William Spencer had been born in Liverpool. He was the son of Spencer a joiner. In 1855 he married Sarah Ann Jones also from Liverpool, she was the daughter of John Jones a carpenter. At that time he was a “sea faring man” One of the witnesses was Thomas Jones.
He later worked as a coachman and later was a licenced victualler in Toxteth. In 1877 he and Sarah Ann moved to Wrexham where he was to take over the Buck Inn on Hope Street.
The Buck was a respectable inn and many local societies held meetings and dinners there.
17th August 1878
CLUB ANNIVERSARY. On Monday, the members of the Shakespeare’s Pride Lodge (1230) of the G. U.O. of Oddfellows, held their anniversary dinner at the Buck Inn, Hope Street, where Mr Spencer provided an excellent repast, and a thoroughly social evening was spent by the members present.
Just days later Edward died suddenly and was buried on 22nd August.
24 August 1878. There were two reposts on Williams death.
SUDDEN DEATH OF A PUBLICAN.—On Tuesday an inquest was held at the Buck Inn, Hope-street, before Mr Thelwall, coroner, and a jury of which Mr Evan Rowland was foreman, on the body of the landlord of the Buck Inn, Mr William Spencer, who died suddenly on the previous Sunday morning. From the evidence given it appeared that about eight o’clock on Saturday night the deceased felt so tired and unwell that he went upstairs and lay down on the bed without undressing himself. His wife wished to send for a doctor, but he refused to allow her to do so, believing that he would be better by morning without medical assistance. She stated that she found his hand cold and she in consequence at eight o’clock on Sunday morning, sent for Dr Dickenson, but before he reached the house Mr Spencer expired. The jury returned a verdict of “Died by the visitation of God.” Deceased was a stranger in Wrexham, and came from Birkenhead to take the Buck Inn in October last.
DEATH. An inquest was held on Tuesday morning on the body of Mr William Spencer, aged 50 years, landlord of the Buck Inn, Hope-street, who had died suddenly on Sunday morning. Mr Evan Rowland was*the foreman of the jury. The coroner, in charging the jury, said that the medical gentleman who had been called in had declined to give a certificate, but had written to Mr Oswell Bury, giving his opinion that the death was from natural causes. The Registrar, however, declined to grant a certificate for interment, and he (the coroner) also declined to do so until he had had the assistance of the jury in arriving at the cause of death. The jury having viewed the remains, the following evidence was given: Mrs Spencer, wife of the deceased, said that he came upstairs about eight o’clock on Saturday evening, and lay down in his clothes, but she did not apprehend anything serious. His hands were cold, and were so all night, and about eight to half-past on Sunday morning she thought him worse, and sent for a doctor, but he died before the doctor arrived. He had been a little bit poorly the last two or three months. He rarely drunk anything but a little whiskey, but no one ever saw him under the influence of drink. She should have sent for a doctor earlier, but she did not consider him seriously ill, and he always strongly objected to her calling in a doctor. Ellen Glancy, who lived next door, said she was sent for on Sunday morning about nine o’clock, and saw the deceased. On feeling his hands and face she felt sure he was dead. She believed he died from natural causes, as she had no reason to believe anything to the contrary. This was the whole of the evidence, and the jury, after a short consultation, returned a verdict that the deceased had died from natural causes.
Sarah Ann moved from Wrexham and went to stay with her sister Mary and her family in West Derby, she later moved to Kirkdale where she was with her brother Thomas Jones. Her burial has not been found.
Researched by Annette Edwards. May 2020.
