Clifford William Spicer (1915 - 1990)

Born 28 Jul 1915 in Otley, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Elizabeth Caroline (Pinniger) Spicer — married 5 Feb 1938 (to 31 Mar 1988) in Redfern, New South Wales, Australia

Died 1 Jun 1990 at age 74 in Maclean, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Clifford Spicer was born in the Town of Otley, Yorkshire, England.

Clifford Spicer migrated from England to New South Wales.

Clifford William Spicer was born on the 28 July 1915 in the Market Town of Otley, in the lower valley of the River Wharfe, Yorkshire Dales, District of Wharfedale, near the City of Leeds, in Yorkshire West Riding, England^[1]. He was the son of Albert Spicer and Annie Stuart Tarbotton.

On the 27 April 1922, from the Port of London, on the River Thames, England, the Spicer family emigrated to Australia on board the "S.S. Beltana". The family consisted of Albert (44), a Cloth Miller; his wife Annie Stuart (42) and their children Albert "Bertie" (19), Violet E. (18), Clifford William (6) and Bernard Charles (5). Their last known address in England had been 12 Town Street, Guiseley, near the City of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The vessel arrived in the Port of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on the 26 June 1922^[2][3].

SHIPPING NEWS...Sydney, Monday. Arrived....Beltana from London^[4]

At 20 years and 3 months old, Clifford enlisted, on the 5 November 1935, in the Australian Militia Forces, given the Army number of 262344 and attached to the A.S.C. 1 Div. Unit as a Private. However, his time in the Militia was short-lived as his discharge took place on the 19 November 1935. With the outbreak of World War II, on the 31 May 1940 at Paddington, in the City of Sydney, New South Wales, Clifford enlisted in the Australian Army. He was 24 years and 10 months old, worked as a Farrier and lived at 485 Miller Street, North Sydney with his wife and family. He was given the service number of NX23222 and attached to 2/1 Australian Pnr. Battalion. Clifford was described as being 5 feet 9 inches with a fair complexion, blue eyes and fair hair with a scar over his left eyebrow.

He served in such places as New Guinea, Borneo and the Middle East, embarking from the Port of Melbourne on the 9 October 1940 aboard the "H.M.A.T. Nieuw Zeeland", disembarking at Palestine on the 2 November 1940 and heading to Libya. Clifford made his way up the ranks during his time in the Army, being promoted to Sergeant on the 1 August 1945 during his tour in Borneo. His return to Australia took place in the City of Brisbane, Queensland on the 4 September 1945, before being discharged on the 18 October 1945^[5].

By 1954, the Spicer family were living at Bellingen Road, in the small Town of Raleigh, in Raleigh County, in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia^[6]. Clifford passed away, at the age of 74, on the 1 June 1990 in the Town of Maclean, on the Clarence River, in the Northern Rivers region, 658 km (409 mi) northeast of the capital of Sydney, in New South Wales, Australia^[7]. His remains were laid to rest in the Lawn portion, Row Q of the Glen Innes General Cemetery, Cemetery Loop Road, in the Town of Glen Innes, Glen Innes Severn Council, New South Wales, Australia. The inscription on the headstone reads:--SPICER In Loving Memory of ELIZABETH CAROLINE Passed Away 31st March 1988 Aged 71 & CLIFFORD WILLIAM Passed Away 1st June 1990 Aged 74. Beloved Parents of Heather, Dawn, Kay, Gail and Garry. In God's Care^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ England & Wales Births 1837-2006 : General Register Office (GRO) Southport; FindMyPast & Brightsolid Online Publishing Ltd; Reference: (July-September 1915); Clifford W. SPICER; Mother: Tarbotton; Registration District: Wharfedale; County: Yorkshire West Riding; Volume: 9A; Page: 222; Record Link: https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/
2. ↑ UK and Ireland, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960 : The National Archives of the UK (TNA) Kew & Ancestry.com Operations; Reference: (Departure Year-1922); Clifford William SPICER; Ship: Beltana; Record Set: BT27 Board of Trade: Commercial and Statistical Department and Successors: Outwards Passenger Lists; Reference Number: Series BT27-131853; Page number: 20
3. ↑ New South Wales, Australia, Unassisted Immigrant Passenger Lists, 1826-1922 : State Archives and Records Authority of New South Wales; Kingswood & Ancestry.com Operations; Reference: Master C. SPICER; Arrival Year: 1922; Arrival Month: JUN; Record Set: Inward passenger lists; Series: 13278; Roll: 2121; Description: Description: Reel 2121: 1922 Mar 13-1922 Oct 17
4. ↑ Arrival of the Beltana Tuesday 27 June 1922 The Ballarat Star (Vic. : 1865 - 1924), p. 4.
5. ↑ RecordSearch : National Archives of Australia (NAA) Canberra; Reference: SPICER, Clifford William; Contents Range: 1939 - 1948; Series number: B883; Control symbol: NX23222; Item ID: 4658066; Record Link: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=4658066
6. ↑ Australia, Electoral Rolls 1903-1980 : Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) Canberra & Ancestry.com Operations; Reference: Clifford William & Elizabeth Caroline SPICER; Division: Lyne; Sub Division: Bellingen; Record numbers: 2272 & 2273; Page: 39
7. ↑ Deaths Search : NSW Government; Births, Deaths & Marriages, Sydney; Reference: (Death Year-1990); Clifford William SPICER; Father: Albert Spicer; Mother: Anne --; Registration District: 129 (Maclean); Registration Details: 105511/1990; Record Link: https://www.nsw.gov.au/family-and-relationships/family-history-search
8. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/86963381/clifford_william-spicer: accessed May 3, 2024), memorial page for Clifford William Spicer (28 Jul 1915–1 Jun 1990), Find a Grave Memorial ID 86963381, citing Glen Innes General Cemetery, Glen Innes, Glen Innes Severn Council, New South Wales, Australia; Maintained by "Viscount Melbourne" (contributor 49778924).