IN LOVING MEMORY OF EMMA TURNER, THE BELOVED WIFE OF THOMAS BOWMAN, HOPE ST, WREXHAM. BORN MAY 24, 1846. DIED FEB 10, 1892. “AND HAVE YOU GONE FOR EVER GONE AND LEFT US HERE TO WEEP, TILL WE ARE CALLED TO FOLLOW YOU AND IN THE GRAVE TO SLEEP, YET SINCE YOU COULD NO LONGER STAY TO CHEER US WITH YOUR LOVE, WE HOPE TO MEET WITH YOU AGAIN IN YOUR BRIGHT WORLD ABOVE”. ALSO OF THOMAS BOWMAN, HUSBAND OF THE ABOVE, WHO DIED DECEMBER 2ND, 1912, AGED 75 YEARS. EMMA TURNER (BOWMAN) 1846 – 1892 Emma Turner Redsull was born in Yorkshire, she was the daughter of Thomas Redsull from Deal who was an Inland Revenue supervisor, her mother was Elizabeth Turner. Other siblings were born in different areas so her father probably moved around with his job. By 1861 her father has died, and Emma is working as a servant in Deal which is probably where she met Thomas, they married the next year on 3 August 1862. They had a son Alfred Edward born in 1863, but no other known children have been found. In 1881 they are in the Barracks in Wrexham, and by 1891 they are at the Nelson Arms, sadly Emma died there on 10 February 1892. An obituary in the Wrexham Advertiser shows how well thought of Emma was. THE LATE MRS BOWMAN. The interment of Mrs Bowman, wife of Mr Thomas Bowman, of the Nelson's Arms, Hope-street, took place on Saturday, at the new cemetery. The deceased had always enjoyed fairly good health until recently, when she was unfortunately attacked with influenza, and despite everything: that medical skill and loving care and attendance could do, she succumbed in a few days. The deceased lady had lived in Wrexham for fourteen years, and by her kindly feeling and sympathetic assistance in every case of suffering which came to her knowledge, she gained a host of sincere friends, who deeply regret her loss, and who feel: deep sympathy with her sorrowing husband, and other near relatives. Among those who attended the funeral, were Mr Thomas Bowman, Mr Alfred E. Bowman (son), Mrs Alfred Bowman (daughter in-law), Mrs Elsden (sister), Miss Ida Bowman (niece), and many more too numerous to list here . In the Wrexham Advertiser of 21 May 1892 there is an article about Emma`s grave. OVERTON. Mr James A. Mossford, of this village, has just executed one of the finest specimens of sculpture in North Wales. It has been erected in the Wrexham cemetery, to the memory of Mrs Bowman. It is considered by those competent to judge to be the finest monument in the cemetery. It consists of a life-sized figure of a woman, surmounted on a massive marble pedestal, and surrounded with a marble border stone. The figure is in the attitude of dropping a wreath of flowers on the grave. 3 years later in February 1895 there is an “In Memoriam “notice for Emma, beloved wife of Thomas Bowman “In Memory Ever Dear” (I think he loved her very much) THOMAS BOWMAN 1838 - 1912 Thomas was born in Devizes, Wiltshire in 1838, he was the son of Edwin Bowman who was a travelling canal boat, china hawker from Ashby de la Zouch, his mother was named Ann Wiltshire. His father had died by 1851, the family was still in Devizes, and Ann was still a dressmaker. By 1861 Thomas was stationed in the Southern Barracks in Deal, it was a coastal defence artillery battery. On 3 August 1862 he married Emma Turner Redsull at Deal. Military records place him at the barracks at Chatham in 1871 where he is a Colour Sergeant in 23rd Foot Regiment He was then transferred to the Staff of the Army as a Port Sergeant in September 1876. The 23rd Foot Regiment later became the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. On 5 February 1878 Thomas was awarded a pension. The records show that he was aged 40, 5ft 7inches tall, with sandy hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion, he was of a very good character, he had completed his service while on the Garrison Staff in Malta where he had been for 13 months. He is also noted as having been in Gibraltar for 5 years and 10 months, Canada for 1 year and 4 months and the Gold Coast for 4 months. He also had former service in the Land Transport Corps - 1 year 51 days, which was allowed to reckon towards his service. The time on the Gold Coast was possibly the Third Anglo-Ashanti War, also known as the First Ashanti Expedition. Preparatory work by a team of Royal Engineers began September 1873, troops arrived late December 1873, several battles, brief occupation of Kumasi, treaty signed July 1874. In 1881 he is at the 23rd Brigade depot at the Barracks in Wrexham. He is a canteen steward. Emma is there and also a son Alfred aged 17 who was born in Deal. There is also an adopted daughter Ida Woodland Bowman aged 6 who was born near Dover. By 1891 Thomas has left the Barracks and is at 15 Hope Street, which is the Nelson Arms, he is running the pub. Emma is there along with Ida and a grandson Thomas A. R. Bowman aged 5 who was born in Knolton. Sadly Emma died on 10 February 1892. Thomas remarried to Catherine Elizabeth Jones in Devizes on 6 June 1893, she was from Minera and was 35 years younger than him. They moved to Saltney and by 1911 he has retired, they have had 5 children but 2 had died. Only two daughters and one son are still alive. Thomas died on 2 December 1912 at St Marks Terrace, Saltney. He was brought back to Wrexham and buried with Emma. Catherine remarried to George Henry Mills and died in 1949 in Somerset. Sources: Researched by Annette Edwards, with military help from MaxD. Photo of Thomas Bowman with permission of Keith Bowman.