SPICER, Henry

  General Notes:

A native of Tolpiddle, as it was called in 1838, he evidently moved around some before settling down as the rent farmer of East Farm in Affpuddle, Dorset, England, a farm then part of the Frampton Estates of that town. He leased the farm in 1878, when he was 40 years of age and already the father of five children. His first two children were born in Lytchett Matravers, Dorset, one in Corfe Castle, and his last two childred in County Flint, North Wales, some distance from Dorset. The farm evidently prospered while he was the tenant, for major additions were made to it and it survived a fire in 1890. He was elected chairman of the parish council in 1894 and died of injuries he sustained in a hunting accident in 1903.

East Farm in Affpuddle:
An extensive history of the doings at and of East Farm is in Joan Brocklebanks' book. Of immediate interest is the years between 1878 and 1903 when both improvements and disaster visited the farm: The farm was evidently in serious disrepair when Henry Spicer took it over in 1878, for the Frampton Estate Diary records that in the first year of his occupancy (1879), "East Farm....put into through repair, the outgoing Tenant paying half."

In 1882 a second floor was put to one end of the large barn for the erection of machinery for chaff cutting. And in 1887 the Framptons "built 5 fuel houses to cottages, finding that they had been promised to the poor people for a very long time."

In 1888 a new floor was put down in the barn. The Estate Diary for that year has this curious entry: "The tenant, Mr. H. Spicer agrees to take away the barbed wire he had lately put up, if I consented to forgive him the sum of £37. owing from last half year's rent. This has not been thoroughly carried out."

In 1889 an addition to the house "for Mr. Spicer of East Farm."

But 1890 saw disaster: "Serious Fire at Affpuddle East Farm. Barn, Cart-house, stable, cider house, piggeries all gone. Recovered the sum of £388. from the Insurance Company. Began building the new farm buildings at Affpuddle East Farm in July. They are now finished at a cost of £800." (Frampton Estate Diary, quoted in BROCKLEBANK p 79)

At one point after the death of Henry Spicer the farm was managed by his daughter, Maude Spicer. Then was taken over by Frederic Johnson (husband of Kate) in 1903. (Lena)

In 1914 the Framptons sold the farm to Mr. Ernest Debenham:

"1914. In this year a portion of the property was sold to Mr. E. Debenham for £49,500 with advowson. The following farms comprised in sale, Affpiddle West, Affpiddle East, Rogers Hill, Throop, Tonerspiddle and Bryantspiddle." (Frampton Estate Diary, Harry Frampton, quoted in BROCKLEBANK) ¹

  Birth Notes:

Southover Farm

  Noted events in his life were:

? He was born in 1838 in Southover, Tolpuddle, Dorset, England. ² Birth Registration, District of Dorchester and Cerne, Subdistrict of Piddletown in the county of Dorset, on file at the General Register Office in London. Shows birth date, Name, father and mother's names ('James Spicer' and 'Sarah Spicer formerly Pitt') and occupation of father as 'Dairyman'. Copy in my possession.

? He appeared on the census in 1841 in Corsley. Wilshire, England. ³ Age 2.

? He appeared on the census in 1851 in Corsley. Wilshire, England. ³ Age 12, scholar. b Tolpuddle.

? He appeared on the census in 1861 in Hethfelton Farm, East Stoke, Dorset, England. ³ Age 22, b. Southover.

? He worked as a Farm manager in 1878. ¹ "East Farm let to Mr. H. Spicer at a rather increased rent" (Frampton Estate Diary, quoted in BROCKLEBANK p 79)

? He appeared on the census in 1881 in East Farm, Affpuddle, Dorset. ³ Henry (42, farmer, born Tolpuddle)

? He appeared on the census in 1891 in East Farm, Affpuddle, Dorset. Henry (51, farmer, born Southover) (?)

? Politics: 17 Dec 1894, Affpuddle, Dorset, England. ⁴ Elected Chairman of the Parish Council, which was created that year by Act of Parliment.

? He signed a will on 8 Sep 1900 in Affpuddle, Dorset, England. ⁵ This will may have been superceded at a later date. It is in an envelope signed 'Henry Spicer Mankato, Minn.' along with an accounting statement of Sept 1, 1903 showing an equal distribution of the estate of £3006.

? His obituary was published in 1903. Found in father's marriage certificate.

? Death: Died of injuries sustained while in a hunting accident. (Aunt Lena to The Rev. Wm J. Spicer in 1979 and Obituary)

Henry married Kitty BRANSTON, daughter of William Henry BRANSTON and Mary Ann WOODROW, on 22 Oct 1863 in Affpuddle, Dorset, England. (Kitty BRANSTON was born in 1829 in Harbridge, Hampshire, England, died in Aug 1900 in Affpuddle, Dorset, England and was buried on 25 Aug 1900 in St. Laurence's Church, Affpuddle, England.)