Scott Polar Research Institute
Alias: None
Title: Mr
Dates: 1875-1942
Nationality: Irish, British
Awards: None
McGowan was born in 1875 in Armagh, Ireland. He joined the British Antarctic Expedition 1907-09 (Nimrod) on 26 July 1907 at the age of 32 as third engineer, sailing with Nimrod to Lyttelton and then on the first Antarctic voyage. In March 1908, he replaced Christian Craft as second engineer while Nimrod was docked in Lyttelton. Little is known about McGowan’s life after he left the expedition in November 1908. He died in 1942.
N.B. McGowan was the stepfather of Felix Rooney, a fireman on the British Antarctic Expedition 1907-09 (Nimrod).