Transcript

of

James Brett Guyer [Obituary]

Trans. Devon. Assoc., vol.  47, (1915), pp. 47-48.

by

Maxwell Adams (Ed.)

Prepared by Michael Steer

The obituary was read at the Association’s July 1915 Exeter meeting. The 1881 Census shows Mr Guyer, born 1830 in Ryde, Isle of White, residing with his family at 1 Lisburn Villas, Torquay. Also registered were his wife Rebecca, with two sons and two daughters. “Oxford Men and Their Colleges”, page 255 has an entry for one of their sons, Rev Brett Guyer, B.A., born at Torquay in 1864, Curate of St John’s Church, Torquay (available in Wikisource). The obituary, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

Mr. Guyer, who was a member of a Ryde family, settled in Torquay fifty-three or fifty-four years ago, died at his residence there, Wrentham, on 6 April, 1914, aged 85.
He had served in the Army Medical Corps during the Crimean War and the Indian Mutiny. He was invalided home from India, owing to his health completely failing, and he retired. He was awarded two medals - one by the British Government and one by the Turkish Government. Soon after he settled in Torquay he married Miss Maria Glode Stapleton, of Orpington, Kent. Mr. and Mrs. Guyer celebrated the "golden" anniversary of their marriage in June, 1912. Mr. Guyer was actively identified with the Torquay Young Men's Christian Association for many years, and twice served as its president.
Mr. Guyer became a life member of the Devonshire Association in 1873, and was a member of the Torquay Natural History Society for forty-five years, and in 1875-6 and 1876-7 he served as president of the Society. During the second year of his services the museum was opened, and he delivered the inaugural address. He was also elected a Fellow of the Chemical Society on account of his original work in connection with wax and paraffin. For about twenty years Mr. Guyer was a member of the Board of Management of the Torbay Hospital, in which institution he evinced deep interest. He was from its foundation a member of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, of which he served as an elder and as hon. treasurer for many years. Mr. Guyer was a gentleman of old-world courtesy, with transparent kindliness and goodness of heart. He enjoyed the high esteem of all who knew him.