Who Do You Think You Are?

[The Raven]

I'm wondering if anyone could help me out.

Just found out that my grandmother claims that her uncle (my great-great uncle) died in a train crash on the London Underground on his way back from work. After looking at Wikipedia I found the Stratford tube crash that occurred at 18:56 on the 8 April 1953.

His name was Harold (Harry) Gowar as far as I know.

Does anyone know if there is a list of the deceased somewhere to confirm this?

[tubeguru]

As an amateur family historian, I have an Ancestry.com account, so I could look into it if I had some more details.

If you can get it, the following would be helpful:

His FULL name, date of birth, place of birth, where he was living when he died, anything you can get really. Also, did your nan actually tell you the year he died, or did you do a search and assume it was that crash?

[The Raven]

Hopefully I can get some more information.

All I know at the moment was that he was probably born and lived in Leytonston/Walthamstow and that he was in his 70s when he died. The story told was that he had to continue working into his 70s because he was sacked from his pervious job and was not eligible for an old age pension at the time.

The Stratford tube crash in 1953 seems to be the most likely one terms date and in location.

It turns out fatal crashes on the London Underground are very rare.

[tubeguru]

A preliminary search reveals a Harry Gowar, who was 25 in the 1901 census. He lived in Leyton, and was the son of Alexander J Gowar and Florence Gowar.

The address was 144 Wallwood Road, Walthamstow. Also living at that address on census night were the following (all children of Alexander and Florence):

Catherine Gowar, 23
Clara Gowar, 21
Herbert Gowar, 19
Stanley Gowar, 16
Wilfred Gowar, 14
Arthur Gowar, 12
Dora Gowar, 9
Margery Gowar, 7
Rupert Gowar, 5

Do any of those names mean anything to you?

[tractakid]

9 kids!

[greatkingrat]

Not uncommon in those days. My grandfather was one of 13 children.

[tractakid]

That doesn't make it any less of an undertaking, though!

[tubeguru]

One of my ancestors could still get it up at the age of 63.

[The Raven]

9 kids!

There was 15 children in the end with my Great-grandmother being the youngest of all of them.

I have confirmed this was him on the census.

He lived in South Woodford at the time of the tube crash, with his wife Ada.

[tubeguru]

Maybe you could use this as a springboard to start investigating your family history in more detail. I've uncovered a couple of interesting things about my lot over the last six years.

[The Raven]

I've found some more information with the help of my mum and Ancestry.co.uk:

GOWAR Henry Aubrey
Died: 8th April 1953 on the Central Line near Stratford

From the 1911 census:
Occupation: Manufacturing Confectioner Clerk
Address: 35 St Georges Road, Leyton, Essex
Which is on Google Street View here

And a bit of newsreel of the train crash here

[tubeguru]

I was going to ask if his real name was Henry, as Harry is quite a common nickname for that. Looks like you've got him then.

[Iain]

Wow, fascinating stuff

[tubeguru]

I have got one of my family branches back to 1698. Most of the rest go into the 1700s or early 1800s.

[hopeful traveller]

One of my ancestors could still get it up at the age of 63.

John Major was born when his dad was 64.