The Spencers were a family of plasterers and slaters. Patriarch James Spencer moved to Giggleswick from Skipton to marry Agnes Taylor in 1800 and they had seven sons and two daughters. Sadly three, daughter Nancy and their two youngest sons, both called John, died in infancy and were buried in the Giggleswick graveyard (before Settle graveyard had opened). As was usual, their surviving sons continued their father’s trade, living in the cheap end of town, in Upper Settle. Plastering was not a very well paid job.
Son James Spencer and his wife Isabella Downham had five sons and one daughter. Infant Richard was the fourth child and died, less than a week old, in December 1839, and was buried in the infants’ corner EX29. Another son, Jonathan Spencer, died when settleresearch@gmail.com 11 Settle Graveyard Project he was 19 in 1850 and is buried in DX14, not far from little Richard. James died, aged 57, in 1858 is buried somewhere in the Ancient graveyard, hopefully with Jonathan. Isabella outlived James, but died, aged 74, at the workhouse and so is buried at Giggleswick.
James and Agnes’ son William Spencer had a terrible experience of child mortality with his wife Frances. They had nine children. Their memorial stone in Giggleswick graveyard tells an appalling tale, showing they lost seven children in infancy or childhood.