Roamer: Former newspaper editor asks for help tracing family roots
Former Mourne Observer editor Terence Bowman’s note to Roamer nearly 15 years ago about his Bangor schooldays vividly illustrated changed times.
He recalled walking to the local shop at break-time to buy a News Letter and two packets of cigarettes.
10-year-old Terence had an ‘agreement’ with his teacher to go on this daily expedition and “keep the change!”
He followed a “well-trodden path, exchanging greetings with a few other short-trousered pupils on similar missions.”
Terence’s note listed the “criminal offences committed” - leaving school unaccompanied, without parental consent and the under-age purchase of cigarettes.
Yes, times have changed!
During his successful career in journalism Terence spent 35 years reporting on every aspect of life in south Down and the Mournes, mostly writing about other people.
The Bangor native took a step back from his full-time newspaper duties in 2011 to compile five local history books in which more than 100 people from not only his home town (now city) but also the greater Ards area reflected on their lives and experiences during the latter decades of the 20th century.
Now Terence is hoping that Roamer-readers can help him to resolve a long-standing mystery relating to his own family and maybe in the process discover they are related to him.
With greatly-appreciated help from staff at Belfast City Cemetery, Terence has been able to identify the secluded, unmarked, final resting place of William Bowman (d. 22 October 1919), his wife, the former Mary Swindle (d. 11 March 1924), and their unmarried daughter Mary Anna Bowman (d. 9 November 1903), also two grandchildren who died in infancy, David Adams (d. 19 March 1913) and Irene Adams (d. 27 July 1916).
Terence’s great-grandfather, Alexander Bowman, who was a key figure in the early years of the trade union movement in Belfast and later served as a labour representative for Duncairn on Belfast Corporation (1897-1901), was William’s younger half-brother.
Alexander had another brother, Hugh (also a half-brother to William), who was a prominent master butcher in Belfast. By the late 1890s Hugh had two shops bearing his name, one on Shankill Road and the other on Duncairn Street.
A third would follow on Agnes Street and a fourth on the Antrim Road.
Hugh was the longest lived of the trio - he passed away aged 93 on 12 March 1954.
As the centenary of Alexander’s own death on 3 November 1924 approaches, Terence is putting together some new material about his life and career for possible publication.
Tying in with this, he would very much welcome hearing from any of William’s descendants.
“My understanding is that he and Mary had five children, with only their son William (b. 28 May 1878) and daughter Margaret (b. 5 January 1876) surviving beyond their 20s,” Terence explained, adding: “William married the former Sarah Ellen (Nellie) Rainey on 7 April 1912.
"They emigrated to Canada in 1928, setting up home in Toronto. William died there on 2 February 1954, Nellie having predeceased him. Available evidence indicates they had no family.”
Daughter Margaret Bowman married William James Adams on 9 November 1898.
Terence has been unable to determine when Margaret died but her husband passed away on 31 March 1934 and is buried at Dundonald Cemetery.
Margaret and William James had eight children - Andrew (b. 4 September 1899), Mary (b. 23 June 1902), Margaret (b. 12 January 1904), Elizabeth (b. 10 September 1906), Wilhelmina (19 June 1909) and William James (b. 12 February 1919), also the aforementioned David (b. 10 September 1912) and Irene (b. 27 September 1915).
There is strong evidence - including witness names on early birth and death certificates - to show that the three brothers, all resident in Belfast, remained in touch. Alexander and Hugh were aged 65 and 59 respectively at the time of William’s death, aged 74, in 1919.
“My best hope for finding surviving cousins lies with some of the above names and dates being recognised by descendants of Margaret and William James Adams,” Terence added.
If anyone has any knowledge about William Bowman and his descendants and wishes to gets in touch he will share as much as he knows about the Bowman family’s roots in the Dromara area of County Down.
Send a note to Roamer’s mailbox (displayed below) if you have any information - it’ll be forwarded immediately - or feel free to contact Terence directly by email - [email protected]