Vicar of St Barnabas Church, Shacklewell Row immediately after WW2 until 1947 when he was appointed Rector of West Allington with East Allington and Sedgebrook, Lincs.
Our colleague, Andrew Behan, adds that Wilfred Charles Spreadbury was born on 17 November 1891, one of the four children of Harry Vernon Spreadbury (1862-1916) and Emma Spreadbury née Hanwell (1860-1954). His birth was registered in the 4th quarter of 1891 in the Pancras registration district. He was baptised on 27 December 1891 at Christ Church, St Pancras, where the baptismal register states that the family were living at 24 Clarence Gardens and that his father was a compositor.
The 1901 census confirms that he was still residing at 24 Clarence Gardens, Regent's Park, with his parents, an elder brother Harold Vernon Spreadbury (1886-1972) who was a stained glass draughtsman, together with his father's cousin Abel Skinner (1855-1947) who was a gardener. His father's occupation was recorded as a printer's reader.
Having attended St Katherine's Royal Collegiate School he was admitted in January 1906 to Strand School where he remained until 28 December 1908 to take up a clerkship at Hills and Son, Haymarket. He was shown as a leather merchant's commercial clerk when his father completed the 1911 census return form. He was living at 43 Wharncliffe Gardens, St John's Wood, Marylebone, with his parents and his brother Harold Vernon Spreadbury. Both his father and his brother's occupations remained the same as in the 1901 census.
On 2 April 1918 he married Florence Emily Lambert (1895-1935) at St John's Church, Walham Green, Fulham, where the marriage register confirms that he was a bachelor and a Clerk in Holy Orders living at 23 Dawes Road, Fulham, whilst his wife was shown a spinster and a school mistress living at 'Lyndale', Tufnell Park Road, London, N7, the daughter of John Lambert a deceased soldier. Their son, Hugh Hilary Vernon Lambert (1919-1994) was born on 13 January 1919 and was baptised on 16 February 1919 at St John's Church, Walham Green, where the baptismal register confirms the family were residing at 24 Dawes Road, Fulham and that he was still described as a Clerk in Holy Orders.
Telephone directories from 1930 to 1935 list him as Spreadbury, Rev. W.C, Vicarage, Cranbourne, Winkfield Row, Berkshire and electoral registers confirm him and his wife listed at this address. His wife died on 20 March 1935 at Guy's Hospital, Southwark and when he was granted administration of her estate on 20 May 1935 her effects totalled £312-14s-1d. Telephone directories from 1936 to 1946 list him as Spreadbury Rev. W, L.Th, 53 Downs Park Rd E.8. (L.Th. is an abbreviation for Licentiate in Theology).
Probate records confirm that he died, aged 81 years, on 2 August 1973 having lived at 'Spylaws', 2 Manor Road, Mundesley, Norwich, Norfolk. His death was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1973 in the North Walsham registration district, Norfolk. Probate was granted on 25 October 1973 and his effects totalled £9,372.
Credit for this entry to: Brian Longman
