Eric Cuthbert Towner DSC RNR (1894 - 1950)

Born 18 Jul 1894 in Eastborne, Sussex, England

Ancestors

Husband of Margaret Galloway MacIntyre — married 18 Oct 1919 in All Saints, Notting Hill, Kensington, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom

Died 8 Oct 1950 at age 56 in At sea

Biography

Eric Cuthbert Towner was born in 1894. ^[1] In 1901 aged 6 he was living with his father, a teacher of shorthand, his mother and elder brother, Harold, at 26 Mill Rd. in Eastbourne. ^[2]

Eric was indentured into the Merchant Navy with the company Jno Stewart and Co, on the 27th of January 1910 when he was 15 years old. ^[3]

At All Saints Church in Notting Hill on the 18th of October 1918 he married Margaret Galloway MacIntyre. ^[4]

Eric Towner served in the Royal Navy Reserve during World War II and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in 1943. ^[5]

In 1950 he was serving aboard the cargo vessel "Fred Borchard". On the 8th of October off the Lofoten Islands she encountered a dreadful storm with shocking visibility. By 11.40 am her pumps were clogged with coal dust, the engine room and stoke hold were full of water and the cargo of timber was moving but at last they heard from a deep sea trawler, the "Boston Fury", that she was only 30 miles away and would come to their aid. Fred Borchard's skipper sighted the trawler at 1.36 pm but it was already too late. The ship was listing by about 45 degrees and soon turned over and started to go down. The crew cast themselves into the raging sea as did five of the crewmen of the trawler who managed to rescue 27 of the crew. ^[6][7] Eric was not among them. ^{[8] [9]}

Sources

1. ↑ England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915 (Registered Eastbourne, Sussex 1894 3rd Qu Vol 2b Page 78 Eric Cuthbert Towner)
2. ↑ 1901 Census of England
   26 Mill Rd, Eastbourne, Sussex, England

   First Name	Last Name	Relationship	Marital Status	Gender	Age	Occupation	Birth Place
   William Albert	Towner	Head	Married	Male	34	Shorthand tutor	Eastbourne, Sussex
   Grace	Towner	Wife	Married	Female	37	-	Clapton, Middlesex
   Harold James	Towner	Son	Single	Male	8	-	Eastbourne, Sussex
   Eric Cuthbert	Towner	Son	Single	Male	6	-	Eastbourne, Sussex
   Eliza	Hope	Servant	Single	Female	45	General domestic	Herstmonceux, Sussex

3. ↑ UK, Apprentices Indentured in Merchant Navy, 1824-1910 (27 Jan 1910 for 4 years with Jno Stewart and Co. Eric Cuthbert Towner)
4. ↑ London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1938 Kensington and Chelsea (All Saints, Notting Hill 18 Oct 1918 Eric Cuthbert Towner 25 bachelor Lieutenant RNR of 150 Kensington Place Rd., son of William Albert Towner, schoolmaster married Margaret Galloway MacIntyre 29 spinster of 150 Kensington Place Rd., daughter of John MacIntyre, Captain)
5. ↑ Wikipedia: Margaret Towner (actress)
6. ↑ Deep Sea Trawlers: Boston Fury GY 153
7. ↑ Ship Nostalgia: Boston Fury
8. ↑ England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995 (31 Jan 1951 Eric Cuthbert Towner of 10 Spencer Walk, Putney died on or since 8 October 1950 at sea. Administration to Margaret Galloway Towner, widow
9. ↑ UK, Merchant Seamen Deaths, 1939 -1953 (Eric Cuthbert Towner of cargo vessel Fred Borchard lost 8 October 1950)