Henry Wolsey Bayfield

Admiral Henry Wolsey Bayfield (21 January 1795 – 10 February 1885) was a British naval officer and surveyor.

Early life and career Bayfield was born in Kingston-upon-Hull, to John Wolsey Bayfield and Eliza Petit. Henry was inspired by the naval victories of Admiral Lord Nelson, who died at the scene of his greatest victory, the Battle of Trafalgar, the year before Henry joined the Navy. While his education is unknown,

In April 1811, Bayfield transferred to , He was commissioned as a lieutenant on 20 March 1815, and in the summer of 1816 assisted Captain William Fitzwilliam Owen in surveying various Canadian rivers and lakes.

Admiralty surveyor In June 1817, Bayfield was made the admiralty surveyor for North America. He surveyed Lake Superior, Lake Erie and Lake Huron, among many others. Rear Admiral of the Red on 9 August 1861, and Vice-Admiral of the Blue on 27 April 1863, and Vice Admiral of the Red on 11 January 1864. He retired on 31 March 1866, and was promoted admiral on the retired list on 18 October 1867. Over a period of over 20 years, he wrote a book entitled Sailing directions for the Gulf and River of St. Lawrence, that was published in instalments. It was later republished in 1860 as The St. Lawrence pilot. Several ships which served in the Canadian Hydrographic Service or its predecessors have been named in his honour.

Legacy Henry Wolsey Bayfield's journal, kept between 1829 and 1853 and covering his surveying efforts of the St Lawrence, was edited by Ruth Mackenzie and republished in two volumes between 1984 and 1986 by the Champlain Society. Although Bayfield's surveys of Lakes Erie and Huron were detailed and accurate, he regretted also that his measurements were not more exact: "There are few things I should wish more than to improve the accuracy of the Lake Surveys [Erie and Huron] ... in consequence of my [having] only open boats & no good chronometer. "He is the namesake of Bayfield, Ontario, Bayfield, Wisconsin, Bayfield, New Brunswick and Bayfield, Nova Scotia. Bayfield Street, a major road in Barrie, Ontario, is also named after him.

Others rose in rank and experience under his mentorship, including Captain John Orlebar, R.N. who went on to create a hydrographic survey of the Newfoundland coast for the Admiralty and advised in the site selection for new light houses, fog horns and other safety measures to improve the safety of the rocky coast.

Bayfield plays an important role in Katherine Govier's novel Creation (2002).