Figure 1.--Wilfred and Robert look to be about 3 and 6 years old in this portarit which was taken about 1894. Wilfred looks to be weating a dress and Robert wers a suit with a lace collar. Robert looks to have a not very carefully cut set of bangs.

A HBC reader acquired an old albumn--almost all cabinet cards. They mostly depict Robert Cuthbert Stowell and his brother Wilfrid who lived at 14 Darlaston Road, Wimbledon, London. Their father (Anthony Stowell) was Chief Inspector of the London & County Bank and was quite old when he became a father as he would have been 49 when Robert was born. At the time of the 1901 Census Robert was 13 years old and Wilfrid was 10 years old, so when these photos were taken in 1895 Robert would have been 7 and Wilfrid 4 years old. According to some writing on the back of one of the photos, the boys mother died in 1893 when Wilfrid was just 2 years old. The father re-married around 1896 as a later photo shows another lady and a baby brother (Anthony) who was 4 at census time in 1901. Now the sad part, both these boys were killed in the First World War. 2nd Lieutenant Robert Cuthbert Stowel of the 1st Battalion Kings Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) died on the November 20, 1917 aged 29. 2nd Lieutenant Wilfrid Stowel of the 2nd Battalion Leinster Regiment died on Friday March 22, 1918 aged 27. Their father also died between these dates.

The Boys

A HBC reader recently acquired an old albumn--almost all cabinet cards. They mostly depict Robert Cuthbert Stowell and his brother Wilfrid who lived at 14 Darlaston Road, Wimbledon, London. At the time of the 1901 Census Robert was 13 years old and Wilfrid was 10 years old, so when these photos were taken in 1895 Robert would have been 7 and Wilfrid 4 years old.

Location

The boys lived in Wibledon, a London suburb famous for tennis.

Parents

Their father (Anthony Stowell) was Chief Inspector of the London & County Bank and was quite old when he became a father as he would have been 49 when Robert was born. According to some writing on the back of one of the photos, the boys mother died in 1893 when Wilfrid was just 2 years old. The father re-married around 1896 as a later photo shows another lady and a baby brother (Anthony) who was 4 at census time in 1901. Their father also died while his sons were serving in France.

Clothes

The boys were dress quite differently for the portrait, probably taken about 1894. Wilfred looks to be wearing a white or light-colored dress with lace trim and a large sash. Robert wears a light-colored short pants Norfolk suit with a pin-on lace collar with matching cuffs.

Hair

The Stowell boys were immculately dresssed, but not a lot of attention was give to their hair. It wasut short even before the boys were breached. Strangely it was not very carefully combed for the partrait. Robert looks ti have a not very carefully cut set of bangs.

World War I

Now the sad part, both these boys were killed in the First World War. 2nd Lieutenant Robert Cuthbert Stowel of the 1st Battalion Kings Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) died on the November 20, 1917 aged 29. 2nd Lieutenant Wilfrid Stowel of the 2nd Battalion Leinster Regiment died on Friday March 22, 1918 aged 27.

Reader Comment

A HBC rede tells us, "I am doing historical research on behalf of my first cousins Wilfred and David Craven. They are the children of Mary Cecelia Stowell and Anthony John Stowell. A Google search showed your web page entitled "Stowell Brothers (England, 1894-97)". These brothers are the half-brothers of Mary Cecelia Stowell. The web page mentions that a HBC reader acquired an old album depicting photos of this family including one of my cousins mother (Mary Cecelia)." [Brdges]

Sources

Bridges, Paul. E-mail message, March 22, 2008.

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Created: December 20, 2002
Last edited: 2:08 PM 3/22/2008