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The Bowles of Canada and their Roots in Ireland and Great Britain

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Clarence Bowles' Story

Back to The George Gilley Bowles Story
 
Clarence was only 12 when his father died in 1903.  The 1911 census shows Clarence, 20, working as a  machinist.  He's living in Midland, Ontario with his mother, half-sister Bertha and older brother Stanley who is listed as a Salesman.
 
Within a few years the three brothers Alf, Stanley and Clarence would partner in a series of grocery ventures in Fort William which led to what would become an institution in Fort William's marine history, The Marine Grocery.
 
Clarence left the business with his  brothers when he enlisted in the Canadian Over-seas Expeditionary Force in the First World War on June 9, 1916.  He served in the 38th Battalion in Britain and in France and was demobilized in Sussex in 1919.  He was transferred to the 97th Battalion for transport back to Canada and was discharged on June 2, 1919 at Winnipeg.  On his discharge paper he stated that his intended place of residence was Peace River Crossing (now Peace River, Alberta).  Under Alberta's soldier settlement there was land available at Peace River for soldiers.  While he may have intended to become a farmer in Alberta he first went home to Fort William where he stayed and partnered in The Marine Grocery with his brother Alf in 1920.
 
 
 
Clarence' enlistment and discharge papers.  Click on any image for a larger view.  On many computers you may have to click again on the larger view for a full size copy.

He married Rebecca (Reba) Munro in Fort William in 1928 where they raised two daughters Ellen Anne and Lois.
 
His other love was music.  He played the euphoneum and the trombone in the Fort William City Band, the Port Arthur City Band and the army band in which he was a sergeant.
 
Clarence experienced a heart attack while at work at the Marine Grocery and passed away in March 1955.
 

Their Children

Ellen Anne


Photos left to right: Ellen Anne at 15 months, unknown woman in left picture, with father on the right;  at about 5; at 16 with father and his Marine Grocery car; at about 20 (the occasion?), with husband Denis Gilmore; the Gilmore family.
Lois
sorry, I don't have as many photos

This site was last updated 02/09/21