The following is an obituary published in The Salford Chronicle in January, 1901. As I have only a photocopy of very poor quality, it has been retyped here. Note that the text of the obituary is a fairly obvious crib from the "Manchester Faces and Places" publication referenced below ... which is the source of the electronic image from the drawing from the photograph!
James Hymas
March 2004

Death of Alderman Bowes

With the century that has just passed into history there departed this life one who for 30 years, as councillor and alderman, had been a member of the Salford Council - in his day of activity a prominent and influential member. Owing to failing health he had for some time past been obliged to refrain from attending the meetings of the Council, and as Mr. Bowes had long since outlived the allotted span those who had tidings of him during his absence had very slender hopes of ever witnessing his return. Mr Bowes died at South Shore on New Year's Eve and yesterday (Friday) his remains were interred at the Unitarian Church, Monton Green. The fact that the deceased gentleman had obtained his 80th year of age will come as a surprise to most of the people who knew him. In appearance he was a man not a great deal advanced beyond the prime of life and in a large measure his active habits remained with him up to the time of his last illness.

Alderman Bowes was a North Country man, and though for so many years resident in the neighborhood of Pendleton the by no means unpleasant North Country accent persisted in his speech whether on the platform, in the Council Chamber, or in private conversation. At one time, as one of the leaders of the Liberal Party in the Pendleton district and as a prominent figure in the municipal life of the borough, he was heard pretty frequently both on the platform and at the Council meetings and though anything but an indifferent speaker the matter was generally even more engaging than the manner. He struck one as a man of uncommon shrewdness and there was that in his temperment which made for moderation in all things. In his youth Mr. Bowes served an apprenticeship to the business of a millwright and engineer at Stockton-on-Tees. Afterwards he held important positions in that business at Sunderland and West Hartlepool, and going thence to Middlesborough he there made the acquaintanceship of the late Mr. William Barningham, with the result that he was offered and accepted the post of manager of the Pendleton Ironworks - locally better known as Barningham's. The concern, which was established in 1850, found employment for a considerable number of workpeople.

Mr. Bowes remained with the firm as manager until its conversion, some years ago, into a limited liability company, when he was appointed chairman and managing director. In 1870 he became a member of the Corporation, being elected a counsellor for St. Thomas' Ward and ten years later he was raised to the aldermanic bench. Meanwhile, he had been appointed deputy-chairman of the Museum, Library and Parks Committee and on the death of Alderman Davies, in 1885, he was placed in the chair of that important committee. This position he held for a period of seven years, when he was succeeded by the late Alderman Makinson. Prior to the amalgamation of the districts Alderman Bowes was chairman of the Pendleton Finance Committee, and for some years he was chairman of the Building and Improvement Committee. He aided in the introduction of tramways, the establishment of free public libraries, the cultivation of window-gardening, and many other measures of benefit to the people. The planting of trees in Broad-street was a scheme with which he had a great deal to do. In association with the late Mr. B. Armitage of Chomlea, and other gentlement the late alderman founded the Pendleton Mechanics' Institution and until it ceased to exist he was never out of office. When the proposal was made for a free library in Pendleton Mr. Bowes was one of its most earnest promoters and suggested a scheme for the sale of the Mechanics' Institution and the transfer of the proceeds to trustees, whose duty would be to invest them and apply the income in scholarships to be awarded in the elementary schools in the township of Pendleton. The plan received the sanction of the Charity Commissioners and its success is not open to question. Varied as was his knowledge of [?] affairs the deceased was never more at home than when dwelling on topics which appealed to the engineer within him. On such subjects he could speak with authority and a series of lectures which he delivered on the Suez and Panama canals and the Stockton and Darlington railways and on the lives of George Stephenson and Ferdinand de Lesseps were subsequently arranged in book form and published under the title of "Rails and Waterways". Besides that he issued several pamphlets on matters mainly of local interest. Mr. Bowes was a member of the Unitarian body, and was one of the founders of the Pendleton Unitarian Church. -30-

I can't resist adding this, just to show that bad taste and political opportunism is not a new invention. It appeared as a subheading in a column titled "Salford Town Council", on the same page as the obituary. JH

The late Alderman Bowes and his successor

The Mayor said they were called upon at the commencement of the New Year to deal with a sorrowful matter. He had to move that the Council express its sympathy with the widow and family of their departed friend and colleague, Alderman Bowes, of whose decease they had already heard. Alderman Bowes was a very old member of the Council. He had sat amongst them for thirty years, and for twenty years he had been an alderman. Until sickness and old age overtook him he always devoted a most close and singular attention to the duties and work of the Corporation — (hear, hear). For many years he was chairman of the Parks Committee and chairman of the Building and Improvement Committee, and he always evinced a desire to serve the ratepayers. He had lived to a very great age, to a time, in fact, which very few of them could hope to live, for he died in his eightieth year. He asked them to express with Alderman Bowes' family their deepest sorrow and sympathy. —Sir Richard Mottram formally seconded the motion, which was unanimously carried, the whole of the members standing in their places.

Councillor Foy at this stage said he wanted to ask a question. He had not had time to communicate with the Mayor, but he wanted to pay a tribute to alderman Bowes, of whose death they had heard. —(Voices: "It's already [?] done.") In the ordinary course of things Councillor Frankenburg would go upon the aldermanic bench —(Loud cries of "Order"). He did not say he would go up —(Renewed cries of "Order") — Councillor Frankenburg: I don't want my name to be dragged in like this — (hear, hear). -30-

The Salford Local History Library also provided a photocopied article from "Manchester Faces and Places" of 1893 ... this file has been scanned and converted to a PDF ... click here to view the file. JH, March 2004

Rails and Waterways

Isaac Bowes wrote a book, which is alluded to in the above. The Salford Local History Library was kind enough to photocopy it, and it is available here (PDF, 11.9MB). JH 04-08-15

Death of Alderman Bowes
With the century that has just passed into history there departed this life one who for 30 years, as councillor and alderman, had been a member of the Salford Council - in his day of activity a prominent and influential member. Owing to failing health he had for some time past been obliged to refrain from attending the meetings of the Council, and as Mr. Bowes had long since outlived the allotted span those who had tidings of him during his absence had very slender hopes of ever witnessing his return. Mr Bowes died at South Shore on New Year's Eve and yesterday (Friday) his remains were interred at the Unitarian Church, Monton Green. The fact that the deceased gentleman had obtained his 80th year of age will come as a surprise to most of the people who knew him. In appearance he was a man not a great deal advanced beyond the prime of life and in a large measure his active habits remained with him up to the time of his last illness.
	Alderman Bowes was a North Country man, and though for so many years resident in the neighborhood of Pendleton the by no means unpleasant North Country accent persisted in his speech whether on the platform, in the Council Chamber, or in private conversation. At one time, as one of the leaders of the Liberal Party in the Pendleton district and as a prominent figure in the municipal life of the borough, he was heard pretty frequently both on the platform and at the Council meetings and though anything but an indifferent speaker the matter was generally even more engaging than the manner. He struck one as a man of uncommon shrewdness and there was that in his temperment which made for moderation in all things. In his youth Mr. Bowes served an apprenticeship to the business of a millwright and engineer at Stockton-on-Tees. Afterwards he held important positions in that business at Sunderland and West Hartlepool, and going thence to Middlesborough he there made the acquaintanceship of the late Mr. William Barningham, with the result that he was offered and accepted the post of manager of the Pendleton Ironworks - locally better known as Barningham's. The concern, which was established in 1850, found employment for a considerable number of workpeople.
Mr. Bowes remained with the firm as manager until its conversion, some years ago, into a limited liability company, when he was appointed chairman and managing director. In 1870 he became a member of the Corporation, being elected a counsellor for St. Thomas' Ward and ten years later he was raised to the aldermanic bench. Meanwhile, he had been appointed deputy-chairman of the Museum, Library and Parks Committee and on the death of Alderman Davies, in 1885, he was placed in the chair of that important committee. This position he held for a period of seven years, when he was succeeded by the late Alderman Makinson. Prior to the amalgamation of the districts Alderman Bowes was chairman of the Pendleton Finance Committee, and for some years he was chairman of the Building and Improvement Committee. He aided in the introduction of tramways, the establishment of free public libraries, the cultivation of window-gardening, and many other measures of benefit to the people. The planting of trees in Broad-street was a scheme with which he had a great deal to do. In association with the late Mr. B. Armitage of Chomlea, and other gentlement the late alderman founded the Pendleton Mechanics' Institution and until it ceased to exist he was never out of office. When the proposal was made for a free library in Pendleton Mr. Bowes was one of its most earnest promoters and suggested a scheme for the sale of the Mechanics' Institution and the transfer of the proceeds to trustees, whose duty would be to invest them and apply the income in scholarships to be awarded in the elementary schools in the township of Pendleton. The plan received the sanction of the Charity Commissioners and its success is not open to question. Varied as was his knowledge of [?] affairs the deceased was never more at home than when dwelling on topics which appealed to the engineer within him. On such subjects he could speak with authority and a series of lectures which he delivered on the Suez and Panama canals and the Stockton and Darlington railways and on the lives of George Stephenson and Ferdinand de Lesseps were subsequently arranged in book form and published under the title of "Rails and Waterways". Besides that he issued several pamphlets on matters mainly of local interest. Mr. Bowes was a member of the Unitarian body, and was one of the founders of the Pendleton Unitarian Church. -30-