REED [????-????]

Submitted by jill on
Names
Title
Mrs
Family
Reed
Sex
Female
Status
Deceased

Is anything known about Mrs. Reed, who was Captain of the 1st Hong Kong troop of Girl Guides in 1922? She left Hong Kong after the Prince of Wales's visit in 1922. She is not related to the well known Reed family who were involved in the Battle of Hong Kong. My aunt, Evelyn Warren was Assistant Captain of the 1st Hong Kong troop and left Hong Kong at the same time. 

1922 Inspection of Girl Guides/Boy Scouts by Prince of Wales (Part II), by moddsey

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I wondered if knowing the Troop's name would give any clues. I found a mention on p. 2 of Hong Kong Telegraph 1922-04-20, describing the sendoff given to Mrs Stubbs:

Physical drill by the Garrison Company (Capt. Mrs. E. Reed and Asst. Capt. Miss Warren) followed, in which the onlookers were afforded some insight into the methods which keep the girls so strong and healthy. A very delightful and pretty diversion was afforded in the country dances given by the Diocesan Girls’ School troop commanded by Capt. Miss Irving, violin music being supplied by Capt. Mrs. Reed who was cunningly concealed in the surrounding foliage.

A report on p.4 of Hong Kong Daily Press 1923-04-16, says Mrs Reed was Captain of the Garrison School Troop, and describes it as the 2nd Hong Kong Troop. That disagrees with another 1922 clipping that says she was Captain of the 'First Hong Kong troop' - I'm not sure if they were renumbered?

Extract from the 1923 clipping:

Concerning the work of the past year, Lady Stubbs produced the reports from the various Companies. These showed that there are now five companies of girl guides and three packs of brownies in Hongkong and Kowloon. These are:—

The First Kowloon Company (Kowloon British School).—Captain (Miss Wheeler). Strength: 10 guides.

The Second Kowloon Company (Diocesan Girls’ School) — Captain (Miss Irving). Lieutenant (Miss Phelps). Strength: 25 guides.

The First Hongkong Company (Wanchai Wesleyan Church).—Captain (Mrs. Clouston Porri). Strength: 16 guides.

The Second Hongkong Company (Garrison School).—Captain (Miss H. Irving). Strength: 11 girl guides.

The Third Hongkong Company (Italian Convent).—Captain (Miss Price). Lieutenant (Miss Shea). Strength: 19 guides.

The Peak Brownies Pack.—Miss Irving has charge. The strength of this pack is 20.

The Wanchai Brownies Pack.—Mrs. Luck is in charge of the pack, whose strength is 14.

The Kowloon Brownies Pack.—Mrs. Masson is in charge, the pack's strength being 18.

Most of the reports make special mention of the officer shortage and several complain of the irregularity of attendance, which, as Lady Stubbs explained, was due to the fact that as the girls get older they find a lot of their time taken up in preparation work for school examinations. The 2nd Hongkong Company was for some little time badly hit by the loss of its officers (Mrs. Reed and Miss Warren) who had left the Colony.

Several of the girls have taken their badges during the year and others are preparing to do likewise. There have been several lectures for the girls and at Wanchai, Dr. Hickling gave a special course of lectures on "Artificial Respiration" and "How to save the apparently drowned."

Thank you for these extra details about the Garrison School Troop girl guides, David. Good to know that Mrs. Reed was an accomplished violinist.