Frederick McDowell was a civilian casualty of the Luftwaffe's aerial Blitz on London. He was the son of James McDowell and Mary Anne McDowell (née Charley) of Hazlebank, Osborne Park, Belfast. He was the husband of Elsie McDowell (née Neill).
Frederick and Elsie married in December 1909 in Penrith, Cumberland, England and the couple moved around England, first to Cheshire and eventually to London. The 1939 Register lists Frederick as a Retired Railway Officer at 63 Shooters Hill Road, Greenwich, London, England.
During the Second World War, McDowell served in the Home Guard. He died on 15th October 1940 aged 59 years old as bombs fell at 53 Charleville Road, London, England.