# Century-old mystery solved as N.B. woman ID'd in crypt in England



## Michael OLeary (29 May 2009)

*Century-old mystery solved as N.B. woman ID'd in crypt in England*

Article link



> Volunteers with a historic cemetery in London, England, have unearthed a nearly century-old mystery connecting Kensal Green Cemetery to a small family plot in rural New Brunswick.
> 
> For more than 90 years, a packing crate stored in a catacomb at the Kensal Green Cemetery was speculated to contain a murder victim or the remains of an aristocrat shipped from India.
> 
> ...


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## Michael OLeary (29 May 2009)

The 1911 Canadian census shows the Fowler family living in Sussex, New Brunswick. The daughter's initial is incorrectly transcribed as "E" rather than "G"; the scanned page image does look like a "G".

Fowler Geo W Head Feb 1862 49
Fowler Ethyl G Wife Feb 1876 35
Fowler E Winifred Daughter Jun 1898 12
Fowler Eric McLeod Son Dec 1900 10
Fowler Cedric ?coles Son Mar 1905 6

The Canadian Virtual War memorial lists 19 soldiers named Fowler who died after 1 Jan 1917. Of these only one is named George, but he was only 22 years old, so he's not the father.

From the Soldiers of the First World War database:

Name: FOWLER, GEORGE WILLIAM
Rank: LCL
Reference: RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 3246 - 52
Date of Birth: 24/02/1861

Attestation paper - http://data2.archives.ca/cef/gpc004/333062a.gif

Lieut-Col Fowler was from Sussex, New Brunswick. Born in 1861, he's certainly old enough to have a daughter in her late teens in 1917.

Note the census gives a year of birth for George as 1862, but his attestation paper says 1861.

Now, is this him? Right place of birth, about the right age (b. 1859). Birthdate given is the same day, different year.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_William_Fowler



> George William Fowler (February 24, 1859 – September 2, 1924) was a lawyer and political figure in New Brunswick, Canada. He represented King's County in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1895 to 1899 and King's then King's and Albert in the Canadian House of Commons from 1900 to 1908 and 1911 to 1917 as a Conservative member. Fowler went on to represent Kings and Albert division in the Senate of Canada from 1917 to 1924.
> 
> He was born in Hammond Vale, New Brunswick and was educated in Saint John, at Dalhousie University and at Boston University. Fowler was admitted to the New Brunswick bar in 1884. He served on the council for King's County from 1886 to 1890 and served as warden in 1889. Fowler was Grand Master for the Orange Lodge in New Brunswick from 1890 to 1893.
> 
> ...


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## Bzzliteyr (29 May 2009)

I just pumped off an email to a Fowler friend of mine posted to Gagetown. MTF.


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## Michael OLeary (29 May 2009)

I posted a version of my notes above to the CBC page, a follow-on comment added:



> Kensal Green Cemetery says Gladys died of a heart condition & infection, and was also suffering from pneumonia & measels.
> 
> She was in the UK because her dad was in the military. George Fowler became a Canadian Senator shortly after his daughter's death, then died himself in 1924.
> 
> ...


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## Michael OLeary (29 May 2009)

Another online item:

http://www.new-brunswick.net/new-brunswick/messages/archive3-2007.html



> 27/12/07 Greetings from England, I am the Chairman of The Friends of Kensal Green Cemetery in London and we are trying to contact the family of Gladys Winifred Fowler of Sussex NB who died in London in 1917. Her father was George William Fowler Lt.Colonel of the 13th Battn Canadian Infantry, Barrister, KC, MP. When Gladys died her body was placed in the catacomb at Kensal Green as a temporary deposit and is still there to this day. We would like to discover the story behind this sad event and would be pleased to be in touch with the family. All best wishes, Barry Smith. www.kensalgreen.co.uk  Email: kensalg@aol.com


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## Bzzliteyr (29 May 2009)

Haha, that one actually looks like the same kind of opening line you see in the Nigerian scams!!

I'll pass it along on Monday!


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## AJFitzpatrick (29 May 2009)

Should have know some one else would have posted it.

Just to post something the 13th CEF Btn is perpetuated by the The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada. 
Perhaps there is something in their archives?


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## Michael OLeary (29 May 2009)

I didn't find him in a text search of the Battalion's history:

The 13th Battalion Royal Highlanders of Canada, 1914-1919

I know he wasn't a Commanding Officer of the 13th Bn CEF. It is possible he never went into France with them.


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## Dennis Ruhl (30 May 2009)

Michael O'Leary said:
			
		

> I didn't find him in a text search of the Battalion's history:
> 
> The 13th Battalion Royal Highlanders of Canada, 1914-1919
> 
> I know he wasn't a Commanding Officer of the 13th Bn CEF. It is possible he never went into France with them.



It is very likely he was among the hundreds, if not thousands, of officers from disbanded battalions kicking around England waiting to go to France.  The commanders in the field preferred promotion of soldiers with battle experience to the often untrained militia soldiers who received their commission by political connections.  To successfully get to France most soldiers had to revert to private or lieutenant and a 57 year old lieutenant would be too old.


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## Michael OLeary (30 May 2009)

George William Fowler had 20 years service in the 8th Hussars at the time he attested for overseas service.  Hardly an inexperienced wartime political commissioning.

We don't know from the information in the news report of this thread what position he held during the war.  It is likely his professional background as a barrister as well as his age are the principal reasons he stayed in England (assuming that is correct and he wasn't Brigade or Divisional staff in France for some of his time overseas).

His attestation paper:


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## Michael OLeary (30 May 2009)

Apparently he had command of a Reserve Battalion in England.



> THE LONDON GAZETTE, 20 APRIL, 1917.
> 
> Can. Inf, Bns.
> The undermentioned temp. Lt.-Cols. to comd. Bns.: - 2 Jan. 1917.
> ...


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## Michael OLeary (30 May 2009)

Interestingly, the fact that George listed his religion as "Pagan" has been picked up for special attention:

Canadian: Her body lies over the ocean...



> The cemetery group has a copy of Gladys Fowler's death certificate, which indicates her father, George William Fowler, was present at her death, which occurred April 17, 1917 at Berners Hotel in London. His rank is listed as Lt. Col., 13th Battalion, Canadian Infantry. He signed on as a lieutenant-colonel in the 104th Over-Seas Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, which was absorbed about a year later into the 13th Canadian Reserve Battalion.* Curiously, he listed his religion as "pagan," an unusually bold thing to state on a military application at that time and place.* What transpired between the date he enlisted for military service, Feb. 21, 1916, and his daughter's death 14 months later, is a mystery.



The item includes a link to a lengthy article at the Kings County Record.


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## Michael OLeary (30 May 2009)

Family burials at the Hammondvale Community Cemetery
Hammondvale, Hammon Parish, Kings Co., NB 



> FOWLER - George William Fowler 1858 - 1924
> Gladys Winifred Fowler 1898 - 1917
> Eric MacLeod Fowler 1900 - 1930
> Ethel Georgina Fowler 1874 - 1936 w/o George W. Fowler
> ...


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## AJFitzpatrick (30 May 2009)

Reading the last link, the battalion is identified as the 13th _reserve bn_ which accords to the notes I have 

by my notes 

commanding dates are
104th Bn (New Brunswick) are 28 jan 1916 - 22 jan 1917
and
13th reserve Bn 2 jan 1917 - 9 july 1917

The 104th was on paper part of the 15th Bde, 5th division from Feb 1917 to 15 feb 1918
later it became part of the 13th Reserve  but long after Fowler had left.
Almost looks like Fowler was quietly shuffled out of command when the unit was in line to go to France. The officer who replaced him was commanding the 105th Bn which merged with the 104th


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## Old Sweat (30 May 2009)

According to the official history of the CEF, the 13th Reserve Battalion provided reinforcements to the 26th and 44th Battalions. All three units were part of the New Brunswick Regiment.


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## Michael OLeary (27 Jun 2009)

*After more than 90 years. remains of Canadian girl may return from England *

Article link.



> By Kevin Bissett, The Canadian Press
> ADVERTISEMENT
> 
> FREDERICTON - The remains of a young New Brunswick woman whose coffin has remained unclaimed at a London cemetery for nearly a century may soon make the final journey home to Canada to be buried with the rest of her family.
> ...



More at link.


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## mariomike (27 Jun 2009)

"Tonks said he was particularly touched because the girl was the daughter of someone who served his country in the Armed Forces and in the public service as an MP and a senator."

The story says she passed away in 1917. 
The irony is, to me, that "someone who served his country in the Armed Forces" would not be eligible for repatriation. Even if the family was willing to pay the cost themselves.


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## Bruce Monkhouse (2 Nov 2009)

And it looks like the last hurdle has been jumped.


http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2009/11/02/11606901.html

Girl's remains from 1917 to return to Canada
By THE CANADIAN PRESS

Last Updated: 2nd November 2009, 1:15pm
FREDERICTON — The remains of a young Canadian woman whose coffin was left unclaimed in England for almost a century will finally be laid to rest this month at the family plot in New Brunswick. 

The U.K. government has granted permission for transport of the body of Gladys Winnifred Fowler, who was 18 when she died in London in 1917. 
She was the daughter of then New Brunswick MP George William Fowler, at the time a lieutenant-colonel serving with the 13th Battalion Canadian Infantry during the final months of the First World War. 

Barry Smith of the Friends of Kensal Green Cemetery says it’s a great feeling to know Fowler is going home, but he is still mystified why her remains were left in a packing case for 92 years. 
Fowler’s niece, Jane Fowler Morse of Geneseo, N.Y., says there’s a great sense of relief that her aunt will finally be returning to Hammondvale, N.B. 

A graveside service is planned for Nov. 15.


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## mariomike (2 Nov 2009)

The guy who does the show "Cities of the Underworld" toured her crypt ( or one eerily similar ) recently. It even had a Victorian era elevator. He gave the place "a ten out of ten on the creepo meter".


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## old medic (16 Nov 2009)

N.B. teen who died overseas 92 years ago laid to rest
CTV.ca News Staff
Date: Sun. Nov. 15 2009 8:55 PM ET
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091115/Fowler_burial_091115/20091115?hub=TopStoriesV2



> A teenaged Canadian girl whose remains were forgotten for decades in a catacomb in London, England, has finally been interred alongside her family in Hammondvale, N.B.
> 
> Gladys Fowler grew up in the New Brunswick town, where family believed she had been buried in the family plot.
> 
> ...



Well done to the 8th Canadian Hussars.


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