Bowden, Peter William (BGS 1944-49)
Dad was born in June 1933 in very different times, Ramsey McDonald was Prime Minister and George V was on the throne.
The youngest of five siblings, he spent his formative years living at the family pub, The Terminus Inn, in East-the-Water, Bideford. He would tell stories of the colourful characters that were regulars in the pub and how the family dog would get drunk drinking from the drip trays!
He earned a place at Bideford Grammar School, entering in September 1944 until 1949, but never told me much about his time there. However, he did tell me that whilst there he would earn pocket money by trapping moles and selling their skins. He told me how the school had a problem with moles on the playing field and the groundsman said “‘ere boy, you know ‘bout catching moles. Can he catch the little buggers for us?” So, the next day he took his traps to school and the moles were soon gone – can you imagine that today! Like I said, different times!
Upon leaving school he went to work on a farm in Eastleigh and would talk of long days tending the crops with hand tools and getting the harvest in.
Shortly after this an opportunity to work as a railway clerk, based in Bideford presented itself and he changed jobs and to this day he had an encyclopaedic knowledge of the old railway lines of Devon.
In 1953 Peter went on a date with a telephone exchange operator called Margaret, whom he’d charmed over the phone, it was the first of many and the relationship flourished and in 1956 Peter married Margaret Fishleigh, a farmer’s daughter from Petrockstowe and they remained happily married for 66 years until her death in 2022.
The marriage coincided with another change in occupation as he joined the Milk Marketing Board at Torrington as a trainee inseminator. He took well to this work and started a gradual rise up the ranks. This meant a move to Lapford in 1963, by which time Julie and I had been born, and then the family was uprooted again in 1966 with a move to Sussex.
Four years later the opportunity to return to Devon presented itself and the family returned home. They bought a house in Middleton Road, Bideford where Margaret and Peter lived for the rest of their lives.
Peter spent the rest of his working life with the Milk Marketing Board (or Genus as it became known) until his retirement in 1993 by which time he had risen to the post of Regional Manager for the South West area. He seemed to know the name of most farms in Devon and Cornwall and who farmed there. He often boasted about how many years he had managed to milk out of the pension fund!
He was never a man to be overly concerned with material wealth and had a make-do-and-mend attitude, so common for his generation. This could be a bit frustrating at times, to be honest, when something really did need replacing! He was generous to his family and friends but never really one to treat himself!
He got pleasure from family life and he was very proud of his grandchildren. He had a love of outdoor pursuits and gardening. Shooting, fishing and dogs played a large part in his life. He used to keep a small fishing boat at Clovelly for many years and he also took up trout fishing upon retirement. He was a member of a shoot at Weare Gifford and was never happier than when in the countryside working his dogs and at one point had three springer spaniels which did put a certain strain on the marriage at times!
Retirement also gave them the chance to travel and they had several trips to sunnier climes, often with his sister Mary and husband John. They also enjoyed a couple of cruises, one around the Mediterranean and one to the Norwegian Fjords.
He also loved sport and played cricket in his youth, keeping wicket for a local team. His one indulgence was Sky Sports, his favourites being cricket, rugby union, tennis and snooker.
Socially he loved to play skittles, and played for the Church Lads Brigade Old Boys, in Bideford league division 1 for many years.
He was a leading light at the Reds Rowing Club where he was a regular volunteer and a long serving committee member, including the role of Chairman for many years. (The reason for the oars on the way in). He remained a trustee to this day.
Until his admission to hospital just 10 weeks before his death he was able to live independently and he was still tending his garden with a little help from me, right up until last year and grew some great runner beans, potatoes, beetroot in the garden and tomatoes in his greenhouse.
I’d like to thank the neighbours for their support and kindness, particularly since dad has been on his own. That’s Jim and Helen, Trevor and Wendy, John and Maureen, Mark and Sue and Steve and Cathy.
I’d like to finish by thanking you all for coming today and while it is a sad day I’d like us all to feel some joy that Dad lived such a long and largely healthy life.
We’re all going to miss him!
Julie Preece, Daughter
