Peterborough & The Great War

Biography

Lance Corporal H W Stowell was based at Flixton Hall near Lowestoft, Headquarters of the 62^nd Division when he passed through Peterborough on 29 August 1916.  The division had been inspected by King George V on 26 July 1916, and by the end of the year the division was preparing to embark to France in January 1917.

It is believed that this soldier may have been Harold Walker Stowell who was born in Keighley, Yorkshire on 1 April 1896 to parents Uel and Fanny (nee Tempest).  His father Uel worked for an iron foundry initially as a clerk and later as a commercial traveller selling heating apparatus.  In both 1901 and 1911, he was living with his parents and brother Fred, at 27 Fell Lane. In 1911, Harold (15) was apprentice to  furnishings draper and Fred (18) was as apprentice to gas apparatus maker.

It has not been possible to locate a service record for Harold so nothing is known of his war experience.  He was however, awarded the Allied Victory Medal and British War Medal indicating service overseas.

He married Phyllis Downes in Keighley in 1923, but no children have been traced. In 1939, they were living in Westburn Avenue, Keighley and Harold was a worsted spinners clerk.  He and Phyllis were still living at the same address when he died in 1961 at the age of 65.

Can you tell us more about Lance Corporal Stowell?  Was there a Uel in your family tree?