Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Frederick Charles Stowell was born on 9 June 1893 at Springbrook, St Andrews, the son of Henry and Louisa (née Collins). He was the fifth son of Mrs Stowell. Fred started his schooling at Springbrook School, transferring to Christchurch in April 1902. There he attended St Johns Kindy and Phillipstown School. In 1906, Frederick and his younger brother and sister (Percy and Edith) came from Belfast School to Pareora East and were admitted to Kingsdown School. In that year he was awarded second prize in Standard IV.

Frederick Charles Stowell, a shepherd of Pareora, was called up in 1917. At the February 1917 sitting of the Military Appeal Board, he was allowed till March 31. Frederick married Vida Annie Hayward on 9 March 1917 at St Mary’s Church, Timaru, both Fred and Vida being of Pareora East. “Owing to both bride and bridegroom having brothers at the front, only relatives were at the wedding.” Fred’s younger brother Arthur Percy Stowell was at the front and Vida’s brother Loughrey Holmes Hayward. “Mr Stowell proceeds immediately to Trentham.” F. C. Stowell was among the men for the Front from the South Canterbury Military District who left from Timaru on 11 April 1917. Before Frederick could embark, Arthur Percy Stowell (known as Percy) had lost his life in France, on 6 June 1917.

In mid-June 1917, the workmates of Mr Fred Stowell gathered at the Pareora freezing works “to say good-bye to him, on the eve of his departure for camp, and to wish him a safe return to the Dominion. That Mr Stowell is held in great esteem was very evident from the pleasant little gathering that took place, and one and all much regret the loss of so popular a fellow-workman. In a few appropriate words Mr Hurst asked Mr Stowell to accept a fountain pen as a farewell gift from the men, to which the recipient suitably responded.” [Timaru Herald. 19 June 1917.] Private F. C. Stowell embarked with the Wellington Infantry Regiment of the 28th Reinforcements, departing for Plymouth, England, per the “Waitemata” on 24 July 1917. A large draft of returned soldiers arrived at Wellington on 6 March 1918, by the “Arawa”. They arrived home by the express on the afternoon of 7 March. Among them was 52661, F. C. Stowell, of Pareora.

Fred and Vida moved to Masterton in 1920. “He became well known throughout the Wairarapa as a stock buyer, first for the Wairarapa Frozen Meat Co., and later for Wright, Stephenson and Co., Ltd., and for the last 11 years for Thomas Borthwick and Sons, Ltd. Mr Stowell was a member of the committee of the Masterton A. and P. Association, a member of the Masterton Racing Club, the Wairarapa P. and A. Society, Masterton Golf Club, Mauriceville Sports Club, and Masterton Masonic Lodge, No. 19.” Frederick Charles Stowell died suddenly on 24 February 1941 at Masterton, having been in “indifferent health” for some time. He was aged 47 years, and was survived by Vida, four sons and three daughters. Their daughter Phyllis Evelyn had died in 1928 aged 4 years. He was buried at Archer Street Cemetery, Masterton, Vida with him 44 years after. His mother died in 1935 and was buried at Timaru. It appears that his father had returned to his native England many years before. The second son of Fred and Vida, Frederick George Stowell, who served with the RNZAF in World War Two, was killed in action over Hungary on 8 August 1944. Their daughter Doris Irene Phyllis died in 1943 aged 11 years. An older brother, William Henry Stowell, also served in World War One. His oldest brother, Alfred Henry Stowell, was listed on the Reserve Rolls, and another, Henry James Stowell, was drawn in the sixth ballot. A nephew, James Hampton Stowell, also died in World War Two – on 5 May 1943 in Germany.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [07 September 2022]; Timaru Herald, 20 December 1906, 1 March 1917, 10 April 1917, 19 June 1917, 7 March 1918, 25 February 1941, 5 March 1941, Evening Post, 6 March 1918, Pahiatua Herald, 27 February 1941, Wanganui Chronicle, 3 March 1941 (Papers Past) [16 August 2022; 08 September 2022]; School Admission records (Waimate, Canterbury & South Canterbury branches NZSG) [07 September 2022]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [07 September 2022]; Archer Street Cemetery, Masterton, headstone transcription [07 September 2022]; Archer Street Cemetery, Masterton, burial record (Masterton District Council) [08 September 2022]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

• STOWELL Frederick Charles - newspaper clippings (pdf, 148.9 KB updated 30-Sep-2022)

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC Genealogy Society

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.