#SurnameSaturday: Spencer

The Spencer surname entered our family with my ancestor with the best name Hannah Honorah Audrey Spencer. She was born in Newton-in-Makerfield, Lancashire in 1886. Her parents were Edward and Martha (nee Barnes).

At the time of her birth her father was in the police force (he would later be sacked for embezzlement - a story I haven't explored yet). Initially he had been a woollen cloth weaver in Guiseley, Yorkshire. He married Martha in Stanningley, Yorkshire in 1871. They moved to Lancashire after the birth of their eldest son Albert Edward in 1873 as all their remaining children were born in Lancashire. It must have been a big decision to move so far away from all their family in Yorkshire but a career in the police force must have been a dream job.

Edward was born in Beggars Bush Barracks, Dublin in 1850. His father Edward was a private in the 55th (Westmorland) Regiment of Foot and his mother Catherine Dunne was the daughter of a leather worker Timothy Dunne. They were married in 1848 at St Bridget's Church, Dublin.

Edward senior had been born in Guiseley in 1820 and worked as a woollen cloth weaver in the mills after leaving the army. His was the son of Dennis and Hannah (nee Whittam). Dennis was recorded as being a clothier in 1841.

Dennis had been born in Calverley, Yorkshire in 1794. His parents were Joshua and Hannah (nee Hainsworth). Joshua was born in Calverley in 1762 and married Hannah there in 1783. His father Edward had married Elizabeth Yeward in Calverly in 1762. Edward was another clothier and had been born at Tong, Yorkshire in 1731. He was the son of Jeremy and Sarah (nee Maylor). Their marriage took place in Tong in 1721 and he was another clothier.

So my Spencer connection is firmly rooted in Yorkshire for at least 100 years. The family were heavily involved in the woollen cloth trade and it's only the 2 Edwards in the mid 1800s who broke the mould with careers in the army and police force. The addition of Irish ancestry through Catherine Dunne adds an intriguing twist to the family. After the move to Lancashire the next 2 generations of my family were born there and it was my father who moved away in the 1960s.

Family History: 1911 Census

I discovered that Ancestry were offering free access to the 1911 census last night so I thought it was time to double check I had all my ancestors that were alive at this point in time: 


Newly weds Oswald Guy (a wine merchant's clerk) and Marjorie Amy Bedell in St Albans my great grandparents from my mum's mother. The only one of their parents still alive was Emily Jane Bedell who was lodging in Stevenage with her daughter Margaret Isobel (a pharmacist).

Grandpa Vivian Haldane Bruce Linford was at boarding school at Alywin College, Arnside. This is not far from us here so my mum is going to try and find it. His mum Annie Mary Harrison Linford with 2 of her children (Elsie Dorothy (a music teacher) and Arthur Forbes (an insurance clerk)) plus nephew Stanley Haldane Linford Greaves (a chartered accountant) in Didsbury, Manchester. They had a live in servant called Edit (sp) Norman. There was also a lodger Charles J Weber (insurance clerk). My great grandmother has both married and widowed on her entry. This is because her husband Albert Wallace (a former wine merchant) was a patient in an asylum. There he is listed with his initials and the final column says he became a lunatic aged 47 (this was due to him contracting syphilis).

My great grandparents Owen Evan and Hannah Honorah Audrey Jones were residing in Ormskirk. He was a Certified Elementary Teacher and a colleague John Lund was lodging with them.

Great, great granny Jane Kellet was running the Station Inn in Skelmersdale with my great granny Lillie Agnes and two more daughters Fanny (a school teacher) and Bertha still living with her. Great grandpa Charles Band (who married Lillie in 1915) was a teacher in Bickerstaffe. His mother Sarah was living in Glossop and had 3 grandsons in the house Charles Kemble, Frank and Cecil Elliott.

Then I struck gold with my 2x great grandparents Edward and Martha Spencer. His birthplace was recorded as Beggars Bush Barracks, Dublin!!! So off I went to Google to find out more! I came across the marriage of his parents Edward and Catherine Dunne in 1848 which is the record in this image. It gave me the names of the fathers too so I have now added Timothy Dunne to my tree as a new 4x great grandfather. As for 3x grandpa Edward I now need to find out more about his career in the 55th (Westmorland) regiment. What was a Yorkshireman doing serving with them?