Member of the Ealing District Council in 1899.
Albert Victor Cowley was born in 1860, the third of the four children of Edward Spencer Dickin Cowley (1816-1893) and Selina Cowley née Lindfield (1824-1886). His birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1860 in the Windsor Registration District, Berkshire.
In the 1861 census he is shown as aged 9 months and living in The Kennels, Home Park, New Windsor, Berkshire, with his parents, his two siblings: Victoria Adelaide Mary Louisa Cowley (1852-1930) and Arthur Henry Spencer Cowley (1856-1942), together with a housemaid, a female domestic house servant and a male dog keeper. His father was described as Jäger to H.M. Queen Victoria. (Jäger is German for a huntsman).
He was still residing at The Kennels, Home Park, New Windsor, when the 1871 census was undertaken, together with his parents, his three siblings: Victoria Adelaide Mary Louisa Cowley; Arthur Henry Spencer Cowley and Ernest Albert Edward Cowley (1862-1941) and a female domestic servant. His father was still shown as Jäger to H.M. The Queen.
When the 1881 census was untaken he was shown as aged 20 years, a tutor at the Grammar School, Salt Hill, Farnham Royal, Buckinghamshire.
On 28 August 1888 he married Eveline Fanny Edenborough (1865-1913) at St John's Church, Egham, Surrey, where in the marriage register he is shown as aged 28 years, a bachelor whose profession was insurance. He was shown as living in Ealing and that his father was described as a gentleman of Kensington Palace. His wife was listed as aged 28 years, a spinster who was residing in Egham, the daughter of Horatio Edenborough, a gentleman.
He was shown as aged 30 years and an Assistant to the Secretary of an insurance company in the 1891 census, living at 34 Castle Bar Road, Ealing, Middlesex (now Greater London), with his wife and their two children: Victor Leopold Spencer Cowley (1889-1975) and Violet Eveline Selina Cowley (1891-1941), together with two female general domestic servants.
He had moved to 38 Castle Bar Road, Ealing, in the 1901 census that showed him as aged 40 years and a manager of an insurance company. He was residing with his wife and their three children: Victor Leopold Spencer Cowley; Violet Eveline Selina Cowley and Fanny Ina Dickin Cowley (b.1893), together with a cook and a housemaid.
When he completed his 1911 census return form he described himself aged 50 years and a director of public companies still living in the 10 roomed property at 38 Castle Bar Road, Ealing. On the night of the census, only he and his daughter, Violet Eveline Selina Cowley, together with a cook and a female domestic servant were present.
Probate records show that his wife had been living at Leaping Well, Felbridge, East Grinstead, Sussex and that she died on 14 October 1913. He was granted administration of her estate on 14 January 1914 and her effects totalled £169-12s-9d. Her body was buried on 20 October 1913 in grave D.11.25-33, in the burial ground of St John's Church, Felbridge, Surrey.
During World War One he served as a Major in the 7th (Service) Battalion, King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) and entered France in September 1915. He later transferred to the Welsh Regiment. He was made the Lieutenant Colonel of the 33rd (Reserve) Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers. This was a Territorial Force battalion that was raised in June 1916 in Hornsea, Essex. In September 1916 it was converted into the 80th Training Reserve Battalion in 19th Reserve Brigade. .
He died, aged 58 years, on 23 October 1918, his death being registered in the 4th quarter of 1918 in the Camberwell Registration District, London and on 28 October 1918 his body was interred within the grave of his wife at Felbridge.
Probate records describe him as: of Leaping Well, Crawley Down Road, Felbridge, Surrey, Lieutenant-Colonel (retired) 33rd Northumberland Fusiliers, died 23 October 1918 at Camberwell House, Peckham Road, Camberwell, Surrey (sic). Probate granted on 10 December 1918 jointly to his two daughters who were described as spinsters. His effects totalled £5,321-13s-9d. He was posthumously awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal and these were sent on 23 February 1922 to his son, Captain Victor Leopold Spencer Cowley of the Royal Ulster Rifles at Albany Barracks, Parkhurst, Isle of Wight.
He is shown as 'A.V. COWLEY' on the Walpole Park opening memorial plaque at Walpole Park, Mattock Lane, London, W5 5EQ. He is also commemorated on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website and as 'LIEUT. COL. A. V. COWLEY 9th KGS. OWN. 23.10.18' on a brass plaque inside St John the Divine Church, Felbridge.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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