James Yardley Bowden

James Yardley Bowden was born 2nd October 1893 the son of James William Bowden and Annie Yardley. They were living at 142 Albert Road Farnworth, The Vitriol Makers Arms This is a current image of the pub now called The Royal it has changed little over the years. He was christened at St John’s Church on 1st November 1893. Shortly after when James was two and a half years old his father James William died at the age of 30 on 8th May 1896. From my records I am not sure if they lived at the Pub during this time or if they lived somewhere else. When his father died he and his mother did live at the Vitriol Makers Arms with her father James Yardley. Annie’s mother had died in the same year that James was born. When Annie’s father James Yardley died on 3rd April 1900 the pub passed to William Yardley and his wife Louisa Naylor. He was the eldest son of John Yardley the eldest brother of William at this time there were no surviving brothers or sisters of James. At this time Annie and her son moved to 76 Rawson Street Farnworth James was now seven years old. By 1910 they had moved to 83 St Germain Street Farnworth It must have been about this time that James left school because in January he started work as an apprentice for a Mr William Burton Rushton whose business was a Chemist and Druggist. James signed a four year apprentiship indenture starting on 1st January 1911 the document being signed on 3rd February 1911. Mr Rushton carried on his business at 118 Market Street Farnworth This is a current image of the shop but does not appear to have changed much since 1911 other than a change of business. James joined the arm in 1914 serving with the Royal Army Medical Corps as a seargeant. He was posted overseas to Salonika on 29 June 1917. On 17 March 1919 he was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant with The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment serving in Salonika.

He was discharged in 1920. On his discharge he received the two medals for service overseas and the victory medal.
On the 22 February 1919 he married Edith Hutchinson in Farnworth Lancashire. I can only assume that he was home on leave at this time as this coincides with his promotion to 2nd Lieutenant.
James and Edith lived at 70 Rawson Street when they were first married and Annie his mother also lived there with them. Jack Bowden was born on the 8 May 1921 while they were living here.

They lived at the left hand house of the two.
It was in 1921 that he opened the shop at 26 Higher Market Street as a Chemist and Druggist. Listed in Kelly’s Directory of 1924.

This is a modern picture of the shop in 2011.