Harriet Spanswick (1818 – 1907)

Harriet Samuels was born circa 1818 in Newbury, the daughter of Abel and Elizabeth, nee Moore, Samuels. She was baptized on 12 April 1818 at St Nicolas in Newbury. Harriet’s parents Abel had Elizabeth had married on 25 September 1809 at All Saints in Catfield in Norfolk.

In the 1841 census Harriet was recorded in Speen living with Elizabeth Timms. Harriet’s occupation was servant. In the 1851 census Harriet was still a servant and living at 2 Park Cottages, St Giles in Reading.

 Harriet married Roger Spanswick on 19 April 1852 at St Nicolas in Newbury. Roger was recorded as a brewer living in St Marylebone in London. Roger was born in 1817 in Chelsea. In the 1851 census he had been recorded living in Marlborough in Wiltshire and was a servant.

 The family then moved to London and Roger and Harriet had four sons. Charles was born in 1853 in Marylebone, then Edwin George (1855), Walter (1857) and Henry (1859) in Stepney. Edwin George and Walter both died as infants in 1857 and 1859 respectively.

 Roger had a shocking accident on 27 February 1857 while working for Messrs Walker and Sons at Dolphin Brewery, Broad Street, Ratcliff (Tower Hamlets). He was standing on the side of a copper containing a large quantity of boiling liquor, when he slipped and fell in and was immersed to his waist. He was scalded in a most fearful manner. He was removed from the copper and carried on a cart to the accident ward of London Hospital, where the house surgeon Mr Jenkins rendered every assistance to alleviate Roger’s suffering. The initial report was that he was in a dangerous state.

 Roger died in January 1859 aged 42 while living at 4 Orchard Street in Ratcliff. He was buried on 26 January 1859 at the City of London and Tower Hamlets cemetery.

 Harriet then moved back to Newbury as in the 1861 census she was recorded with her sons Charles and Henry along with her widowed mother Elizabeth living at St Mary’s Hill in Newbury. Harriett was a char woman and her mother Elizabeth a nurse.

 In the 1871 census Harriet with sons Charles and Henry were living at Quakers burial grounds in Newbury with Harriet a laundress, Charles a chair maker and Henry a labourer. Ten years later in the 1881 census Harriet was still living at the Quakers burial ground along with son Charles and his wife Annie. Harriet was still a laundress and Charles still a chair maker.

 A few years later Harriet moved into Raymond’s Almhouses in Newbury. Her name was put forward in February 1884 after the death of Mrs Beck. Harriet was recorded in the Almhouses in both the 1891 and 1901 censuses, she had no occupation recorded in either census.

 Harriet died in January 1907 while still living at 6 Raymond’s Almhouses and was buried at Newtown Road Cemetery on 17 January.

 Harriet’s parents Abel and Elizabeth were buried at Newtown Road Cemetery on 17 January 1859 and 8 March 1875 respectively. Two of her brothers were also buried at Newtown Road Cemetery, George on 1 October 1866 and William on 20 June 1891.

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