Walter Gowers


Walter Gowers was a professional rugby league and association football footballer who played in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. He played representative level rugby league for Great Britain, and Lancashire, and at club level for Platt Lane ARLFC, the Rochdale Hornets, and St. Helens, as a goal-kicking, i.e. number 1, and club level association football for Preston North End, as a full-back.

Background

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

International honours

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.

County honours

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

Club career

Walter Gowers came out of retirement aged to play one match for Rochdale Hornets against Wigan at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 12 January 1946.

Career records

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

Walter Gowers' marriage to Mary E. was registered during first ¼ 1929 in Chorley district. They had children; Winifred J. Gowers, John Gowers, and the rugby league footballer; Ken Gowers. Walter Gowers was the great-grandfather of the Middlesex cricketer John Simpson.