Spence, William Steers

WILLIAM STEERS SPENCE (1789-1856) was a talented freehand cutter, also possessing, according to newspaper reports, a facility for taking likenesses from memory. However, he was born WILLIAM STEERS in Sussex, and married under that name in Dorset in 1817. For reasons unknown, between the baptism of his second son in July 1822 and his first recorded advertisement in March 1824, he altered his name to WILLIAM STEERS SPENCE.

 

Dubbing himself "The Ingenious Artist with Scissars" and more dubiously "...the original Inventor of this Ingenious Art" , newspapers plot a busy, seemingly successful tour of several towns in England and Wales between 1824 and the spring of 1825. On offer and "...cut in 20 seconds..." were "Profile Busts 1s; Four ditto the same 2s-Full Length or Bronze 5s".

 

Four advertisements appear in the HEREFORD JOURNAL in March 1824 and 2 in the SHREWSBURY CHRONICLE in October. In January 1825, one lengthy advertisement appears in the SALISBURY and WINCHESTER JOURNAL  A final advertisement was printed in the NORTHAMPTON MERCURY on the 9th of April 1825, where Spence mentions upwards of 30,000 profiles taken "...in the last 12 months".

 

Even allowing for an advertiser's hyperbole, it's strange Spence's only verified works are one full-length and two bust-size plain black silhouettes pasted into a Shrewsbury antiquary's manuscript. Illustrated in McKechnie, all 3 appear well-executed. In part, the extreme scarcity of his profiles can be accounted for, as all were sold unframed and ideal, as just indicated, for placing in scrapbooks or journals which were subsequently lost to posterity.

 

Already in his mid-30s, by the time he appeared as the "Ingenious Artist with Scissars", it's unknown where and when he honed his craft, as no form of advertising before or after his tour, either as WILLIAM STEERS or WILLIAM STEERS SPENCE have come to light.

 

Regarding his personal life, in December 1817 he married Jane Mary Shipp (1800-1847), daughter of a local bookseller in Blandford Forum, Dorset. Two sons were born in the town, in 1820 and 1822. Both were christened with 'Spence' as a given name - the significance of which has eluded research. Interestingly, when second son Arthur Spence Steers (1822-1891) enlisted, age 16, in the 12th Lancers at Oxford in 1838, he gave his occupation as 'Artist'.

 

In his new incarnation as William Steers Spence, he fathered a daughter in 1827 and 2 sons in 1830 and 1835. All three were now christened with 'STEERS'  as a given name.  In 1831-1832 Spence is listed a freeholder of West Melbury, a sparse hamlet south of Shaftesbury. Land Tax returns list his abode as "Byron Cottage and Garden".

 

Ten years later, the 1841 Census records a decline in his fortunes that would only gain momentum. Now located south of Bath in Monkton Coombe, Spence, his wife, daughter and youngest son shared a small abode with the families of a quarry labourer and a laundress. In May 1847, Spence's wife died in Bath.

 

The 1851 Census records him in Shaftesbury's workhouse as a "Pauper" and "late Artist" born in "Robertsbridge, Sussex". His 14-year-old son, Henry Steers Spence (1835-1867) is recorded in the Bath Union Workhouse. When in January 1855 the now 18-year-old Henry Steers Spence was baptised at Bath St. Saviour's, it's unclear whether the register records him or his father residing at the "Sutcliffe Industrial School [for children]" as a "Light Porter".

 

William Steers Spence died aged 66 on the 11th of February 1856 at Westgate Buildings, Bath. Described as 'impoverished' , Westgate Buildings stood on the periphery of Bath's poorest district. He was buried in Bath Abbey Cemetery 5 days after his demise.

 

Revised 23 February 2023 (Brian Wellings)