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Clifton Rugby Football Club History |
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Robert Rowatt
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Captain Robert Rowatt. He was born on the 14th February 1892 in Crosby, Lancashire. Although badly wounded he survived the war and it is thought that his name was added to the War Memorial after a case of mistaken identity when both his brothers died and he didn't return to Bristol.
His grandfather, David Allison Rowatt (1825-1902) together with a Mr.Lyon set up the firm of Rowatt & Lyon in Glasgow, and around 1871 moved to Liverpool, setting up a Rowatt & Lyon office there in Castle Street. Rowatt & Lyon are believed to have had the only Tobacco Import Licence for Liverpool, and they were also active as forwarding agents, and in the Ships' storestrade. It seems that David Allison Rowatt ran the office side of business, and his partner the sales side, operating from a London office. When Lyon died, so too did his family's connections with the firm. D A Rowatt's son, David Crawford Rowatt (1864-1951), joined the business at the age of 14, and by 1902 had taken over the management of the firm from his father.
In 1901 Robert was living at Kenilworth, Waterloo Park, Liverpool.
Above left his grandfather David Allison Rowatt (1825-1902), right his father David Crawford Rowatt (1864-1951). Images courtesy of British American Tobacco.
Above the Rowatt Family. Image courtesy of British American Tobacco.
Robert Rowatt joined BAT at Ashton Gate, Bristol in 1913 as a factory pupil before being posted to Liverpool. When World War 1 broke out he joined the Kings Liverpool Regiment and was discharged in February 1919. Although badly wounded he survived the war.
Both his brothers David and Edmund were killed within a month of each other in World War 1. 2nd Lt. David Crawford Rowatt of Rhos-on-Sea, North Wales died on 1st July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, aged 26. He was with the "A" Bty. 10th Bde., Royal Field Artillery and was the husband of Sadie Williams (formerly Rowatt, nee Harvey-Gibson.). He is remembered at the Peronne Road Cemetery, Maricourt. Private Edmund Rowatt died on the 30th July 1916. He served with The King's (Liverpool Regiment). He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial and St. Andrews Church, Liverpool.
His brother 2nd Lt. David Rowatt who died in World War 1 on the 1st July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme. Image courtesy of British American Tobacco. He is buried at the Peronne Road Cemetery, Maricourt.
He married Mary Stuart Dow (born 13th July 1892 Blundellsands, Liverpool) on the 16th June 1917 at St. Andrew's , Waterloo, Liverpool whilst in the Army. She was the daughter of Captain and Mrs Dow of Blundellsands, Liverpool. His son Robert Edmund Rowatt was born on the 12th August 1922.
He resigned from BAT to join his father at Rowatt & Lyon, where he took over as Company Secretary.
In 1924 BAT's Ships' Stores organisation took over the Rowatt & Lyon, which ceased as an operating concern. Robert Rowatt joined BAT later in the year and was posted to Bangalore, India, as Assistant Factory Manager. He spent the next 20 plus years here, in Hyderabad, Calcutta and Monghyr as well as Bangalore.
Above Robert Rowatt. Image courtesy of British American Tobacco.
Above the founding members of the Bangalore Rotary Club of Bangalore which was chartered on 27th October 1934. Robert Rowatt appears to be seated 5th right. Image courtesy of the Bangalore Rotary Club.
Above a close-up of Robert Rowatt's signature from the Charter Night Dinner. Images courtesy of the Bangalore Rotary Club.
Robert Rowatt retired in 1946.
On the 8th August 1946 the engagement of his daughter, Mary Stuart (Mollie) Rowatt was announced to Thomas Massey Lynch of Gaywood, Nicholas Road, Blundellsands, Liverpool. Robert and his wife had recently moved to Ragland Road, Bangor, County Down from Blundellsands.
His son was Robert Edmund Rowatt was educated at Clifton College from 1936-1939. Only 9 months after joining BAT in January 1940 Ted Rowatt enlisted in the Army. He became a Captain and for much of the time was Infantry Training and saw serrvice in India from 1942 to 1945 traing troops in jungle warfare prior to their joining General Slim's 14th Army.
Above, his son, Robert Edmund Rowatt. Image courtesy of British American Tobacco.
Ted Rowatt rejoined BAT in 1947 and spent the next 15 years with NTC in Nigeria, becoming Factory Manager at Ibadan in 1957. He retired in 1972 and was living in the Guildford/Farnham area with his wife and 3 daughters.
Robert Rowatt and his wife arrived in Southampton after a round voyage, on the 27th February 1956 on the Southern Cross. His address is listed as 49 Dowhills Road, Blundellsands, Liverpool 23.
Robert Rowatt died in June 1959.
His wife, Mary Stuart Rowatt (nee Dow), died in February 1996 in Sefton South, Merseyside.