Biography of Robert Spurgeon

Baptised 9 January 1811 at Little Ellingham, Norfolk. He was illiterate at the time of his marriage (at St Peters Church, Little Ellingham), but his wife Harriet, an infant-school mistress, was not. He was a shoemaker (cordwainer), and lived in Little Ellingham all his life, first at Goose Common, and by 1861 at Anchor Corner (almost certainly the same place). All their children were born at Little Ellingham.

The 1841 census shows Robert (30), Harriet (25) & Matilda (3) living together at Goose Common. The 1851 census shows Robert (40, shoemaker), his wife Harriet (36, infant school mistress), and their children Matilda (13), Joseph (8), Harriet (6) & Jacob (4), together with a baby (Mary Ann Hall, 1 month), still living at Goose Common.

By 1861 Robert (50) & Harriet (45) are living with Albert (8), Robert (5) & Aurthur (1) at Anchor Corner. In the 1871 census they are still at Anchor Corner: Robert (59) with his wife Harriet (55), daughter Harriet (27, a seamstress), Albert (10), & Walter (14).

His wife died in 1876. In the 1881 census Robert (71) is living with his son Albert (28, boot & shoe maker), Albert's wife Selina (27, dressmaker), & their niece Elizabeth Brant (10) at High Road, Great Ellingham.

At the age of 87 he's living with his son Joseph & his wife Frances in Little Ellingham (see 1891 census), where he lived until his death in 1895 age 84. He was buried on 6 July 1895 at Rockland All Saints, Attleborough.