Staff-surgeon H.M.S. Tamar, Hong Kong
“DEATH OF DR. CANTON
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Dr. Herbert Canton, Staff-Surgeon, H.M.S. Tamar, died on Saturday morning at the Naval Hospital, and was buried in the afternoon at Happy Valley with impressive naval honours. There was a very large attendance of officers, military as well as naval, and detachments of bluejackets and marines from the ships on the station were also present. The cortege as it left the Naval Hospital and preceded slowly in the direction of the cemetery was headed by a naval band playing the solemn music of the dead march, and behind came a party of men bearing wreaths, with which mute tokens of esteem for the memory of a departed comrade and friend the flag-covered coffin, borne on a gun-carriage manned by sailors, was covered. The firing party of marines was a strong one, and when the burial service was over three rounds were fired over the grave, their echoes rolling all round the hills and mingling with the shouts that came faintly from the football field in the distance. Then the “Last Post” was sounded, and the dead surgeon was left to his long sleep.
The deceased, whose seniority dates from 21st August, 1895, was formerly Fleet Surgeon on H.M.S. L’Immortalité. In 1898 he went home on leave, and during his stay in England he married, afterwards returning to Hongkong and being appointed on 20th August, 1900, to the position he held at the time of his death. Dr Canton was on the eve of departing for England with his wife, upon whom the blow must thus have fallen with terrible violence. To her, in her great loss, the sympathy of all is extended.”
Comments
Herbert Canton 1856-1903
Birth:
Bloomsbury, Camden, London, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom 7th September 1856
Baptised:
St George's Church, Bloomsbury, Camden, London, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom 24th September 1856. Father: Frederick Canton; Mother: Octavia; Abode: Southampton Row; Occupation of father: Dentist
1861 British Census
7 Southampton Row, St George, Bloomsbury, Camden, London, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom. 5 year-old son and scholar. Other addressees: Frederick Canton (aged 35, head, dentist, born Middlesex, London), Octavia Canton (aged 28, wife to head of household, born Lowestoft, Suffolk), Arthur Canton (aged 10, son to head of family, scholar, born Middlesex, London), Laura Canton (aged 8, daughter to head of family, scholar, born Middlesex, London), Frank Canton (aged 6, son to head of family, scholar, born Middlesex, London), Jessie Canton (aged 3, daughter to head of family, scholar, born Middlesex, London), Malinda Canton (aged 29, sister to head of family, unamarried, born Middlesex, London), Hannah Russel (aged 15, servant to head of household, unmarried, housemaid, born Dover)
1871 British Census
98 Southampton Row, St George, Bloomsbury, Camden, London, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom. 14 year-old son and scholar. Other addressees: Frederick Canton (aged 48, head, dentist, born Middlesex, Lambeth), Octavia Canton (aged 38, wife to head of household, born Lowestoft, Suffolk), Laura Canton (aged 18, daughter to head of family, unmarried, born Middlesex, Bloomsbury), Frank Canton (aged 17, son to head of family, scholar, born Middlesex, Bloomsbury), Teddie Canton (aged 9, son to head of family, scholar, born Middlesex, Bloomsbury), Amy Canton (aged 5, daughter to head of family, scholar, born Middlesex, Bloomsbury), John Chaplin (aged 37, unmarried, visitor to head of household, farmer's son, born Sudbourne), Alice Arnold (aged 21, servant to head of household, unmarried, domestic servant, born Thatcham), Emma Crane (aged 20, servant to head of household, unmarried, domestic servant, born Hertford, Hampshire), Augusta Wylie (aged 45, Lodger to head of household, unmarried, dressmaker, born Middlesex)
1881 British Census
Physician Assistant , aged 23, unmarried, medical student, born St Giles, Middlesex residing at Mortimer Street West, Middlesex Hospital, Marylebone, London, England
Appointed Staff-Surgeon 21st Auguist 1883
Source: ADM 196/10/252 and ADM 196/82/126
UK Medical Directory 1885:
Residence 34 Baker Street, Portman Square W; L.R.C.P. Edinburgh 1882; M.R.C.S. England and L.S.A. 1882; (Middlesex); Broderip School; late Clinical Assistant Middlesex Hospital
1891 British Census:
Officer, aged 31 years, single, Surgeon Royal Navy residing at Royal Marine Barracks, Forton Barracks, Forton, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom AND also aged 33 residing at brother's Frederick Canton's place 12 Canfield Gardens, St John, Hampstead, London, England
Marriage:
Florence Brown St Giles, London, England, United Kingdom Jul-Sep quarter 1900
1901 British Census:
Aged 40 years, Officer, married, Staff Surgeon H.M.S. Tamar, Receiving Ship, Hong Kong
Buried:
Section 18, Hong Kong Colonial Cemetery, Happy Valley, Hong Kong 21st February 1903
Source: Patricia Lim's Forgotten Souls: A Social History of the Hong Kong Cemetery.
Probate
Date: 26th June 1903 London, England to Florence Canton, widow Effects £197 9s 10d.