Granville McGowan

Bank: National Provincial Bank

Place of work: Trustee Department

Died: 17 February 1945

Granville McGowan was born on 27 February 1914, the son of John and Annie Anderson McGowan. He was educated at Chester-le-Street Secondary School and Walsingham Grammar School. He joined the staff of National Provincial Bank as a probationer at Spennymoor branch in March 1931. He was promoted to junior clerk in June 1931, and to clerk in 1933. He moved to Newcastle upon Tyne branch in 1935 and to Trustee Department at 1 Princes Street, London, in 1939. In 1940 McGowan married Margaret, who worked at the bank’s Northumberland Street branch, Newcastle-on-Tyne.

In June 1940, McGowan left the bank to go on military service, joining the South Staffordshire Regiment. After fighting at the Battle for Caen, he transferred to the 51st Highland Division and later the West Yorkshire Regiment. On 17 February 1945, while on active service in Nijmegen, McGowan was killed in action. He was 31 years old and left a widow, Margaret.