Pte 50058 Joseph Spencer

• Age: 30
• From: Nelson, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 23rd June 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Joseph Spencer was born in Nelson in December 1886 the son of William Spencer and his wife Alice (nee Eastwood) who married in 1868.

The 1891 Census finds the family at 4 Hereford Street, Nelson. His father, William is 44 years of age, his mother, Alice is 46. There are four children in the household;  Susannah is 21, Sarah J. is 9, Annie is 7 and Joseph is 4.

By the time of the 1901 Census the family are still living at 4 Hereford Street, Nelson. His father, William is now 54, his mother, Alice, is 55. They now have three children living in the houssehold; Sarah J. is 19, Anne is 16 and  Joseph is 14, all are employed as cotton weavers, and all were born in Nelson.

Joseph Spencer married Betsy Bridge, in Burnley in 1909.

The 1911 Census finds the family at 60 Moore Street, Nelson. Joseph is 24, Betsy is 25 and both are cotton weavers. Also in the household are Betsy's mother Elizabeth Ann Bridge, 48 and her sister Bertha 6.

Joseph enlisted in Blackpool and was formerly T/4/23486, Royal Army Service Corps and was serving in the 19th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 50058 when he was killed in action on the 23^rd June, 1917, aged 30.

By June 1917 the 19^th Battalion was in the Ypres salient, in the front line south of Hooge.  On the 10^th the 19^th is relieved in the line and marches back to Brandhoek.  The Battalion War Diary for 23^rd June records:  

 “At night practically all the battalion were out on a working party digging an assembly trench and suffered casualties:  7 OR killed, 13 OR wounded, 1 OR missing.”

Joseph was one of the 7 Other Ranks the others being George Ashbrook, Norman Garside, Andrew Harron, Harold Hart, Harold Mathison and Frederick Owen mentioned in the Battalion diary.

His body was not recovered and his name is recorded on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres, Belgium.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

Joseph's effects were sent to his widow Betsy who was remarried to Robert D.Turner at Fylde in March 1919

The Pension card shows his wife Betsy, born on 27/8/1884 and living at 887 Central Beach, Blackpool, there were no children in the marriage. It also records that Joseph was Missing presumed dead on or since 31/7/17. The notification of death confirmed on 04/2/18.

Joseph is  commemorated on the Blackpool War Memorial.

Soldiers Effects and Pension to widow Betsy Spencer/Turner.

We currently have no further information on Joseph Spencer, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.