Person:Reuben Bowden (1)

Watchers
m. 24 Mar 1868
  1. William Bowden1868 - 1941
  2. John Bowden1870 -
  3. Frank Bowden1872 -
  4. Walter Bowden1874 -
  5. Emma Bowden1876 - 1876
  6. Caroline Bowden1878 -
  7. David Bowden1881 -
  8. Reuben Bowden1885 - 1909
Facts and Events
Name Reuben Bowden
Gender Male
Birth[1] 1885 Cruwys Morchard, Devon, England
Census[2] 5 Apr 1891 Cruwys Morchard, Devon, EnglandHigher Clow Farm
Census[3] 31 Mar 1901 Raddington, Somerset, EnglandRaddington Mills
Death[4] 1909 Portsmouth, Hampshire, England

Reuben Bowden was born in 1885 at Cruwys Morchard in Devon, son of Emma Bowden, formerly May, and her husband William Bowden, a dairyman. He appears in the 1891 census living with his parents and siblings at Higher Clow Farm in Cruwys Morchard. By 1901 the family had moved to Raddington Mills in Somerset, and Reuben was working as a farm servant.

Later that year Reuben joined the Royal Marines. He enlisted at Tiverton on 1st October 1901, which he claimed was his eighteenth birthday, when he was in fact only sixteen. He served in the marines for just over seven years but died when he was only 23 years old whilst serving on the Jupiter.

References
  1. Births index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

    b. Reuben BOWDEN, December Quarter 1885, Tiverton Registration District, Volume 5b, page 421

  2. England. 1891 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
    Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
    The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
    Class RG12; Piece 1767; Folio 51; Page 18, 5 Apr 1891.

    Address: Higher Clow Farm, Cruwys Morchard, Devon
    4 rooms occupied
    William Bowden, head, married, male, 46 [1844/5], Farmer, employer, b. Tiverton, Devon
    Emma Bowden, wife, married, female, 50 [1840/1], b. Cullompton, Devon
    Walter Bowden, son, single, male, 16 [1874/5], Farmers Assistant, employed, b. Tiverton, Devon
    David Bowden, son, male, 9 [1881/2], b. Cruwys Morchard, Devon
    Reuben Bowden, son, male, 5 [1885/6], b. Cruwys Morchard, Devon

  3. England. England. 1901 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
    Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
    The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
    Class RG13; Piece 2268; Folio 38; Page 4, 31 Mar 1901.

    Address: Raddington Mills, Raddington, Somerset
    Five or more rooms occupied
    William Bowden, head, married, male, 57 [1843/4], Dairy man, own account, b. Tiverton, Devon
    Emma Bowden, wife, married, female, 63 [1837/8], b. Collumpton, Devon
    Reuben Bowden, son, single, male, 15 [1885/6], In Farm General, worker, b. Cruwys Morchard, Devon

  4. Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

    d. Reuben BOWDEN, March Quarter 1909, Portsmouth Registration District, Volume 2b, page 421, aged 25 [1883/4]

  5.   Royal Marines Registers of Service Index, 1842-1925
    ADM 159/79/11195 and ADM 159/185/13755.

    Enlisted 1 Oct 1901 at Tiverton
    Claimed to have been born 1 Oct 1883 at Cruwys Morchard, Devon
    Next of kin given as father William, Reddington Mills, Reddington, Somerset
    Height 5'5", fresh complexion, light brown hair, light brown eyes
    Served 1901 to 1909. Last ship served on Jupiter from 2 Jun 1908 until 14 Feb 1909 when listed as dead.