Walter Gowers

GB international rugby league footballer

Walter Gowers

Personal information

Full name| Walter Gowers
Born| (1902-12-24)24 December 1902
Wigan district, England
Died| September 1965(1965-09-00) (aged 62)
Rochdale district, England

Playing information

Position| Fullback
| Club

Years  | Team  | Pld | T | G | FG | P
1922–36  | Rochdale Hornets | 455  | 5  | 733  | 24  | 1497
1936  | St. Helens | 6  | 0  | 7  | 2  | 18
1946  | Rochdale Hornets | 1  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0
| Total  | 462  | 5  | 740  | 26  | 1515
Representative
Years  | Team  | Pld | T | G | FG | P
≥1922–≤36  | Lancashire | ≥4  |  |  |  |
1928  | Great Britain | 0  |  |  |  |

Source: [1]

Walter Gowers (first ¼ 1903[2] – third ¼ 1965) was a professional rugby league and association football (soccer) footballer who played in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. He played representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain (non-Test matches), and Lancashire, and at club level for Platt Lane ARLFC (in Wigan), the Rochdale Hornets (two spells), and St. Helens (Heritage № 450), as a goal-kicking fullback, i.e. number 1,[1] and club level association football (soccer) for Preston North End (reserves in 1926), as a full-back.

## Background[edit]

Walter Gowers' birth was registered in Wigan district, Lancashire, England, he worked as a gardener, he lived at High Birch Terrace, Rochdale, and he died aged 62 in Rochdale district, Lancashire, England.

## Playing career[edit]

### International honours[edit]

Walter Gowers represented Great Britain in non-Test matches on the 1928 Great Britain rugby league tour of Australia and New Zealand, scoring 27-goals.[3]

### County honours[edit]

Walter Gowers represented Lancashire while at Rochdale Hornets, winning four County Championship medals.

### Club career[edit]

Walter Gowers came out of retirement aged c. 42–43 to play one match for Rochdale Hornets against Wigan at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 12 January 1946.[citation needed]

### Career records[edit]

Walter Gowers holds Rochdale Hornets' "most appearances in a career" record with 456-appearances between 1922 and 1946, and holds Rochdale Hornets' "most points in a career" record with 1497-points scored between 1922 and 1946. He previously held Rochdale Hornets' "most goals in a season" record with 109-goals during the 1933–34 season, this record was extended by Graham Starkey during the 1966–67 season.

## Genealogical information[edit]

Walter Gowers' marriage to Mary E. (née Prescott) was registered during first ¼ 1929 in Chorley district.[4] They had children; Winifred J. Gowers (birth registered third ¼ 1930 in Rochdale district), John Gowers (birth registered first ¼ 1934 in Wigan district), and the rugby league footballer; Ken Gowers. Walter Gowers was the great-grandfather of the Middlesex and England cricketer John Simpson (Ken Gowers' grandson).

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
2. ^ "Birth details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
3. ^ "Profile at saints.org.uk". saints.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
4. ^ "Marriage details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.

## External links[edit]

* Profile at saints.org.uk
* Rochdale Hornets statistics at greyhoundderby.com

* v
* t
* e

Great Britain squad – 1928 Australia & New Zealand tourists

* Jim Sullivan
* Jim Brough
* Walter Gowers

* Alf Ellaby
* Alf Frodsham
* Emlyn Gwynne
* Mel Rosser
* John Evans
* Joseph "Joe" Oliver
* Tom Askin

* William Rees
* Les Fairclough
* Jonty Parkin (c)
* Bryn Evans

* Oliver Dolan
* Nat Bentham
* William "Bill" Burgess
* Harold Bowman
* Billy Williams
* Frank Bowen
* Ben Halfpenny
* Bill Horton
* Albert Fildes
* Bob Sloman
* Harold Young
* Joe Thompson

* Mr G. F. Hutchins (manager)
* Mr B. Osborne (manager)

*[Pld]: Played
*[T]: Tries
*[G]: Goals
*[FG]: Field goals
*[P]: Points
*[c.]: circa
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template