Samuel Towers
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Samuel was the only son of John and Alice Towers (née Holland). His father John was born in Barton in Fabis on 24 December 1863, the son of John and Sarah Towers. He was baptised at the parish church of St George on 17 January 1864. His mother Alice was born in Gotham in 1859, the daughter of Ephraim and Ann Holland. Alice's parents died in 1879 and 1872 respectively, and in 1881 she was living on Nottingham Road, Gotham, with her uncle and aunt, John and Elizabeth Sharpe (née Holland, b. Barton in Fabis). John and Alice were married at Gotham St Lawrence on 2 June 1890 and they had two children, Harriet b. Gotham July 1891 and Samuel b. Barton in Fabis 1895 bap. Barton in Fabis St George 22 May 1896. In 1891, the year after their marriage and before the birth of their first child, John (27), a plaster labourer (gypsum works), and Alice (32) were living at Clifton with Glapton near Barton in Fabis. By 1901 they were living on Village Street, Barton in Fabis, with their two children Harriet (9) and Samuel (4) and John's mother, Sarah Towers (74). John was now working as a plaster miner. The family was living on Wallis (or Wallace) Street, Gotham, by 1911 but only Samuel, a farm labourer, was still living at home. Harriet was a domestic servant living in Rempstone, Leicestershire, in the household of Edward Beeby, a contractor and agricultural engineer, and his wife Sarah. Samuel's mother Alice died in 1912 and his father married Myra (Mira) Wilford (b. 1868) in 1917. The CWGC record gave his father's address as East Street, Gotham. John and his wife Myra were living at 17 East Street, Gotham, when the 1939 England & Wales Register was compiled. John died in December 1943; he was still living at 17 East Street. His widow Myra died in 1945.
251st Bde Royal Artillery Samuel was a prisoner of war in Germany and died on 19 August 1918. He is buried in Chauny Communal Cemetery British Extension, France (grave ref. S.D.4). He qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal. CWGC: History of Chauny Communal Cemetery British Extension (extract): 'The Extension was made after the Armistice for the burial of remains brought in from the battlefields of the Aisne and from the following smaller cemeteries in the surrounding countryside {Listed].' (www.cwgc.org)
Samuel's cousin, John Towers, the son of his father's older brother Thomas Towers (b. 1853 Barton in Fabis), served with the York and Lancaster Regiment (18399 Private) and was killed on 1 July 1917. (See record on this Roll of Honour.) Registers of Soldiers' Effects: his father, John, was his legatee.