William Cowdroy Aprentice

[AdrianB38]

There is a listing for a William Spence:
William Spence, One of the Conducts, buried June 19***, 1785, Chester.
...

Interesting - where's that?

[nicholpope]

It's on find my past. I can email you the record of you like.

[AdrianB38]

OK - found the "conducts" entry in the Cheshire Burials.

The date of burial (19 June 1785) matches the date of death (16 June 1785) on that image of his memorial inside the cathedral found above (http://goo.gl/ExT1Zd is the short URL to locate it). Given that the burial entry is restricted in width, and that the memorial says that William was a chorister, I'd guess that "conducts" is short for "conductor", i.e. he was one of the people to conduct the choir. (Seriously interesting!). I somehow doubt it means that he conducted guided tours round the cathedral but you never know - I just want to emphasise that this is a logical guess, not definite knowledge.

I have no idea whether the "duty paid" sentence belongs to this burial, the one below or neither, and I have no idea what the duty might refer to either, so can't even make a logical guess. Sorry about that....

I did wonder if the crest on the memorial might provide any useful information but I imagine this belongs to the Spence line, not the Cowdroys - could be worth checking up (though I've no idea how you make a serious check of this) just to make sure he didn't "inherit" it from Elizabeth.....

[nicholpope]

I have emailed the choir at Cheshire cathedral, I hope they maybe able to provide some answers. If he was known as the best voice in the kingdom, maybe there is some knowledge about him.

[nicholpope]

A newspaper article (The Gentleman's Magazine volume 57) confirms under 'Obituary of considerable Persons; with biographical anecdotes'

23. Mr. William Spence, near fifty years one of the choristers of the Chester Cathedral and reckoned one of the finest toned basses in the Kingdom

[nicholpope]

It looks like the Will of William Cowdroy is held by Lancashire Archives:

http://user.xmission.com/~nelsonb/will_search.cgi?surname=cowdroy&name=&willy=&yrrange=0

I have sent a request for a digital copy, hopefully this may provide some information. although as his parents would have been passed by 1815, I doubt it will help be go back.

[nicholpope]

I have recived a response from the heritage and visitors manager at Chester cathedral, he has confirm the transcript:

UNDERNEATH, Lieth in peaceful serenity the Mortal Remains of WILLIAM SPENCE who quitted this Earthly stage on the 16th of June 1785 in the 59th year of his age, Near 50 of which he served as a Chorister in this Cathedral and was allowed to have one of the strongest and finest toned Bass Voices in the Kingdom.
 
Also, ELIZABETH SPENCE, wife of William Spence who died Nov:1st 1791, aged 72
 
Likewise to the memory of Mary, wife of John Spence w, who dies Dec: 8th 1812 aged 48
 
FIDELI CERTA MERCES

He also said:

One thing I have found out is that he was up on a disciplinary charge before the Dean and Chapter on 1 March 1751 for being absent from the choir for a fortnight without leave. His excuse was very original – he said that “he was obliged to follow a person to Holyhead and thence to Dublin that owed him money.” The Accounts record that a boy names Spence was a member of the choir from 1732 to 1744 and then became a Conduct (adult choir member), retaining his office until 1785 which means that he must have joined the Choir when he was six.

[AdrianB38]

... a Conduct (adult choir member), ...

Oh, excellent... So my guess that it was short for "Conductor" was too clever for its own good!

[nicholpope]

So William Spence was Married to a Anne bayley who passed two months before he married Elizabeth. It's more likely now that she was in the area when they met, although I can find any death for William Cowdroy. I would guess that as there is not evidence of other children maybe she moved to family there?!

I believe William Spence was also a cordwrainer shoemaker.