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Charles Scowen - self portrait

Charles T Scowen Time line (a)Charles born 1852, Islington. Middlesex. (b) Marriage record indicate Charles married Anne Eliza Gane at Sudbury during the last quarter of 1873. He would have been 21yrs (c)On the 1911 Census, Charles appears with his wife Ann Eliza Scowen and is listed as a 'Retired Tea Planter'. Their address at this time is listed only as "Bungalow, Bures". (d) However Kellys Directory in 1908 and 1912 lists Charles living at Prospect Cottage ( see above map) (e) Kellys Directory for 1916 to 1917 shows no trace of Charles, was he abroad ?? (f) Kellys Directory for 1922 shows an entry for Charles but no address ( was he at High View ?) (g) Kellys Directory lists Charles from 1925 - 1937 living at High View, Bures ( I have no records after 1937)} (h) Charles Died 24th November 1948 He left £8,855 14s. gross, £8,778 15s. 7d. net value. Wife:- Anne Eliza Scowen (nee Gane) Born 1851/2 Hornsey, Middsx Baptismal record dated 1860 in Tottenham Married 1873 to Charles Died 20th January 1933 registered in Sudbury Extract from London Gazette, 3rd December 1948 Agnes Diggins and Mabel Wilson were both housekeepers to Charles. Mabel lived in the Planters, whilst Agnes lived next door in their own cottage ( now refurbished as St Edmunds House) Estate value £8855.14s Memorial in Bures cemetery. Mortimer Scowen Time Line Born 1862 at South Hornsey, Middsx As mentioned above, Mortimer took over the Ceylon business from Charles circa 1890 Mortimers Travels Travels on the Liner "Moldavia" from London to Cola, Ceylon on 3rd July 1926 Living at Hill View, presumably with Charles his brother Listed as Planter Travels on the Liner "Mashobra" from Calcutta to London 3rd December 1926 Now living at Thorpe-le-Soken Travels on the Liner "Jervis Bay from Colombo to Hull 8th July 1931 Records indicate that Mortimer on 12th September 1887 joined the Leinster Lodge of the Freemasons in Colomobo, Ceylon Although he joined in 1887, the Lodge was only established a year earlier in 1886 meeting at the Victoria Masonic Temple. When he returned from Ceylon (possibly 1931) he may have gone to live at Stoke by Nayland Died May 1935 aged 72, buried in Bures Cemetery, near to the other Scowen graves, 3rd May 1935 Burial records list Mortimer as "Gentleman from Stoke" with no other details Thomas Layzell Scowen ( father of Charles and Mortimer) Charles father was Thomas Layzell Scowen - successful inventor and engineer that developed coach canopy systems for the Queen in London. Thomas married Mary Anne Holton and they lived in Southwark, London. Occupation Cabinet Maker 1861 Census indicates four children - Charles, Arthur, Sarah and Alice 1871 Census indicates six children - Charles, Arthur, Mortimer, Sydney, James and Alice 1887 Thomas now appears in Islington Workhouse Thomas, was actually first to run the ale house at White Horse in 1841ite Horse Public House Courtesy of Greg Scowen

Genealogy of the Scowen family in Bures

LINE No1

I mentioned above that Mortimer after returning from Ceylon, went to live at Stoke.
This text sheds some light with other family members to the east of Bures.

We have often wondered if his family (going back a few years) was related to another branch of the Scowens, a group that predominantly come from Stoke and Boxford (and Polstead etc).
With Mortimer being at Stoke in his later life, this confirms the connection between the two families

Just out of Stoke, to the South East, is a Hamlet called Thorington St. Thorington Hall is on the corner of Mill Lane and down Mill Lane is an old Water Mill. This was the mill and home of Walter Scowen. Over the river, is Waylands farm, which was run by his brother. Walter was part of a sad triple tragedy that panned out over a number of years. One day, at nearby Tendring Hall Farm (Tendring Hall is gone but the farm is still there), his young son, Harry, was run over by his mill cart and killed while he was unloading the cart.
Years later, Walter tried a few times to kill himself with slitting wrists and the like until he finally succeeded in a joint effort on wrists and drowning in the mill pond. He was found by another son. That son later drowned himself at Clacton.
I guess that the second two couldn't live with what they had witnessed earlier.

There are three or four main lines of Scowens that were all concentrated in the area around Bures, Boxford and Stoke. Many millers and ag labourers. Quite a few publicans too. A lot of the family drifted into Essex over the years too. Some branches did very well for themselves and became respected in their communities. Others ended up in the workhouse and/or on prison hulks. A few were transported to Australia and started two branches there... and one of the millers tried his luck in NZ and although he returned to the UK to work a mill in Bedfordshire, two of his sons returned to NZ and started my branch.

In the NZ town I was born (Nelson) there is a nearby village (now a town itself) with the name Stoke. The main road running through is Nayland Road, a name share by schools and more. The bell in the church was brought over from the Stoke-by-Nayland church.

Reference Greg Scowen, Switzerland
22/06/2016

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Charles Scowens Servant Edith Bower.

During the 1911 Census, records indicate that Charles Scowen had an unmarried 25-year old live-in servant named Edith Bower.
Charles Scowen's local obituary says he built 'Hill View' with the help of one 'boy', Charlie Bower. It took 3 years
So I think its safe to assume that Edith and Charlie were brother an sister

Ediths mother was Emma Bower who Married Ezra Bower d1896 ( not to be confused with Ezra below)

Mary Handley née Anderson may possibly have been the daughter of Edith Bower.
Mary simply took on her mothers name as a middle name so she was Mary Edith Bower Handley (née Anderson). Was Mary born out of wedlock as Edith Bower is still single in 1911 (census) and Mary was born in 1926?

Mary Edith Bower Anderson (d2014)married Denis Handley
Mary lived out her final years, in the Eves Orchard bungalows.

Her brother Edward (Ezra) Anderson (d2011)lived on his own in a bungalow next to the Planters in St Edmunds Lane

Possibly, both Mary Handley's brother, Ezra, and her uncle, Charlie Bower helped Scowen with building but it must have been at different times. So all of these people are connected to the Scowens, as they were all relatives of the Scowen's servant,


Reference Ken Jacobson
updated 26/08/2016

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Updated 24/01/2016 with the Greg Scowen Information
updated 29/01/2016
updated 30/1/2016 with grave photo
updated 02/02/2016 Charles Time Line
update with new photos and revised text 25/02/2015
updated Mortimer facts 20/06/2016
updated 09/08/2016 with Handley info