Descendents of Bertha Gower
contact: John Davis webmaster@ivu.org

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Queenie & Bertha with Queenie's three boys. My grandmother added a note 'Queen loved to pose'

Bertha Gower, Christopher Mount & Fred Mount on Taffy, Teven.

Right is Florence (Queenie) Mount /Gower. Left is Bertha Gower. Harry Mount at the rear and Queen's children L-R Jack, Christie and Fred.

Pearson men WWI. Sam right, Joe left (killed WWI). Australian military uniforms. Their uncle Edward (killed in action in France in 1918). Under the photo was 'A Portrait by the U.S.A. Studios, London'.
Death certs for the Pearson twins (PDF 1.2mb)

Arthur Thomas, Elizabeth Ann & Bertha Gower  left London 27 August 1914 on the Themistocles - they  landed in Sydney on October 12, 1914.

Most of the photos below were sent from Australia by the granddaughter of Bertha Gower, the notes in italics are hers (click on pictures for bigger versions). In the mid 1950s Jack's brother, Christopher Gower (Uncle Chris), came back to England with his wife Amy and visited many of the Gower family, including his nieces Queenie and Vera in Hampshire. They travelled on the S.S. Himalaya - for photos of the ship see: www.simplonpc.co.uk/PO_Himalaya_1949.html

Bertha Ellen GOWER b. 1899 in Barham, Kent,
- census 1901 at 1 Rose Cottage, Cheriton, Kent.
She married (1) NEWMAN. She married (2) Samuel PEARSON
Children by NEWMAN: Bob NEWMAN


This is a pioneer built house, built by a Mr, Collingwood at Springbrook, Queensland in the 1920s. My grandmother, Bertha Newman (nee Gower & not yet Pearson) lived an impoverished life here after the disappearance of her first husband, Frank Newman, The people on the balcony look like they could be Queenie Mount's family (nee Florence Gower). But I could be wrong.

Taken on the occasion of the 2nd wedding of Bertha Newman (nee Gower) to Samuel Pearson, 14th January, 1930. Sam's mother, also the mother of Amie Gower (Chris Gower's wife) is also in the photo. Below: marriage cert:

Elizabeth Startup/Gower and Sam Pearson

Sam & Joe Pearson WWI, plus a young Bob Newman b.1923.

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Themistocles - that Arthur, Elizabeth and Bertha took to Australia in 1914

Bertha Gower aged 18 [1916] youngest in the family. My grandmother. Adored her brother Jack. Emigrated to Australia with her parents in 1914. Born 1898 (23rd July)

Captions (originally in Bertha's handwriting) say "Grandad Gower arrived in Australia October 12, 1914 with Grannie [Elizabeth Ann] and daughter Bertha." Chris and Florence [Queen] were apparently already here. The other photo is Elizabeth taken with my father Robert [Bob] Newman [their grandson]. The caption says "Grannie [Elizabeth Gower] age 70. Bobbie age 4, 1926"

Sam Pearson, Elizabeth 'granny' Gower age 86, and Bertha, at the house that Chris built. All 1940s

Bertha Gower's 1st marriage certificate, 1921

Marriage Registered in New South Wales, Australia
No. (obscured by stamp)
Date and place of marriage1921, 10th March, Ballina Municipality, The Manse, Ballina, Presbyterian Church
Names and surnames of parties Frank Newman, farmer, Ballina NSW, batchelor, Birthplace Sydney NSW, Age 41, father unknown, mother Mabel (deceased) father's occupation unknown. (TO)
BERTHA ELLEN GOWER, domestic duties, Coraki NSW, spinster, birthplace Cheriton, Kent, England, age 22, Father's name, mother's name and maiden surname Arthur Thomas Gower, Elizabeth Ann Baker, Father's occupation, gardener. Signed by F. Newman and B. Gower etc.

Bertha about 1957. I remember this photo being taken. She always wore glasses but my father, Bob Newman (her son), asked her to remove them for the photo so that the flash would not reflect off them and spoil the photo. Except for the missing glasses which accentuated her blue eyes, this is how I best remember her.

Bertha Pearson death certificate, 1983 - formerly Newman, nee Gower. Showing even more confusion about her mother's maiden name.