Marjory Janet SMITH / GRANT SMITH (née MACEWEN) [c.1849-1919] | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Marjory Janet SMITH / GRANT SMITH (née MACEWEN) [c.1849-1919]

Names
Given: 
Marjory Janet
Family: 
Smith / Grant Smith
Maiden: 
MacEwen
Sex: 
Female
Status: 
Deceased
Birth
Date: 
c.1849-01-01 (Year, Month, Day are approximate)
Death
Date: 
1919-04-05

Her death was reported on page 2 of Hong Kong Daily Press, 1919-04-07:

DEATH AND FUNERAL OF MRS. JOHN GRANT-SMITH.

We regret to record the death of Mrs. John Grant-Smith, widow of the late Mr. John Grant-Smith and sister of Mr. Findlay Smith, which occurred at the Victoria Hospital, Barker Road, on Saturday night. The deceased lady who was 70 years of age was one of the oldest residents of the Colony. She had been in feeble health for a long time, and her end was due to senile decay. She leaves three sons and one daughter to mourn her loss. One son, Mr. Eric Grant-Smith, and one daughter, Mrs. Denison, reside in Hongkong. Of the other two sons, one is in the regular army and the other is serving with the Chinese Labour Battalion.

The funeral took place, yesterday evening, at Happy Valley. The Rev. H. Copley Moyle conducted the service. Those present included Mr. A. Denison, Mr. E. Grant-Smith, Mr. W. E. L. Shenton, the Hon. Mr. W. Chatham, C.M.G., Mr. E. Ram, Mr. A. Shelton Hooper, Mr. D. Danby, Mr. H. Percy Smith, Mr. F. R. J. Adams, Mr. A. H. Hollingsworth, Mr. D. K. Blair and Mr. Mackenzie.

The following, among others, sent floral tributes:—Mr. and Mrs. A. Denison, Mr. Ivan Grant-Smith, Mr. Eric Grant-Smith, Mr. A. Findlay Smith, Mr. and Mrs. W. E. L. Shenton, Miss Marjorie Denison, the Hon. Mr. and Mrs. P. H. Holyoak, the Hon. Mr. and Mrs. W. Chatham; Mr. and Mrs. R. M, Dyer, Mr. and Mrs. F R. J. Adams, Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Hollingsworth, Dr. and Mrs. Evan Jones, Mr. and Mrs. A.E. Griffin, Mr. H, Percy Smith, Mr. D. Danby, Mr. and Mrs. Shelton Hooper, Mr. and Mrs. F. Bovington, Mr. W. Nicholson, and Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Wallace.

Connections: 

Comments

i think this may be a bit of snobbery muddling the record - the dread 19th and much of the 20th century middle Brit grovel to the double-barrelled name. Plus maybe An elision of “-in-law” that would at the time have been assumed by any reader.

The marriage in the timeline between John Grant Smith and Miss MacEwen has no hyphen. JGS’ name is never hyphenated in any of the juror’s lists or government documents in which it appears. The entry for Mrs JGS at the HK Hotel the year after JGS’ death in Moffat, suggests she had come back to HK after a period away, perhaps whilst JGS was ailing. 

It’s possible that the Smith brothers had a hitherto unnoticed sister and that by happy chance she married someone with a double-barrelled variant of the name of one of the brothers.

That seems to me a bit improbable, but maybe...

stephenD 

I'd missed the marriage in the AFS timeline. I've updated her details above to match the timeline.

Regards, David

She is buried in the Hong Kong Cemetery in Happy Valley. Her gravestone reads:

45---/04/06- In ever loving / memory of / Marjorie Grant Smith / entered into rest / 5th April 1919 / O rest in the Lord and wait patiently for them/on plaque -In loving memory of / Eric Grant Smith / died 18th June 1966 / aged 83 years / rest in peace