William Robert Spencer (1769 - 1834)

Born 9 Jan 1769 in London, England

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 23 Oct 1834 at age 65 in Paris, Île-de-France, France

Profile manager: John Atkinson [send private message]

Biography

William Spencer was a member of the aristocracy in England.

English poet and wit from the Spencer family

Born in Kensington Palace, Spencer was educated at Harrow School and Christ Church, Oxford, though he left Christ Church without receiving a degree.

Spencer's wit made him a popular member of society. He belonged to the Whig set of Charles James Fox and Richard Brinsley Sheridan and was frequently a guest of the prince of Wales. He did not desire a public life, being content as a writer of "occasional" verse and vers de société. In 1796 he published an English version of Bürger's Leonore, and in 1802 he burlesqued German romance in his Urania, which was produced on the stage at Drury Lane. Among his best-known pieces, which were published in a collection of his poems in 1811, were his well-known ballad "Beth Gelert" and "Too Late I Stayed." His writings were greatly appreciated by his contemporaries, being warmly praised by such figures as Sir Walter Scott, John Wilson, and Lord Byron.

In 1791 he married Susan Jenison-Walworth (1770-1834), daughter of Count Jenison-Walworth, chamberlain to the elector palatine, by whom he had five sons and two daughters.

Spencer briefly sat in the House of Commons but gave up his seat in 1797 in order to become a commissioner of stamps so as to support his family. He held the post until 1826, surrendering it after moving to Paris the year before because of his financial difficulties. Spencer spent his remaining years in Paris, dying there in October 1834. His remains were taken back to England and buried in Harrow Church.^[1]

children

• Rt Revd Aubrey Spencer (1795–1872), became first Bishop of Newfoundland in 1839, being afterwards translated to the See of Jamaica.^[2]

• Rt Revd George Spencer (1799–1866), was in 1837 consecrated second Bishop of Madras.

• William Spencer (-)

• 2 additional sons^[3]

• 2 daughters

Sources

1. ↑ "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPHV-HFB3 : 13 August 2019), William Robert Spencer, 1834; Burial, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London Borough of Harrow, Greater London, England, St Mary Churchyard; citing record ID 188364233
2. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NBVW-PBG : 10 February 2018, William Robert Spencer in entry for Aubrey George Spencer, 11 Feb 1795); citing 2:3M6MG9W, index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 1,042,309.
3. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J3G6-FCQ : 10 February 2018, William Robert Spencer in entry for Frederick William, ); citing 2:1K2JZNQ, index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 1,067,105.

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Robert_Spencer
• http://www.thepeerage.com/p10609.htm#c106085.1

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