Street, Stranton, West Hartlepool.

In 1891 when Albert was aged 5 his father died of Tuberculosis aged only 33. Four years later his mother Bertha Ellen re-married to James Noble a labourer, she was 25, James was 40. They lived at 42 Albert Street, West Hartlepool.

Sometime after this Albert went back to Aberdeen, living with his Aunt Jesse Fowler at 21 South Square, Fittie, he was certainly there in 1901 aged 15.

My father told me that around this time Albert had enlisted ( underage ) in the British Army and had taken part in the Boer War in South Africa for a short time. So far I've been unable to find any documentary evidence of this ( however, a lot of military records were destroyed during bombing in WW2.)

On leaving the army he returned to West Hartlepool and lived with his mother and stepfather in Albert Street, West Hartlepool. He was working as a general labourer.

Albert ( a staunch Scottish Protestant, married my Grandmother Agnes Callaghan ( a devout Catholic of Irish descent ) in 1911. They had 11 children, my father was the eighth. All the surviving children were brought up as Protestants, Albert would not allow the Catholic priest in the house.

Sometime after marriage Albert started work on the railways. He was still working as a guard on the railways, living at 22 Wood Street, West Hartlepool, when he died in 1937 aged 51. He had been ill with chronic bronchitis and emphysema and suffered a heart attack.

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Sources

• First-hand knowledge of Harry Fowler.

Footnotes

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Harry Fowler for starting this profile.

Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by Harry and others.