Lance Corporal Andrew William Spens

Andrew led an eventful life. Born in British Guiana in 1872 he arrived in the UK before he was eight years old. He is shown as a Lodger, along with three other children, living in Weston Super Mare with Isaac and Emily Headley and their three children on the census of 1881. At the next census he is lodging with Benjamin and Ann Mitchell in Little Bredy, Dorset and is a Medical Student. Ten years later he is a Theatrical Manager in Barton, Lancashire.
A marriage certificate, however, gives different information and shows him marrying Helen Holmes Bowman on 19 June 1900 and gives the address for himself as Queen Ann’s Gardens, Bedford Park. It also gives his father’s details as Andrew Nathaniel Wadham Spens, an Archdeacon.
The 1911 census shows that he and his wife, an actress, were living in Wimbledon Park at 125 Melrose Avenue and Andrew was still a Theatrical Manager. Their son Arthur Nathaniel Holmes Spens was born on 26 June 1913.
Andrew enlisted in 1915 and was sent to Egypt.
Before long he was struck by ill health, suffering severe bouts of dizziness. He was eventually discharged on 19 June 1917 after 1 year and 292 days service. The medical records that are available show that he had a brain tumour, which he was not aware of when he enlisted. It was felt that this was aggravated by active service and by the fact that he was also suffering from syphilis. He was discharged and sent home and went to stay at Flat a, 73 New Cavendish Street where he died on 7 August 1917.
Andrew left £856 5s 3d, a considerable sum in those days. He is buried in Gap Road Cemetery in Wimbledon and was accepted as War Dead on 26 March 2011. This means that his grave has a personal marker and not a CWGC headstone. He is also commemorated in St Luke's Church.