Rob Forsyth
The Spiers family occupied this Cottage (l) on Castle Street - opposite the entrance to the Castle Grounds - from the 1841 census to the late 1960s?? Originally called Greenways, it is now known as Loke Cottage. The first recorded occupant was William Foster and his family. He was born in Aynho in 1799 or 1800*. The image is from a postcard dated 11 August 1911 signed by Nellie sending hers and her mother's love to a friend in Oxford. It looks much the same to day except that the third floor single window has been replaced by two
* Census years should always be considered as being within + or - 1 year because of differences between birth and census dates and sometime errors by enumerators and faulty memories of people!
Key to the numerous William Foster Spiers
William F1 1799-1889 William F3 1872 - 1949
William F2 1833- after 1911 William F4 (Bill)1922 -2001
click on dates to see the relevant census sheet or information & images to zoom
| Date | Location | Extract of Details |
| 1841 | Castle Street | William Foster1 (b.1800) Carpenter + wife Susanna (b.1806)- children Mary (b.1828), Richard (b.1830), George (b.1831), William F2 (b.1833), Elizabeth (b.1835) Susanna (b.1839), John (b.1840) |
| 1851 | Castle End (or Street?) | William F1 is now also the Parish Clerk + children - Mary, William F2 (Journeyman Baker), Susanna, John, Edward (1844). Mary Bennett (b.1799) is a visitor |
| 1861 | Stepney, London | No Spiers living in Deddington. William F2 is living with another family as a Servant. Occupation still listed as a Journeyman baker |
| 1863-5 | Not known | Private J Spiers (1827-89) 6th Oxfordshire Rifle Volunteers wins three Trophies |
| 1871 | Castle Street | William F1, son John (Carpenter & Joiner) and visitor Mary Bennet who is William’s Sister in Law & Housekeeper |
| 1881 | Castle Street | John, Wife Elizabeth (b.1843), son William F3 (b.1872), daughter Nellie (b.1874), an elderly William F1 [NB: a daughter Susanna was born to John & Elizabeth in 1871 and died in 1878 [grave] |
| 1889 | Deddington | In November William F1's death is recorded in the Parish magazine as 'In Memoriam' at a Missionary meeting |
| 1891 | Castle Street | John, wife Elizabeth, son William F3, daughter Nellie |
| 1891 | Hackney London | William F2 (Oil Refiners Assistant), wife Mary (b.1843), son William F3 who is 'out of work' |
| 1901 | Castle Street | John & wife Elizabeth [John died in 2004. Grave] |
| 1911 | Castle Street | Elizabeth & daughter Nellie visiting. Census was in April. The post card of Loke Cottage was sent in August |
| 1911 | Hackney London | William F2 (assistant to ?Brargier? in an oil refinery), wife Sara (b.1837 in East London), grandson Philip Brargier? |
| 1911 | Chesterfield Derbyshire | William F3 (School Attendance Officer), wife Emily (b.1881), daughter Susanna (b.1905) |
| 1921 | Chesterfield Derbyshire | William F3 (Law Officer), wife Emily, daughter Dorothy May (b.1914) & F3's Mother Elizabeth. |
| 1939 | High Street, Cherry Trees | The war time register has William F3 (retired Bye Law Officer), wife Emily & son William (Bill) F4 (b.1922) |
Post 1939
William F3 died in 1949 & Emily (left) in 1965. They share a grave with Bill's father John
William (Bill) F4 married Edna Ellen (née Howkins b.1929) in 1958 and had a son Michael (Mike). It is thought they lived in Greenways until late 1960s then moved to Beardsleys on New Street then to Banbury 1975/6.
Bill served in the RAF in WWII ['A Parish at War' p.67]
He died in 2001 and Edna in 2009 [grave]
Dorothy May Spiers married Thomas (Tom) Pratt (b.1917 in Tadmarton)
Tom served in the Army in WWII ['A Parish at War' p.64]
He and his wife tragically died in a car crash in 1968 [grave].
Tom & Dorothy's son, Barry [b.1950], who lived in No 6 Hudson Street, is internationally famous as a Mandolin player and an authority on Embergher Mandolins. Read more about him and his distinguished career HERE
Acknowledgements
Greenways/Loke Cottage : the postcard image is courtesy of Anne Hayward (née Pratt) whose uncle Tom married Dorothy Spiers.
Private J Spiers: the images of his three OVR trophies are courtesy of Michael Spiers
Graves: details are courtesy of Oxfordshire Family History Society's record of Deddington Parish Church graves & memorials
Research: Anne & Rodney Hayward have been of great help providing information about her relatives and with local knowledge