John Spence of Barden

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Mary Spence’s father John Spence was the son of Thomas Spence and Anne Ellis of Lamb Close, Netherdale [1] . Ann Ellis was the daughter of Robert Ellis of Sidgesworth in Netherdale. Thomas Spence and Ann Ellis married in 1750 in Middlesmoor [2] .

John Spence was an agricultural labourer and later a farmer in Barden [3] . He married Ellen Ward in Bolton Abbey on 30 January 1780 [4] . Ellen was about seven months pregnant with their first child when they married. Their eldest child James joined them in March of that year [5] . Their eldest daughter Ann joined them two years later, and by 1785 John and Ellen had three children under five with the arrival of Mary [6] . John Spence must have been earning a wage to support his growing family. In the next ten years John and Ellen had another three children, John, Jane and Francis [7] . However, the youngest child Francis was buried aged only six months old in December 1795 [8] . This must have been a difficult Christmas for the young family and the memory of the tiny coffin being lowered into the frosty ground must have stayed with them that year.

John Spence’s daughter Ann was the first to leave home and marry in 1803 [9] . Ann and her husband John Bland set up home in Addingham and started a family there [10] .

By January 1808 John Spence’s daughter Mary had met and married James Bramley of Skipton, a handloom weaver [11] . Mary was nearly seven months pregnant on the day of their wedding. John Spence’s eldest daughter Anne attended the wedding also six months pregnant with her third child. Their first child Sarah arrived on 26 March of that year [12] . Ann Bland’s third child was christened on 10 April 1808 and it is possible that she was already suckling her small daughter before Mary gave birth. Mary and James Bramley’s family continued to grow with two more children William and Elizabeth in 1811 and 1813 [13] .

On 9 May 1814 John and Ellen Spence would have attended the marriage of their son John Spence to Mary Roper in Skipton [14] . Their daughter Mary was also six months pregnant with her fourth child Martha and may have found it difficult, especially if it was a warm May [15] .

Two years later, in October 1816, John and Ellen would have attended the marriage of their youngest daughter Jane to John Holgate [16] . However, only a month later in November 1816 John Spence would have seen his wife Ellen buried in Addingham [17] . John Spence probably followed a couple of years afterwards, either being buried in 1817 or 1819 in Skipton [18] .

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[1] Mary Spence was born on 12 February 1785 and christened on 6 March 1785, in Bolton Abbey the daughter of John Spence of Barden labourer son of Thomas Spence of Lamb Close of Netherdale by Ann daughter of Robert Ellis of Sidgesworth, Netherdale, labourer, and Ellen daughter of Frances Ward of Barden miner by Agnes daughter of Thomas Spence of Lamb Close Netherdale. Bolton Abbey Parish Registers.

[2] Ann Ellis married Thomas Spence on 8 May 1750. Middlesmoor. IGI.

[3] Bolton Abbey Parish Registers

[4] Bolton Abbey Parish Registers

[5] James Spence was born on 23 March 1780 and christened on 2 April 1780. Bolton Abbey Parish Registers.

[6] Ann was born on 17 September 1782 and christened on 20 November 1782. Mary Spence was born on 12 February 1785 and christened on 6 March 1785. Bolton Abbey Parish Registers.

[7] John was christened on 12 July 1789. Jane was born on 18 November 1791 and christened on 18 December 1791. Bolton Abbey Parish Registers.

[8] Francis was born on 19 June 1795, christened on 12 July 1795 and buried on 3 December 1795. Bolton Abbey Parish registers.

[9] Ann Spence married John Bland, woolcomber, of Addingham, son of James Bland weaver and Ann daughter of Peter Barrett, carpenter of Otley on 15 September 1803 in Bolton Abbey. Bolton Abbey Parish Registers.

[10] Elllen Bland was christened on 28 October 1803. Margaret Bland was christened on 30 October 1806, Ann Bland was christened on 10 April 1808, Susannah Bland was christened on 26 August 1809, Mary Bland was christened 30 June 1810. Addingham Parish Registers.

[11] James Bramley married Mary Spencer on 5 January 1808. Holy Trinity Skipton Parish. Registers

[12] Sarah Bramley was born on 26 March 1808 and christened on 16 July 1815 in Skipton. Skipton Parish Registers.

[13] Elizabeth Bramley was born about 1811. So far attempts to find her birth have resulted in zero. William Bramley was born on 7 April 1813 and christened in Skipton on 25 July 1813. Skipton Parish Registers.

[14] John Spence married Mary Roper on 9 May 1814. They had Elizabeth christened 1 September 1817, buried 28 October 1817 aged 10 weeks. Holy Trinity Skipton Parish Registers.

[15] Martha Bramley was born on 14 August 1814 and christened on 16 July 1815. Skipton Parish Registers.

[16] Jane Spence married John Holgate on 30 October 1816. Skipton Parish Registers. They had the following children, Ann christened 14 December 1817, Jane christened 4 January 1825 and John Spencer christened 4 January 1824 and buried on 19 January 1824. Holy Trinity Skipton Parish Registers.

[17] Ellen Spence was buried 15 November 1816. Addingham Parish Registers.

[18] John Spencer was buried in Skipton on these two dates. John Spencer of Cracoe was buried on 6 February 1816, aged 74. John Spencer was buried on 26 February 1819, Connonley Moor Top, aged 69. Holy Trinity Skipton Parish Registers.

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The Spence Connection
	Mary Spence
	John Spence
	The Wards of Embsay
	Thomas Spence of Lamb Close
	Jonathan Spence of Middlesmoor