John and Eliza nee Spencer see Family Tree     (generation 20 J&ES John = Eliza)
(Revised 30 Nov 2010: details of military and workhouse service added)

John was born in 1827 in Devonport, Plymouth, Devon, the eldest son of John and Esther Whitehouse and the grandson of William and Martha Uglow.

Although he had been trained for clerical work, John wanted to be in the Services. In 1842 he enlisted in the Royal Marines at Portsmouth, possibly overstating his age in the process. He served with them for a little over one year and then with the Grenadier Guards for 18 months. In 1846 he returned to Burton on Trent where his parents lived and whilst there he signed up to join the 1st Dragoon Guards. Unfortunately he was thrown from a horse when serving on despatch duty in Ireland whilst the potato famine was raging. Two years later, the complications brought about by this accident were to bring his military career to an end when he was discharged unfit for service in 1849. The 1851 census return shows John aged 23, back home again in Burton on Trent and looking for work. Shortly after, he left home to become master of the workhouse at Ashby-de-la-Zouch, which is about 8 miles South-East of Burton-on-Trent. In 1856, whilst there, he married Eliza Spencer. Eliza appears to have been born in Ashby de la Zouch about 20 years earlier, the youngest child of John and Catherine Spencer.

After getting married, John returned to Burton-on-Trent to become a Brewery Traveller or Agent and bring up a family. John and Eliza had five children. The first two children did not survive but were soon followed by two daughters and a son who grew up with their parents.

Sometime after 1871 and before 1876 the family moved from Burton-on-Trent to Ashby de la Zouch possibly so that Eliza could be closer to her family. Eliza died in Ashby de la Zouch in 1876 aged only 41. After her death, the two daughters stayed at home with their father helping with the housework until he also died young in 1882 aged only 55.

Details of John and Eliza's children are :-