July 29th-1883-March 29th 1912

Henry Robertson Bowers (Birdie) was born in Greenock - 29th July 1883 at North Street on the     Esplande. Bowers was part Robert Falcon Scott ill- fated expedition to the South Pole 1912.

His father died over seas when he was three years of age and his mother and him moved to Kent. From an early age he longed for the sea and adventure and joined the Merchant service as a cadet on HMS Worcester.

After gaining his first mates ticket he joined the Royal Indian Marine. service.1905. At a lunch meeting he met Sir Clements Markham who had earlier organized Scott's Antarctic Expedition. Bowers impressed Clements that he recommended Bowers for Scott's expedition

Scott offered him a place on the "Terra Nova" without even interviewing him. Bowers had no previous polar experience. He only read Scott's accounts earlier on Discovery and Shackleton's  expedition in Nimrod.

Bowers was a highly skilled organizer and was put in charge of the ships stores. his power of memory served Scott  well. Bowers perished along with Scott and the others on the return journey of the expedition from the south pole in 1912.