3763 Honourable Captain Bandmaster Frederick BOWES B.E.M.
So Anzac Day has appeared again. Always an emotional day for a lot of us on this side of the world.
As usual, I visited a cemetery to take photographs of family memorials (not my family) mentioning loved ones buried where they fell overseas and often walking through other sections headstones/plaques catch my eye. Frederick BOWES resting place was one of these. He appeared to maybe have something to delve deeper in to.
Frederick was a bit of a sharp shooter! A sportsman whose achievements which included representing New Zealand have been lost to time as well as his notable talents as a cornetist and trumpet player who was a founding member of and played regularly in the Auckland Municipal Band and who was highly respected.
On 28 March 1935 this article appeared in the Auckland Star
RIFLEMAN ENTERTAINED.
"Mr. Fred. Bowes the King's Prize winner at the recent Dominion rifle championship meeting, who is a member of the Auckland Municipal
Band, was tendered a complimentary social by his fellow bandsmen at
the Mecca Tearooms last night. Mr. Geo Buckley, conductor, of the band, presided, and commented upon the fact that many bandsmen and conductors had, been prominent riflemen."[21]
3763
Hon. Captain
Bandmaster
F. BOWES B.E.M.
N.Z. INFANTRY
DIED 11-1-1961
AGED 53 YRS
Waikumete Cemetery
Service Persons Area L Row 6, Plot 68 [1]
Pre and Post war occupation: Truck Driver [2]
Born 5 October 1907 in Durham, South Shields, England [14][19], Frederick was the son of Joseph Thomas, a miner and Emma BOWES. The small family emigrated to New Zealand on board the ‘Ruapehu’
leaving Southampton on 9 June 1922 and alighting at Wellington. Their previous address in the United Kingdom was 134 Charles Street, Bolton Collery. [16]
Frederick's mother Emma died 20 July 1937 aged 63 and is also buried at Waikumete cemetery Anglican Division G Row
5, Plot 16 [17]. His father Joseph died 7 Dec 1944 aged 69 and he is buried with Emma. Joseph's death
notice states he was a late member of the Municipal and First Auckland Regiment
bands[18], he was also the brother of Lieut. G. W. BOWES, a well known conductor who appeared with the Wellington Municipal Tramway Military Band and who was in New Zealand prior to his brother[23]. Another brother was Marten BOWES of Wanganui who also appears to have been musical as he is noted as playing a fine horn solo in a production of William Tell in 1916[24] . Joseph and Emma had married c1900[19].
Frederick BOWES went on to marry Marjorie Alexandra MCDONALD c1937[20].
Frederick was a shooting champion and a member of the Auckland
Miniature Rifle Club. Using Paperspast, I discovered many entries noting his achievements.
 |
| New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22053, 8 March 1935 [6] |
AUCKLANDER WINS KING'S PRIZE F. Bowes, of the Auckland City Rifle Club,
winner of the championship belt and King's Prize at the national rifle meeting
held at Trentham.
 | |||
| Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 25, 30 January 1934 [7] |
WINNER OF
THE AUCKLAND SHOOTING CHAMPIONSHIP.—H. Simmonds Left) being congratulated by F.
Bowes, who tied for second place with H G. Devore at the Auckland Rifle
Association meeting at Penrose yesterday.
 F. Bowes (Auckland), who was the winner of the King's Prize and the Ballinger Belt. |
Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21416, 7 March 1935 [10] |
New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22054, 9 March 1935 [9]
RIFLEMAN WELCOMED
The winner of the King's Prize at the national rifle shooting
Trentham, Mr. F. Bowes, returned to Auckland by train yesterday
morning and was welcomed at the station by a gathering including riflemen and
bandsmen While Mr. Bowes was "chaired" by the riflemen, the
Auckland Municipal Band, in which he is the leading cornet soloist, played
appropriate music
 |
| New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22886, 15 November 1937 [8] |
SELECTED TO REPRESENT DOMINION IN AUSTRALIA Mr. F. Bowes, of the Auckland Rifle Club, ex-Auckland and New Zealand champion, photographed at a practice shoot at Penrose on Saturday. He is the only Aucklander included in the New Zealand team to compete in shooting events to be held in conjunction with the Empire Games in Sydney next year.
 |
Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 271, 15 November 1937
|
Sharp shooter empire games [4]
New Zealand Rifle Team1938
 |
| Northern Advocate, 26 February 1938[12] |
"Evening Post" Photo. The Auckland City A team, winners
of the Champion Service Teams Match at the National Rifle Association's meeting
at Trentham, with their trophy. At back, D. Perrin, H. Simmonds,- F. Devore, R.
C. Russell, R. and A. W. Harris. In front, F. Bowes, I. J. Spry.
 | |
|
 | |||
| Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 59, 11 March 1939 [11] |
WAR YEARS
18th Auckland Unit. He and Marjorie were living at 22 West Street, Newton, Auckland.
He also appears on the 13th roll. 1 Jan 1944 - 31 March 1945. Infantry Brigade, still of the same address above.[25]
On the 24 April 1945 in the New Zealand Herald, it was written:
AUCKLAND BANDMASTER The task of training reinforcements for the band
of the New Zealand Division at Maadi Camp was one which fell to the lot
of Captain F. Bowes, of Newton, a member of the draft of returned
servicemen which arrived yesterday. Well known in Auckland as
bandmaster, Captain Bowes is a foundation member of the Municipal Band
and later led the band of the Ist Auckland Battalion.[22]
Captain
Bowes stated that the training of recruits was a full-time job and a
unit of 30 players had been maintained from among the reinforcements.
This unit had given many concerts for hospitals and convalescent camps
in the Middle East.
NZ Herald 13 July 1943
Noted as returning on extended furlough as Hon. Lieut [3]
Recipient of the British Empire Medal on 5 June 1945
Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 132, 6 June 1945 [13]
“AWARDS MADE
GALLANT SERVICE
PUBLIC INVESTITURE
At an investiture ceremony in the Town Hall last night the Governor-General,
Sir Cyril Newall, presented awards for gallantry or distinguished service to
101 members of the Navy. Army, Air Force and Nursing Service. In addition to
next-of-kin of the recipients there was a large attendance of the public.
Representatives of the services and public bodies were also present. The
ceremony lasted three hours. As each citation was read and the decoration was
pinned on the breast of the recipient by his Excellency there was loud
applause. This was accentuated when there was any mention of some conspicuous
act of heroism or gallantry. The first person called to the platform was a
charge-sister. She was the only woman to receive an award on this occasion. His
Excellency was accompanied by Lady Newall, Major H. A. Jaffray, military
secretary, Captain the Hon. D. E. A. Winn, A.D.C., Commodore W. K. D. Dowding,
D.S.C., R.N., Brigadier A. E. Conway, 0.8. E., N.Z.S.C., Group-Captain C. C.
Hunter, R.N.Z.A.F., and Lieutenant Colonel F. J. Gwilliam, E.D., all honorary
aides-de-camp to' his Excellency. The citations were read by Major Jaffray. His
Excellency presented the awards and Lady Newall shook hands with each
recipient. On three occasions when crippled servicemen were called their
Excellencies met them on the floor of the hall, thus saving the injured men the
difficulty of mounting the steps to the platform. The following awards were
presented-:…. British Empire Medal (B.E.M.).—Honorary Captain (Bandmaster) F Bowes,
of Auckland…”It appears Fred did a lot in his short life.
Frederick's wife Marjorie died 2 December 2004 and is buried at Waikumete Cemetery, West Berm C Row 3, Plot 3X [15]
Sorry about the formatting! The site does my head in! LOL!
SOURCES:
[1]
Auckland Council website; https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/cemeteries/Pages/RecordDetails.aspx?recordId=72338225E693A82EFAF478F299954B2B
[2]
Archives New Zealand; probate record information; https://www.archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=14744922
[3]
New Zealand Herald, Volume 80,
Issue 24634, 13 July 1943
[4]
[5]
[6]
[7]
[8]
[9]
[10]
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19350307.2.158.1?end_date=31-12-1949&page=3&phrase=0&query=%22f+bowes%22&start_date=01-01-1839
[11]
[12]
[13]
[14]
Ancestry.co.uk member “jmeyerc11”
[15]
Auckland Council website
[16]
Ancestry.co.uk;
UK, Outward passenger lists, 1890-1960
[17]
and
[18]
and
[19]
Ancestry.co.uk;
1911 England Census, Durham, South Shields, 71
[20]
NZ Dept Internal Affairs Historic BDM indexes; marriage
registration 1937/13121
[21]
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19350328.2.89?end_date=31-12-1949&page=4&phrase=0&query=municipal+band+bowes&start_date=01-01-1839
[22]
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19450424.2.27.2?end_date=1949-12-31&items_per_page=10&phrase=0&query=municipal+band+bowes&sort_by=byDA.rev&start_date=1839-01-01
[23]https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZFL19180725.2.35.4?end_date=31-12-1949&items_per_page=10&phrase=0&query=g+w+bowes&start_date=01-01-1839
[24]
Name noted as Martin not Marten
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WC19160902.2.43.4?end_date=31-12-1949&items_per_page=10&phrase=2&query=MARTiN+bowes&start_date=01-01-1839
[25]
ancestry.com.uk; New Zealand Army WWII Nominal Rolls, 1939-1948
©2018 Sarndra Lees
I am so glad to have read this.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this article. As a nephew of Marjorie Bowes I was only 1 when Fred died. However Aunty Marge would often talk of his achievements as both a cornetist and a rifleman.
ReplyDeleteJust a minor matter about Fred's father. You state he died in 1944 at age 49, yet married in 1900. That would make him 5 yo at the time of his marriage.
Kia ora Lee. Thank you so much for leaving a message. Yes 49 was an error on my part. I have now amended to 69. I couldn't have been concentrating that night!
DeleteHave a lovely festive season.
Sandy