James William Gower

A Seaman with Steam Drifter Reliance (Lowestoft), James died on 7th of October 1917 at the age of 27. 

James was born at Carlton Colville in 1890, a son of James Henry and Harriet Gower. He was baptised at Saint Peter’s Church, Carlton Colville, on 26 October 1890. The 1891 census shows James, and his mother, with his maternal grandmother, Louisa Solomon, at Ship Corner, Carlton Colville. In 1901 James, and his mother, were with his maternal grandmother, Louisa Solomon, at Morses Cottages, Carlton Colville.

On 30 December 1912 James married Annie Louisa Victoria Meadows at Saint Margaret’s Church, Lowestoft. James was a fisherman living at 28 Beccles Road, and Annie lived at Worthing Road. Later Annie’s address was 84 Worthing Road.  

In 1917 James was a Seaman with the Drifter Reliance, LT 694. The Reliance sailed from Lowestoft, on Saturday 29 September, to fish between Wintertons Ridge and Smiths Knoll, and was due to return on Monday 8 October. The Reliance was seen by several boats outside Winterton Ridge during the evening of October 6. A member of the crew of the Lord Roberts, William Westmate, stated at an inquiry that his crew had hauled their nest and gone below when, about five minutes later, they heard an explosion. This was presumed to be the Reliance striking a mine. All ten of the Reliance’s crew were lost.  

See: 1914 – 1918 Lowestoft Fisherman: killed by enemy action – History of Lowestoft's Fishing Industry

James' brother-in-law, William Meadows, died in 1916 in the loss of the trawler Boy Sam.