Annie Rebecca Cowie

Discussion in 'The Women of WW2' started by JRCowie, Jan 21, 2014.

  1. amberdog45

    amberdog45 Senior Member

    Found Annie's birth at familysearch.org, think they have a transcription error as they state year of birth 1881? Fyvie is also in the Rothienorman area.

    There also appears to be Cowie's at the Ashgrove Rd address in Aberdeen for Valuation Rolls, 1905,1910 & 1915, but not the 1900 Roll. Struggling to place her father & mother on the 1891 census.

    If her death notice went into the press it would likely be in the Aberdeen paper, 'Press & Journal' but their searchable on line records only go back to 2006. The paper is not searchable on the British Newspaper Archive website, although a paper called Aberdeen Journals is, but when I searched it there was no article abour Annie. It may be worth emailing the P&J to find out where they house their archives prior to 2006 and if the puclic can search them somewhere.

    The Aberdeen Journal do appear to have a couple of family announcements though, one mentioning a William Cowie (Annie's father I presume). Again, you would require to register and purchase some credits to view the unscrambled article.

    I go into Aberdeen fairly regularly so if anything needs looking into I may be able to help.

    TD, you couldn't have a search to see where they were on the 1881&1891 Census could you please? I'm not finding them on the familysearch website but wonder if it's all to do with the 3 different spellings of Ann/Anne/Annie. Just curious to know if they remained in the Fyvie/Rothienorman area following Annie's birth.
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Hi amberdog

    Having a look through Ancestry - I can't find the details re her birth as you have ?? but I did come across this in the 1901 Scotland census, but it shows different parents to what you have ie no William.
    1901 Scotland Census about Ann Cowie
    Name: Ann Cowie
    Age: 10
    Estimated Birth Year: abt 1891
    Relationship: Daur (Daughter)
    Father's Name: James Cowie
    Mother's Name: Helen Cowie
    Gender: Female
    Where born: Turriff, Aberdeenshire
    Registration Number: 197
    Registration District: Fyvie
    Civil Parish: Fyvie
    County: Aberdeenshire
    Address: Eastertown
    Occupation: Scholar
    ED: 3
    Household Schedule Number: 16
    Line: 3
    Roll: CSSCT1901_67
    Household Members:
    Name Age
    James Cowie 38
    Helen Cowie 40
    Ann Cowie 10
    John Cowie 8
    Ina Cowie 7
    Helen Cowie 4
    George Cowie 2mo

    The problem is without her correct parents names its difficult to trace them and also as she was born in 1891, she could have just missed the census date, especially as they normally only provide a year and not a month or quarter.

    So the plot thickens, perhaps if JRCowie has done some family research we can narrow things down.

    Don't hesitate (anyone) to ask for more details.

    TD
     
  3. amberdog45

    amberdog45 Senior Member

    Thanks for looking TD. My nose got the better of me and I've paid for a few credits to get to the bottom of her parentage.

    Found William on the 1905 Valuation Roll but the image is exceptionally poor. From what I can make out he was a tenant at Ashgrove Road and against his name is Horse Yard (if I'm reading it correctly). So his occupation is horse related, at least in 1905.

    There is an Annie G. Cowie down as the occupier at Ashgrove Road on the 1920 VR. This would verify the Annie's mothers details from the 1881 birth details found at familysearch.org (the mothers middle name being Gordon).

    Unfortunately Scottish birth/death/marriage entries are not available through Ancestry and can only be viewed via the Scotlandspeople website to view the original Registrar entry. You can view Scottish Census up until 1901 at Ancestry, but the 1911 is pay per view at Scotlandspeople.

    I wish Scotlandspeople became more annual subscription based like Ancestry, I could have saved myself a small fortune.

    Edit: Found Annie's mother at Ashgrove Road on the 1911 Census. She is now a widow, occupation House Agent. Our 'Annie' does not appear with them, 3 of her siblings do. The Census indicates that Annie's mother had 6 live births, with 4 children remaining alive by 1911. This means our Annie is the only one missing from the 1911 Census.

    The death entry for William Cowie (item 2 on the attached) I assume is her father as region given is St. Machar in Aberdeen which fits the bill for Ashgrove Road.

    Also found the parents marriage entry from 1876. William was a widower, age 37, a Grain & ? Merchant living at Rothie Norman, Parish of Fyvie (born approx 1839). Annie Gordon Anderson, age 26, living at Rosebank Cottage, Banchory. I think her occupation is Evangelist? This give's Annie's mother an approx birth year of 1850.
     

    Attached Files:

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  4. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Well done amberdog, it is a problem searching records for Scotland, through Ancestry I have access to census's but really that's about all.

    Heres hoping that member JRCowie, obtains a copy of the FO file as that might have information re next of kin, family, address's etc

    TD

    PS that's the problem with nose's they often do get the better of you, along with the phrase "let me do just one more search"
     
  5. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    Is the occupation 'Grain and Straw Merchant' ? The combination seems to crop (sorry !) up in Scottish records of this period.
     
  6. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Talking of occupations the William Cowie I found and is mentioned in #22 was a Grieve :( had to look that one up - maybe some of you will ;)

    Go on look it up its good for the brain :rolleyes:

    TD
     
  7. Tonym

    Tonym WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    John

    You may have noticed that I have posted a new thread for Annie Rebecca Cowie, As a result I discovered this thread and, due to a medical problem, forgotten that I had posted on it. Annie went iinto a pending file as my condition developed partial paralyses of my arms hands and legs and I became housebound and depressed. As a result I decided that my 'Ladies in Waiting' could solve that problem and Annie reappeared.

    So the point of this post is to ask if you did obtain her record from the N.A.?

    Regards

    Tony
     
  8. Tonym

    Tonym WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    I thought that I would pass this on for your general interest. With no further info from JRCowie my particular interest was in the cause of her death particularly as the 2nd Sino-Japanese war was in progress so I contacted the N.A. and requested details of her death and for the very reasonable price of £3.54 I have now received the first page of a letter from the North China Mission, United Church of Canada to H.B.M. Government’s Diplomatic Representative. Peking.

    It is recorded that Miss Cowie passed away peacefully in her sleep on the night of 22-23 December 1941; she was found by her Amah (Cook and general servant). However the Mission representative had called on Annie on 20th December to enquire on her welfare; whilst she appeared to be in her usual health she did have a long term heart condition for which she was taking medication so this could have been the cause of her death. She was living at 2 Pei Ku Sau, Nan Chih Tau, Peking, she was 59 when she died..

    Her friends took the responsibility of obtaining a Death Certificate, Burial Permit and arranging a funeral service that was held in the Peking Union Church, Nan Ho Yen, on the morning of December 26th followed by interment in the British Cemetery, Peking.

    Tony
     
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  9. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Hi Tony

    Thanks for the update which seems to wrap up the thread nicely - well done with your persistance

    TD
     
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  10. Tonym

    Tonym WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Unfortunately my persistance wasn't satisfied. I tried to locate a photograph of the British Cemetery, Peking (Beijing) and all I eventually discovered was that it was flattened and is now covered with one of six RING ROADS which one I have no idea so poor Annie's peaceful rest is now disturbed by traffic. Oh Well!

    Tony
     
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  11. amberdog45

    amberdog45 Senior Member

    Hi Tony, just wanted to thank you for sharing the latest information. I'm sure Annie is smiling at the research you have done to remember her(if there is life beyond death). Well done you and RIP Annie.

    I threw a flower into the water at Portimao in Portugal last week to remember my Uncle Sandy who was torpedoed in Sep 41. He had visited the port in Feb 41 on the previous convoy prior to his death. I would have to travel to the Azores to be closest to his sunken ship. The act of remembering must count for something, even if we aren't happy about the location where they now lie. Regards Maria
     
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  12. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    Hi All,

    I was up at the Archives today and had a little spare time. I remembered Annie and got her file (FO678/1787) out. It even included her death certificate as the first page within.

    Anyway, here it is for your perusal:

    DSC09624.JPG DSC09625.JPG DSC09626.JPG DSC09627.JPG DSC09628.JPG DSC09629.JPG
    DSC09630.JPG DSC09631.JPG DSC09632.JPG DSC09633.JPG
     
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  13. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    And part two of the file:

    DSC09634.JPG DSC09635.JPG DSC09636.JPG DSC09637.JPG DSC09638.JPG DSC09639.JPG DSC09640.JPG DSC09641.JPG
    DSC09642.JPG DSC09643.JPG
     
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  14. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Well done Bamboo - that seems to clear up quite a bit

    TD
     
  15. amberdog45

    amberdog45 Senior Member

    Excellent work there Bamboo. Sad to read that Annie was quite anxious about events happening around her (and quite rightly so). I wonder if John Cowie will return and read all the good research done here.
     
  16. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    Thanks to both. Maria, I'll give it a few weeks then pm him. He may well have already seen a copy by now in any event.
     
  17. amberdog45

    amberdog45 Senior Member

    Just bumping the thread as I see JR Cowie is back on another thread. Hope he sees the updates on Annie.
     
  18. JRCowie

    JRCowie Member

    Hi All

    John Cowie is back and delighted with what has been found, but also saddened at the story of Annie Cowie. A branch of my family lived at Fyvie which is "walking distance" to Rothienorman hence my interest in Rebecca.
    A very Thank you to all especially Bamboo (if anyone is ever in South Yorkshire I owe you a beer.......)
    Much appreciated
    John
     
  19. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    Thanks for your pm messages John. If you find the images I posted difficult to read or print off, let me know and I can send over the original jpegs.
     

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