Elizabeth SPENCER

Elizabeth was born circa 1800.  She married William Spencer 'of Leeds' around 1829.

William was born around 1796 in Yorkshire - possibly in Leeds.

It seems likely that at the time of the 1841 census the couple were living in Leeds Kirkgate( near the wharf on the River Aire, and the other end of the Aire & Calder), in Oats Yard, a place that no longer exists. Looking at the 1847 map of Leeds, it was just next to the SW end of Crown Point Bridge. This used to be the Tetley brewery and is now flats.

1841: 

• William Spencer, waterman, approximately age 40, born in Yorkshire.

• Elizabeth Spencer, wife, approximately 40, not born in Yorkshire,

• James Spencer son, 12,

• William Spencer, son, 11, both born in Yorkshire.

We have found no record of other children born to the family.

Elizabeth was buried in Hook on 2nd March 1849, aged 49 years.  Her abode was given as Goole.  Sadly, her husband, William died a few months later.  It is possible that both deaths were as a result of the cholera outbreak of 1848-9.  A letter 'C' alongside William's burial record indicates this as his cause of death.

At the time of death they were both living on board a kiel which was 'lying in the canal in Goole'.  

Elizabeth was buried in Hook because the graveyard at Goole didn't open until 9 days after her death.  However, William died in August 1849, by which time St John's graveyard in Goole was open.  It seems that Goole docks were hit particularly hard by this cholera outbreak as, according to the Goole burial record, there were many people living on kiels there that died of cholera in that year.

James and William (Junior) seem to have survived the cholera - thankfully by 1849 they were probably living elsewhere and leading their own adult lives.  Maybe they organised their parents' burials and erection of this gravestone?  It appears that William may not have had a separate gravestone in Goole - there is no record of one in a 20th century survey of the graveyard.  

(Research by J.I.)