Fonds F1595 - Alan Rowbotham fonds

Alan Edward Rowbotham, 1886-1971, was born in Wrexham, Wales. He came to Canada in 1909 and worked as engineer and surveyor for the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). He helped survey the railway east of Nordegg, Alberta, then known as the Alberta Central Railway. He subsequently worked for the Edmonton, Dunvegan and British Columbia Railway, the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, and the Yukon and Pacific Railway.

At the outbreak of the First World War he joined the 3rd Canadian Mounted Rifles. He served in England with the 3rd Battalion, Lord Strathcona's Horse and was later transferred to the Royal Engineers where he served with the Railway Operating Division of the Eastern Expeditionary Force in Salonika, Macedonia. He rose to the rank of major and saw action in Russia. He returned to Canada in 1920, and in 1921 married Edith Buchanan. They had one daughter, Margery (Wall), 1925- .

After demobilization Alan worked as a freelance engineer on various construction projects with the Alberta Highways Department, Calgary Power, and various mining companies in Windermere, British Columbia. At the beginning of Second World War he joined an adjunct of the Ontario Provincial Police and was transferred to the Veterans' Guard. During the war he worked across Canada building camps and airports and on an airforce station in Summerside, Prince Edward Island. He was discharged in 1946 for medical reasons and worked for the federal government until his retirement in 1956. He died in Edmonton.