Spencer, Stephen Allen^{[1, 2, 3]}

1829 - 1911  (82 years)

• Name	Spencer, Stephen Allen
  Birth	30 Jul 1829	New London, CT
  	Birth date and place as recorded on grave monument, Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria, BC.
  Gender	Male
  Business Address/Year	1858?-1860	Victoria, BC
  	Address: Yates St. Victoria, BC Canada
  Business Address/Year	1860-1862	Victoria, BC
  	Address: Trounce corner of Government St. Victoria, BC Canada
  	A news item in the Colonist on 2 Aug 1860 (p. 2) pointed readers to his ad on the same page; the ad is dated 2 Aug, ran for a month and was renewed for another month on 2 Sep.
  Business Address/Year	1862-1864	Victoria, BC
  	Address: Yates St. two doors above Broad St. Victoria, BC Canada
  	He advertised his "new photographic & ambrotype gallery" at this location in Jan 1862 and advised he would be there "for a short period." A lengthy 1864 Colonist article places him at the Leech River gold rush in Aug 1864 (8 Aug 1864, p. 3, "From the Diggings!"). There is no indication he took photographs, however, his Victoria competitor Carlo Gentile photographed mining activities at the Leech River around the same time. [4]
  Home Address/Year	1870	Sitka, AK
  	Address: Sitka, AK USA
  Business Address/Year	1872-1875	Victoria, BC
  	Address: Government St. (W. side near View St.) Victoria Theatre Photographic Gallery Victoria, BC Canada
  Business Address/Year	Jul 1875-1882	Victoria, BC
  	Address: Fort St. (Hayward & Jenkinson Block, 2nd Floor) near Broad St., opposite Fell & Co's Grocery Victoria, BC Canada
  Home Address/Year	1882-1885	Victoria, BC
  	Address: View St. Victoria, BC Canada
  Death	15 Aug 1911	Victoria, BC   [5]
  	Death date and place as recorded on grave monument, Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria, BC.
  Association	Desmond, Robert Ansley Brittain (Relationship: Employee)
  Association	Victoria Theatre Photographic Gallery (Relationship: Owner)
  Association	Spencer and Hastings (Relationship: Partner)
  Association	Miller (Relationship: Employee)
  Association	Boas, Franz (Relationship: Acquaintance)
  Person ID	I452	Camera Workers | S, vol. 1, 1858-1900
  Last Modified	21 Jul 2023

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		A photographer, possibly Arthur S. Rappertie, timing an exposure. Photograph by S.A. Spencer. Image courtesy of BC Archives, Visual Records call no. G-03300 (catalogue no. HP096449); copied from Camera album no. 37.
  		Arthur Vipond photographed by S.A. Spencer. Image courtesy of BC Archives, Visual Records catalogue no. HP097939 (item H-01219).
  		S.A. Spencer portrait, ca. 1858. Courtesy of BC Archives, item A-02474.
  		Canadian Pacific Railway offices, Government St., Victoria, Aug 1876. The building is decorated for the visit of the Governor General, the Earl of Dufferin. A Colonist newspaper notice stated S.A. Spencer had photographed this building on 24 Aug 1876. This is more than likely that photograph. Courtesy of BC Archives, Item A-05929.

  
  

  Documents » Slide Show		S.A. Spencer imprint from verso of a portrait. Portrait of James Robert Anderson, son of A. C. Anderson. Courtesy of BC Archives, Visual Records catalogue no. HP002232 (item G-07221).
  		S.A. Spencer imprint from verso of a portrait. Image courtesy of BC Archives, Visual Records catalogue no. HP049988.
  		S.A Spencer imprint from the verso of a photograph. This design also appears on the verso of BC Archives, Item A-01976 (HP004807) and UBC Library, Uno Langmann Family Collection of British Columbia Photographs, UL_2025_0001.
  		S.A. Spencer imprint from the verso of a photograph.
  		Noah Shakespeare's news item, Daily Colonist, 23 Oct 1874, p. 3. Announcing that he has hired R.A. Desmond from Spencer's Gallery. The ad implies he was once more the owner of the Shakespeare Photographic Gallery following its brief tenure as Uren and Hoyt.
  		S.A. Spencer's ad, Daily Colonist, 5 Jun 1872, p. 2. Announcing he has purchased Craigg's Photographic Gallery; the ad first appeared in the Daily Colonist on 9 May 1872, p. 2.
  		S.A. Spencer news item, Daily Colonist, 7 Nov 1874, p. 3. Noting his return from San Francisco "with improved appliances for taking and finishing pictures," along with Mr. Miller, a retoucher from an unnamed San Francisco studio.
  		Craigg's Photographic Gallery news, Daily Colonist, 19 Apr 1872, p. 3. Reporting that J.A. Craigg has sold his studio to S.A. Spencer.
  		S.A. Spencer's ad, Daily Colonist, 5 Nov 1874, p. 1. This ad first appeared in mid-October to advise his customers that his studio would be closed while he was away in San Francisco in search of a retoucher. He returned with a Mr. Miller.
  		S.A. Spencer's ad, Daily Colonist, 14 Jan 1862, p. 3.
  		S.A. Spencer news item, Daily Colonist, 15 Jan 1862, p. 3. Advising of his new studio at the corner of Yates and Broad streets. An earlier ad confirms its location on Yates St.
  		S.A. Spencer ad, Daily Colonist, 9 Jul 1875, p. 2.
  		S.A. Spencer ad, Daily Colonist, 21 Sep 1860, p. 1. This ad, which first appeared on 2 Aug 1860, announced his new location at the corner of Trounce and Government streets. The initial ad was placed for one month and renewed on 2 Sep 1860.
  		S.A. Spencer's ad, Victoria Colonist, 29 Apr 1875, p. 2. First appearance of this ad in which he announces he is vacating his Victoria Theatre Photographic Gallery location on Government St. and moving his studio to Fort St. near Broad St.
  		Spencer and Hastings ad, Victoria Colonist, 12 Jan 1884, p. 4.
  		Spencer and Hastings ad, San Francisco Journal of Commerce, BC Edition, 4 Dec 1884, p. 4. Note that they manufactured dry plates, most likely strictly for the local market.
  		Spencer and Hastings news, San Francisco Journal of Commerce, BC Edition, 4 Dec 1884, p. 2. This item, as did the ad, notes their manufacture of dry plates. Print samples produced from these dry plates were displayed at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition in London in the summer 1886.
  		Victoria Theatre Photographic Gallery news, Victoria Daily Chronicle, 22 Apr 1865, p. 3. S.A. Spencer is the photographer referenced in this item about photographs of President Lincoln.
  		S.A. Spencer news, Victoria Colonist, 2 Aug 1860, p. 2.
  		S.A. Spencer obituary, Victoria Colonist, 16 Aug 1911, p. 7.
  		S.A. Spencer's ad, Victoria Gazette, 23 Jul 1859, p. 2. As the daguerreotype was a 20 year old process by 1859 and had by then been superseded by the wet collodion (wet plate) negative process, it is unlikely Spencer was taking daguerreotypes.
  		S.A. Spencer ad, Victoria Colonist, 14 Jul 1872, p. 2. This ad under his ownership of the Theatre Photographic Gallery first appeared around 12 Jun 1872.
  		J.A. Craigg news, Victoria Daily Standard, 9 May 1872, p. 2. About the purchase and renovation of Craigg's Photographic Gallery by S.A. Spencer.
  		S.A. Spencer and Noah Shakespeare news, Victoria Colonist, 24 Nov 1875, p. 3. Both photographers marketed portraits of one of the two survivors of the sinking of the Pacific. H.F. Jelly was in Victoria testifying at the coroner's inquest.
  		S.A. Spencer news, Victoria Colonist, 2 Nov 1875, p. 3. Major-General Selby Smyth, commander of the Canadian Militia, was on a tour of western Canada which ended in Victoria. He and C.G. Horetzky were on the same vessel to San Francisco, the Dakota, which had left on 30 Oct 1875.
  		S.A. Spencer news, Victoria Colonist, 25 Nov 1875, p. 3. Spencer won two acres of land in a lottery held by the Mechanics' Institute.
  		S.A. Spencer news, Victoria Colonist, 1 Dec 1875, p. 3. Spencer attempted to get out of jury duty through his American citizenship. It did not work.
  		S.A. Spencer obituary, Victoria Times, 16 Aug 1911, p. 18.
  		S.A. Spencer imprint, verso of carte-de-visite, ca. 1875. The photograph is a studio portrait of a seated Indigenous man holding a front-end muzzle-loader rifle between his legs. He is wearing a powder horn on his chest. This is the same imprint on the verso of a portrait of Mrs. James Robert Anderson which is dated to Nov 1875 (BC Archives, Item A-07776 [HP022004]). Courtesy of UBC Library, Uno Langmann Family Collection of British Columbia Photographs, UL_1040_0009.
  		S.A. Spencer news, Colonist, 7 Jul 1875, p.3. A report of the opening and description of Spencer's Photographic Gallery on Fort St.
  		S.A. Spencer news, Victoria Colonist, 25 Aug 1876, p. 3. The BC Archives preserves a photograph which may be this image (Item A-05929 / HP015106).
  		S.A. Spencer news, Victoria Colonist, 29 Nov 1876, p. 3.
  		S.A. Spencer and Noah Shakespeare news, Canadian Illustrated News, 16 Sep 1876, p. 155. A description of the engravings based on the Spencer and Shakespeare photographs of the arches for the Victoria visit of the Governor General Lord and Lady Dufferin.
  		S.A. Spencer and Noah Shakespeare news, Canadian Illustrated News, 16 Sep 1876, p. 156. The engraving at the bottom left of the Canadian Pacific Railway offices on Government St., Victoria, was photographed by S.A. Spencer on 24 Aug 1876. See BC Archives, Item A-05929.
  		S.A. Spencer and Noah Shakespeare news, Victoria Colonist, 15 Oct 1876, p. 3. A description of the six engravings based on photographs by S.A. Spencer and Noah Shakespeare of the arches and decorations in Victoria for the visit of the Governor General Lord and Lady Dufferin. The engravings were published in the 16 Sep 1876 issue of the Canadian Illustrated News.

  
  

  Headstones » Slide Show		S.A. Spencer's grave monument, southeast faces, Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria, BC.
  		S.A. Spencer's grave monument, east face, Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria, BC.
  		S.A. Spencer's grave monument, east face, Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria, BC.
  		S.A. Spencer's grave monument, east face, Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria, BC.
  		S.A. Spencer's grave base, Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria, BC.
  		S.A. Spencer's grave monument base, east face, Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria, BC.

  
  

• Notes

  STATUS: Commercial. BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY: He was one of the pioneers of 1858 who came to the Colony of Vancouver Island from San Francisco, lured by the prospects, it is believed, of making money off the flood of miners pouring in for the Fraser River gold rush. The 1858 San Francisco directory listed him as a carpenter. According to his obituary, he headed north to look for gold after his arrival. The first notice of his business was in 1859. One mystery, now solved thanks to researcher Chris Hanna, was his whereabouts between 1863 and 1871 when he showed up in Barkerville. In Oct 1863 he sailed with Robert Burnaby for Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands) where he was to "take views of the mines and the surrounding country." There is no evidence he took any photos. S.A. Spencer appears to have gone on to Alaska. He is listed in the US Army's 24 Oct 1870 civilian population census of Sitka, Alaska, which was published on 20 Dec 1870 and reprinted in 1981. Spencer's age is given as 36, his birthplace as Connecticut, occupation a carpenter, and "Residence at the Club House, works at the [US Army] Quartermaster Department". Spencer was not noticed in Victoria again until 1872 when he purchased the Victoria Theatre Photographic Gallery from J.A. Craigg. During his proprietorship of this gallery he made at least one trip to San Francisco for new equipment and a retoucher named Mr. Miller. This followed the employment by N. Shakespeare of R.A. Desmond, "late artist of Spencer's Gallery." Shakespeare himself leased the Theatre Photographic Gallery from Spencer in 1875 when the latter moved to Fort St. That studio is likely the one which also served as headquarters for Spencer & Hastings. While this partnership was listed in the 1885 and 1887 directories, Spencer was by the former date residing in Alert Bay where he was managing the Spencer & [Thomas] Earle salmon cannery. Hastings was supposed to have bought out Spencer about 1883. Spencer later served as postmaster of Alert Bay. The 1881 census showed him aged 52 -- making him older than the 1870 Sitka census --, a Free Thinker, American citizen and a bachelor. Upon his death, he was survived by his wife Annie (b. 23 Sep 1856 nee Hunt, a Kwakiutl native and sister of George Hunt, Franz Boas' chief informant) and five sons. One of their sons, John Norman Spencer (b. 25 Jan 1892, d. 13 Jul 1917) was killed in France during World War One where he was a member of the Royal Army Service Corps. Annie Spencer died on 3 Oct 1924 and is buried in the family plot in Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria, BC. IDENTIFYING MARKS: "S. A. Spencer, Fort St., Victoria, B.C." on verso of cartes-de-visite. "Spencer, Artist" (red) on front and "S. A. Spencer, Victoria, B.C." (red) on verso of carte-de-visite. "Spencer, Artist" on front and "S. A. Spencer, Photographer, Victoria, B.C." on verso of carte-de-visite. "S. A. Spencer's Photographic Gallery, Fort Street, Victoria, B.C." on verso of carte-de-visite. "S. A. Spencer, Artist, Government St." on front of carte-de-visite. "S. A. Spencer, Fort Street, Victoria, B.C." on verso of cabinet portrait. REFERENCES: BVIPA GR-1304, file 3789 (probate); MAL74; HIB77; WIL82; WIL85; MAL87 (no listing, Victoria; Alert Bay only from this directory to 1900); Victoria Gazette, 1859 07 23/2; Colonist, 1872 04 19/3, 1874 10 16/3, 1874 11 07/3, 1875 05 13/3, 1875 06 29/4, 1875 07 07/3, 1911 08 16 (obit.); (Victoria) Chronicle, 1863 10 30/3; Cariboo Sentinel, 1871 07 01/3; 1881 Dominion Census, Yates St. Ward (OOA reel C-13285); Kerr (1890) (Hastings biography); Fawcett (1912):239; DeArmond (1981):121; Jacknis (1984):2-60.

  
  

• Sources

  [S46] COLLECTION: BVIPA. [S628] (Victoria) Colonist, (Victoria: Colonist), 15 Jan 1862, 3. This news item incorrectly gave the address as the corner of Broad and Yates streets; his ad confirmed the studio was on Yates St. [S628] (Victoria) Colonist, (Victoria: Colonist), 16 Aug 1911, 7. "Pioneer Passes Away" Obituary [S628] (Victoria) Colonist, (Victoria: Colonist), 11 Jan 1862, 2. Ad; first appearance; the ad also bears two dates: 7 Jan 1862 and 11 Jan 1862. [S652] BVIPA death registration index. Registration no. 1911-09-025339 (microfilm reel B13082).