Thomas Spearman

William Spearman was born in 1812 in Weare Giffard. he became a cobbler, a shoemaker, a cordwainer. Following his marriage to a Hartland maid, 'Susan,' he moved to 'Turnpike gate' at Higher Clovelly. William and Susan had four children, Ann, Thomas, Harriet and Priscilla.

Making shoes may not have brought enough income into the Spearman household because William was to look for alternative employment, eventually moving his family down into the village, taking a cottage in 'Back Lane,' beside the Pickards Bakery. William found work in the harbour as a Lime Burner. The Spearman children all grew to help with the family expenses, Harriet worked next door with Mrs Pickard. Thomas became apprenticed to a carpenter.

Not far from the Back Lane was a small street called, 'North Hill,' along here lived the family of James Bate. James was a mariner and his sons were destined to follow him in this trade, one son, William, had noticed Harriet and while home from sea would visit her. It wasn't long before love blossomed and in 1861 they were married.

William and Harriet eventually settled into a house on the Quay, No. 53 known as Crazy Kates Cottage, here they were to have seven daughters.

Thomas, now a qualified carpenter, knew he would never find enough work in Clovelly so he reluctantly decided to leave and seek work elsewhere. Before he left he would visit his sister Harriet in her harbour cottage and sit in a window seat watching all the boats gently rocking on their moorings. While he sat Thomas scratched his name on the window panes, over and over, "Everytime you look out of the window you'll see me," he said.

Thomas moved to Bristol where he settled and married, becoming a foreman at the Bristol Docks. His name scratched on the window pane was a great comfort to Harriet and today if I sit in my window seat I can still see Thomas Spearman looking out, watching the boats gently rocking on their moorings.