SPANTON, William
William Spanton was born at Bury St Edmund's, Suffolk on 3 February 1822 and baptised at St James's Church, Bury St Edmund's on 4 March 1822, eldest son of William Spanton (c1800-May 1852), workhouse painter, and his wife Hannah née Clarke (8 December 1800-July 1874), who married at Bury St Edmund's on 20 April 1821. Young William married at Bury St Edmund's in 1843, Sarah King (20 June 1813-20 July 1909). In 1851, a 39-year-old plumber &c., living at 16 Abbeygate Street, Bury St Edmund's with his 41[sic] year-old wife Sarah and their children, William Silas, Sarah Rebekah 10 and Hannah Kate 9, all born in Bury St Edmund's, and he employed his 57-year-old widowed mother as 'shopwoman'. A plumber & glazier at 42 Abbeygate Steet, Bury St Edmund's who, by 1859, had established his 'Repository of Arts and West Suffolk Photographic Establishment' at 16 Abbeygate Street, and built up a considerable business as an optician which he heavily advertised from 1858 onwards. A man of many parts, combining the conduct of the 'Repository' with his work as a house decorator, paperhanger, plumber, glazier, carver, gilder and painter. He also designed the four-storeyed house in Abbeygate Street in which he had his business. His success in his photographic studio induced him to give up his other concerns, except that of framing and gilding which remained part of the business. William Spanton, photographer of Abbeygate Street died at Bury St Edmund's 'after a painful affliction' on 20 January 1870 at the age of forty-seven, leaving a successful business to his only son William Silas. His daughter Sarah Rebekah married William Kimber Hardy.
Works by This Artist
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