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Victorian Naval Forces Muster

for the Colony of Victoria. (muster range 1853-1910)*

Profile

Last Name:Spence
First Name:John McIntosh
Rank:Engineer
Birth Date: 26-11-1854
Branch:Victorian Navy

John McIntosh Spence

Engineer Lieutenant

details by Shelley Clarke

John McIntosh Spence was born on 26 Nov 1854 at East Parish, Greenock, Renfrew, Scotland and died of pneumonia and heart failure aged 59 on 8 July 1916 at 353 Danks Street, Middle Park, South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. He was buried in the Presbyterian section of Melbourne's Brighton Cemetery on 10 July 1916.

 
(details: John McIntosh Spence Location: Pres "J" 137 Burial Number: 10090 Buried: 10 Jul 1916 Age: 59 yo Resided: Middle Park Occupation: Engineer Cause of Death:  Pneumonia, Heart Failure Born: Greenock, Scotland)
 
The headstone inscription reads:


JOHN M. SPENCE
dearly beloved husband of
FLORENCE SPENCE
died 8th July 1916.
For 28 years engineer lieut of R.A.N.R.
He was but words are wanting to say what.
Think what a man should be and he was that.
"One of the best".



John emigrated to Victoria as a small boy with his parents, David Enverdale SPENCE and Mary Ellen SPENCE (nee BOALE), and several siblings around 1860. At the age of 29, he married Florence Sarah MURRAY in Sydney on 21 Aug 1886 and their marriage produced five sons, Albert, John, Norman, David and Allen, the latter two being twins. (Florence Sarah moved back to Sydney very soon after John's death. She died in Haberfield on 22 July 1944 and is buried in Rookwood Cemetery.)

 

His profession was Marine Engineer and he reached the rank of Engineer Lieutenant in the Royal Australian Navy Reserve and, prior to that, the Victorian Colonial Navy. He is listed as serving on Cerberus and at the Swan Island depot.



* 1853 is given as the commencement date for the Victorian Navy as this is the year that Commander Lockyer (RN) went to Britain to superintend the building of HMCS Victoria.
Although the Victorian Navy ended in 1901 the career of Cerbeus etc continued. In 1910 the new ships started arriving & manning levels increased.

Information & photographs of men who served in the Victorian Naval Forces is eagerly sought. Please contact the webmaster.
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