Philip son of William Reynolds of Swindon, currier, and Lucy Jane (baptismal record)
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In 1901 Philip Reynolds, aged 23, born in Swindon, single, steam engine fitter, was with his parents in The Square, Swindon.
Philip Reynolds went to Canada about 1902.
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In the 1931 Canada Census Philip Reynolds, aged 51 [sic], born in England, mechanical engineer for Shell, and wife Mary D Reynolds, aged 49 [sic], born in England, were living at 18 Castleview, Toronto, Ontario.
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HOMECOMING OF A SWINDON MAN,
After 38 years in Canada.
MR. P. REYNOLDS.
After 35 years engineering in Canada, a Swindon-born man has retired and returned to his home town. He is Mr. Philip Reynolds, living at present, at 79, Bath-road. He is a son of the late Mr. W. Reynolds, one of Swindon's first Mayors, and a brother of Mr. Robert Reynolds, J.P., the former well-known Swindon football and cricket player.
Whether Mr. Reynolds will settle permanently in Swindon is as yet uncertain; at the moment he is happy renewing what old acquaintances are left.
He went to school at Bloxham, Oxfordshire, and afterwards became an apprentice at the G.W.R. works. He played football for Swindon Town Reserves.
His apprenticeship over, he was attracted by the fine opportunities which Canada was offering to young engineers at the beginning of this century, went to Montreal and got a job with the Pacific Railway, whose works are there.
Montreal is to the C.P.R. what Swindon is to the G.W.R.
Munition Work.
He was inspector, foreman, night superintendent and, for a time, engineer on a ship. When the war came he was "loaned" to the Canadian Government for munition work.
He did not go back to the C.P.R. after the war, but went into a private engineering works in Montreal. His third and last job was with the Shell Oil Company. He was chief engineer of the company's building installation at Toronto.
There he played football, also cricket, and coached for the local Toc? H team.
When he retired, last June, he decided to "see the world" a bit before coming to Swindon, so he planned a long tour which would lead him indirectly back to England. From Toronto he drove by car to Vancouver, sold the car there and took a boat to Auckland, New Zealand, calling at Honolulu on the way.
He went to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, then across Australia to Freemantle, and over to Ceylon. He came through Bombay to Aden, up to Suez, left the boat there, drove across the desert to Cairo and rejoined the boat again at Port Said.
A Curious Coincidence.
At Marseilles, by a curious coincidence, he met his brother, was was travelling eastwards. He stayed at Gibraltar and then came to Plymouth.
To acclimatise to the rigouss of this country's winter he stayed for a short time at Bournemouth before braving the harsher climate of Swindon.
"It's good to be back," he told a "North Wilts Herald" reporter, "and though I must say the weather is pretty dismal here after what I've been used to, I look upon Swindon as my real home and am quite willing to put up with the climate."
Since Mr. Reynolds left Swindon he has been right round the world, and the only continents he has not properly visited are South America and the greater part of Africa.
North Wilts Herald, Friday, 31 Dec 1937, p. 12
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In the 1939 Register Philip Reynolds (b. 29 Jan 1878), mechanical engineer retired, and wife Mary D Reynolds (b. 7 Sep 1874), unpaid domestic duties, were living in Pagets Anglesay Pinewood Road, Ferndown, Dorset.
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Philip Reynolds died aged 64 years. 2
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Philip otherwise Phillip Reynolds of Pagets Pinewood-road Ferndown Dorsetshire died 22 July 1942. Probate Llandudno 26 January 1943 to Mary Dorothea Rivers Reynolds, widow. Effects £1215 2s. 4d. 3
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