Brighton and Beyond
A History of the Cowley Family
Mary Ann
Hart
b Abt 1832
d Abt 1881
John Henry
Tugwell
b Not known
d Abt 1866
Charlotte Louisa
Woolley
b Abt 1849d
Abt 1930
William
Naylor
b Abt 1844
d Abt 1876
Maria Louise
Cowley
b Abt 1871
d 8 Sep 1932
Caroline Hart
Cowley
b Q3 1873
d 11 Dec 1923
Eric Thomas
Cowley
b Q2 1891
d 13 Jun 1917
Charles Leonard
Cowley
b 15 Jul 1883
d 14 May 1966
Francis Tugwell
Cowley
b 11 Aug 1863
d 17 Jan 1927
Click for more information
Eric was born in Brighton, Sussex and at some time between 1911 and 1917 he moved to London where he married Catherine Spry. Tragically Eric was killed in a German air raid on London on 13 June 1917 when he was just 26 years old and had been married for only two years. His death certificate makes very sad, but fascinating reading. He was "found dead on 13th June 1917 at Barretts Foundry, Beech Court" in London City. There was an inquest on 15th and 18th June and the cause of death was recorded as "Shock, haemorrhage, severe injuries to the body by explosions of bombs dropped by enemy airmen".
There was clearly much outrage at this air raid as questions were asked in Parliament. Click on the links below to see the full story.
Eric Thomas Cowley
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Hansard report of House of Commons debate about the German air raid | |
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Wikipedia article - | |
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Born in Brighton, Charles divorced his first wife after she had an affair on her return from South Africa. He worked as a commercial traveller for Mazawattee Tea. He served in the Natal Field Artillery during the 1906 Natal rebellion and served in the Royal Artillery during WW1.
Charles Leonard Cowley
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The Mazawattee Tea Company on Wikipedia | |
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Detailed research notes | |
Francis Cowley
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Web site of St. Nicholas’ Church, Brighton (Opens in new window) | |
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Detailed research notes | |
Francis was born in Brighton, Sussex in 1837 and christened in St Nicholas’ Church. Researching Francis’s marriages was complicated as his first two wives both had the forenames ‘Mary Ann(e)’. Following the death of his first wife, Mary Anne Tugwell, Francis married his late wife’s sister in law (nee mary Ann Hart), the widow of John Henry Tugwell. After the death of his second wife Francis married another widow, Charlotte Louisa Naylor (nee Woolley).
From the three marriages Francis had seven children and became stepfather to a further three from his third wife’s first marriage.
More information
Photographs
Click on an underlined place name to see a Google map
Click on the name box
Francis Tugwell Cowley was a ‘Chef and confectioner’ according to the 1911 census. In 1927 he made a sugar model of the White Rock Pavilion in Hastings, Sussex, to celebrate its opening 1927. The Pavilion is now the White Rock Theatre.
Francis Tugwell Cowley
Francis T. Cowley
Sugar model of the White Rock Pavilion in Hastings
White Rock Theatre 2011
Thanks to Alison Besley & White Rock Theatre for the photographs
Click to enlarge
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Detailed research notes | |
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Barnado’s web site - | |
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White Rock Theatre web site (opens in new window) | |
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