OLD PLYMOUTH . UK
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WHO WAS WHO IN OLD PLYMOUTH

JOSEPH JAMES SPOONER (1815-1859)

Joseph James Spooner was born at Black Heath Hill, Greenwich, in Kent, on November 3rd 1815, to Mr Joseph Spooner, a mariner, and his wife, Mary.  He was baptized at the Ancient Parish Church of Saint Alfege, Greenwich, on December 1st 1815.

Although it has been claimed that the business was started in 1837 in Plymouth there is no trace of the family in the Town on the date of the 1841 census.  In fact, a Joseph Spooner, of the correct age (25), was an assistant to Mr James Webb, a mercer (otherwise a linen and woollen draper), at 6 Market Square, Stafford, Staffordshire.  It would appear, therefore, that this is where our Joseph learned his trade and the later claim that he started his business in 1837 might actually refer to the date he completed an apprenticeship with Mr Webb.

Mr Joseph James Spooner married Miss Anne Elizabeth Snell at the Ancient Parish Church of Saint Peter, Tiverton, Devon, on January 1st 1844.  They must have immediately come to Plymouth and set up a woollen drapery business at Tuscan House, 26 Whimple Street, Plymouth, where, by the end of the year, their first child, a son and heir, John Dawson Spooner, was born.

The business must have been prospering because the census taken on Sunday  March 30th 1851 reveals that Mrs Ann Elizabeth Spooner had been left in charge of the business, assisted by her husband's 25-years-old brother, Mr Newby Abraham Spooner as a Draper's Assistant.  He was assisted by three female Draper's Assistants, 28-years-oldMiss Juliana S Cann; 20-years-old Miss Amelia C Lacey; and 19-years-old Miss Mary A Jefferies.  Furthermore, there were five male and two female Draper's Apprentices between the ages of 13 and 18.  All of these were living over the shop in Whimple Street in addition to three young Spooner's, Joseph Snell Spooner; Rutland Spooner, and Edwin Charles Spooner; 29-years-old Cook, Miss Rebecca Morse; 21-years-old House Maid, Miss Amelia Roach; and 20-years-old Nurse Maid, Miss Sarah Bidwood.  It might also be mentioned that Mrs Spooner was pregnant, because towards the end of 1851 she gave birth to Emily Sophia Spooner.

And where was Mr Spooner himself?  He was visiting his widowed mother, Mrs Mary Spooner, and younger sister, Miss Sophia Spooner, in the High Road, Ingatestone, Chelmsford, Essex, along with his six-years-old son, John Dawson Spooner.

On Thursday April 1st 1858 the business transferred to 48 and 49 Bedford Street, previously occupied by Mr T Holman.  Mr Spooner had a month-long sale of goods at his old premises and bought a 'select Stock of both Plain and Fancy Goods at unprecedently low prices' for the new store.  He also thanked his customers for 'the liberal support accorded him during the last fourteen years', which confirms the date of foundation as being 1844 not 1837.  Curiously, in 1942, after the premises had been destroyed, the Company claimed that this move had occurred exactly one hundred years ago in 1842.  Perhaps the directors thought that as the City had been destroyed no-one would discover how false that publicity statement was.

Mr Joseph James Spooner died suddenly at his home in Plymouth on Monday November 14th 1859 at the young age of 44 years.

This left Mrs Anne Elizabeth Spooner as a widow, of course, but she continued to run the business.  The census taken on Sunday April 7th 1861 shows that she was being assisted by the eldest son, 16-years-old John Dawson Spooner, and his younger brother, 14-years-old John Snell Spooner, as Draper's Clerk.  The census also reveals that the family had increased since 1851: Frederick Henry Spooner was born in 1854; Ann Eliza Spooner was born in 1855; and William Newby Spooner was just ten months.  There was also a Governess, a Nurse Maid and a General Servant.

Mr John Dawson Spooner (1844-1900) attained the age of 21 years in 1865 and that is probably when he took over the management of his late father's business.