Barbara and Graham's Family Tree
Matthew Spencer
Matthew Spencer 1792-1859
Matthew was born in Woodnewton Northamptonshire in 1792 to John and Lydia Spencer. He married Dorothy Watson in 1816. The census records show him as a stonemason. The 1841 census shows his father, brother and son all living in the same area of Main Street near the Swan public house.
After Dorothy died in 1842, he married Mary Brown in 1846 and moved to Glapthorn, about four miles away. He died there in 1859 but was buried with his first wife in Woodnewton.
His will shows a late change of occupation, because he describes
himself there as a stonemason and victualler. This is confirmed in the
1854 trade directory for Glapthorn which shows him as a beer retailer
and mason. directory
In his will he leaves his stock of ale and beer, brewing utensils and effects to his daughter Elizabeth. Matthew was living in Crown House and Elizabeth was living next door with her husband in Crown Cottage. In the census after Matthew's death, Crown cottage and Crown house don't appear, instead there is Elizabeth and her husband living at Crown Inn. They obviously used Matthew's equipment and stock and combined the properties into an Inn. It is no longer an inn, but has been converted back to a house called Crown House.
Below are pictures from the Woodnewton church graveyard
1. is Matthew and Dorothy Spencer's grave.
2. shows how close their grave is to the church porch, were they
important to be buried there?
3. shows four other Spencer graves. In the records they are left to
right, Ann, John, Ann, Sarah and Eliza. John is Matthew's brother. The
two Anns are John’s first and second wives. Sarah was probably the wife
of Matthew’s son Thomas. I don't know who Eliza is.
You can click on any of these three photos to see an enlarged version.
1
2
3
Woodnewton Main St and the Swan Inn
Crown House