Amy Elizabeth Baynes-Reed
ID # 3231, (1876-1965)
| Father | Edmund Baynes-Reed (1838-1916) |
| Mother | Margaret Ann Phoebe Lawrason (1840-1917) |
| Birth | Amy Elizabeth Baynes-Reed was born on 17 June 1876 at London, Ontario. |
| Marriage | She married Geoffrey Basil Spicer-Simson on 4 January 1902 at Hong Kong. For the following we are indebted to the archives of the Daily Colonist of Victoria, British Columbia.The article appears on page 2 of the Victoria Daily Colonist, Thursday, February 6, 1902, column 1: It reads: Married in Hong Kong Wedding of Lieut. Simson, R.N., and Miss Amy Baynes-Reed The Hong Kong Telegraph of January 4 says: A quiet, but none the less press, naval wedding was celebrated at 12:30 p.m. today (January 4) at St. John's Cathedral. Lieut. G.B.S. Simson, R.N., of H.M.S. Waterwitch, being married to Miss Amy Baynes-Reed, daughter of Edmund Baynes-Reed, Esq., of Victoria, B.C. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. J.H. France, M.A, and the bride was given away by her cousin, Surgeon J.C.J.G. Reed, R.N., of H.M.S. Firebrand, Mr. W.J.P. Pettit, R.N., of H.M.S. Waterwitch acting as best man. The bride was married in a pretty fawn-colored traveling dress, while the bride-groom wore uniform, frock coat, epaulettes and cocked hat, as did the naval guests, the military element being in their full dress of red and gold. Three cheers were given as the party left the cathedral and the bride and bridegroom were taken from Murray pier to the Macao steamer in a boat from the Waterwitch, pulled by a crew of volunteers from the ship's company. The Waterwitch displayed the time-honored garland, hoisted between her main and mizzen-masts, in honor of the wedding. We wish the couple every happiness in their married life. Unquote The same page carries a brief marriage notice placed by Amy's parents and which agrees on the salient points with the above. A Hong Kong website carries old issues of Hong Kong newspapers. The above article was found on page 3, column 2, of The Hong Kong Telegraph, Saturday January 4, 1902, and the article as it appeared in the Victoria newspaper, quoted above, is a replication of the article as it appeared in the Hong Kong newspaper on all points. |
| Death | She died on 2 March 1965 at Comox, British Columbia, at age 88. |
| Burial | She was buried on 5 March 1965 at St. Andrews Anglican Cemetery, Courtenay, B.C.. |
| Note | We do not know very much about Amy's life or of the life she shared with her husband. It will be noted that in the article relating to their marriage that her husband was a Royal Navy officer stationed with the the H.M.S. Waterwitch which was at time in Hong Kong harbour. A brief search for the Waterwitch indicates that it was a survey ship and it appears that Spicer-Simson had skills as a surveyor. An album of photographs was presented in 1986 to the Janus Library, Cambridge University in England. From 1911 to 1914, Geoffrey was the director of a survey of the Gambia River It is said that he was assisted in his survey by his wife, A.E. Spicer-Simson. The article that appears on a Janus Library web page indicates that written inside the album is the name E. Baynes-Reed, Victoria, B.C. This will be Amy's father. As shown, Geoffrey and Amy had a son Basil Theodore Spicer-Simson who died in infancy in 1905. A direct record of another child has not been found. A search of the Victoria Daily Colonist, however, produces some information in the edition of July 11,1908. There was a field day to celebrate the summer break for the local collegiate. There is a long list of invited guests shown and among them is Mrs. Spicer-Simpson and child, along with Mr. and Mrs. Baynes-Reed. We do not know if the child was a son or a daughter. A further record has yet to be found. Death reg. Province of British Columbia Registration of Death 65-09-003632 Place of Death Comox, B.C., St. Joseph's General Hospital In municipality 27 years, ditto province. Life (?) in Canada. Spicer-Simson, Amy Elizabeth Residence 307 3rd St., Courtenay, B.C. Widow, born London, Ontario, age 88, born June 17, 1876. Housewife. Father Edmund Baynes-Reed, mother Phebe Elizabeth Ridout(!) Amy died March 2, 1965, and was buried March 5, 1965. The cemetery is described as St. Andrew's Anglican in Courtenay, B.C. It is the same cemetery as where her husband is buried, though it appears as rather differently named. The informant is Amy's executrix, but the signature is illegible. The statement that Amy lived in Canada all her life is incorrect. At times she lived with her husband in England. One document, a passenger list, states that their last address had been in the Principality of Monaco, no doubt at Monte Carlo. |
Child of Amy Elizabeth Baynes-Reed and Geoffrey Basil Spicer-Simson |
|
|
| Last Edited | 9 Nov 2020 |