John Bowmer was born in 1857 in Shottle, Derbyshire. His father was Isaac Statham Bowmer, a farmer, and his mother was Mary, née Slater. John was the first of seven children, and was baptised at St Alkmund’s Church, Derby, on 18th May 1857

As a child, John lived at Shottle, but at the time of the 1871 census, he was with his uncle William Bowmer at Byefield Farm, Denby. Aged 14, the census return indicates he was at school. His parents and brothers and sisters were still living at Shottle.

John Bowmer married Elizabeth Beardsley on 16th April 1884 at Christ Church, Cotmanhay. Their marriage was witnessed by John’s brother Isaac and Elizabeth’s sister Mary. At this time John was a famer living in Duffield, while Elizabeth lived at Shipley.

Elizabeth Beardsley was the daughter of William, a farmer of Shottle, and Mary Ann, née Brayfield. She was born on 6th March 1858 and baptised at All Saints’ Church, Turnditch, on 4th April. Elizabeth was living in Shottle in 1871, but by 1881 she had moved to Dalbury and was working at the Rectory as a cook for James Cotton, the Rector of All Saints’ Church. On 31st May 1882, Elizabeth and her brother George were witnesses to the marriage of their younger brother Isaac to Anne Turner Hudson at St John’s Church in Newbold, Derbyshire.

After their marriage, John and Elizabeth lived at Duffield where their first son Isaac was born in 1886. He was baptised on 19th September at St Alkmund’s Church, Duffield. Their next child, Olive, was born in Duffield in 1887 and baptised on 29th January 1888, also at St Alkmund’s. The baptism records for Isaac and Olive show that John was a farmer living in Duffield.

Between January 1888 and April 1890, John and Elizabeth moved to The Gorses, Belper, where their third child William Beardsley Bowmer was born. William was baptised at St Peter’s Church, Belper, on 20th May 1890 and his baptism record shows that John was a farmer living in Belper.

Between April 1891 and October 1892, John and his family moved to Smalley, with John giving up farming to find work at Mapperley Colliery. Their fourth and last child, Mary, was born in autumn 1892.

John and Elizabeth lived at 66 Blunt Street, Smalley Common. Their daughter Olive married on 6th March 1909, and their daughter Mary married on 20th August 1910. In April 1911, John was working as a carter at Mapperley Colliery, living with Elizabeth and their two sons at Blunt Street.

It appears that Elizabeth became ill in early 1915. On 13th April 1915, she made her last will and testament. Three days later, on 16th April, Elizabeth Bowmer died, aged 57. She was buried in the churchyard of St John the Baptist’s Church, Smalley, on 18th April.

‘In Loving Memory of Elizabeth, the beloved wife of John Bowmer, at rest April 16th. 1915, aged 57 years. gone but not forgotten. Erected by her loving son William Bowmer.’

In her will, Elizabeth bequeathed £150 to her daughter Olive, and £50 each to her daughter Mary and son Isaac. She wrote ‘To my son Isaac I also bequeath the piano; and my old Derby China Tea Service to be equally shared between my daughters Olive and Mary. The residue and remainder of my personal estate and effects I give and bequeath to my son William Beardsley Bowmer.’ She appointed her son William and ‘Henry Woolley of Smalley’ as her executors ‘in consideration of which I bequeath to each Executor the sum of two pounds ten shillings’. Elizabeth’s estate was valued at £516 6s. 10d. (approximately £50,000 in terms of value in 2022).

John continued to live in the Smalley area. He died in September 1924 aged 67 and was buried in the churchyard of St John the Baptist’s Church on 12th September.

John and Elizabeth Bowmer were my great-great-grandparents.