Andrew Spens

Spens was the son of Major-General Andrew Spens (1801–1859).His early education was at Loretto in Edinburgh. This was followed by Durham University, where he studied for his licentiate in Theology as a member of Hatfield Hall, earning a Barry Scholarship.[4] Following University, Spens joined the East India Company Navy as a Midshipman under Richard Green.[5]

He was ordained in 1868. He held Curacies in Trowbridge, Tamworth, and Millbrook. He was Colonial Chaplain to British Guiana in 1870 before further curacies at St Paul's, Covent Garden[6] and Mildenhall. In 1874 he went to India as a chaplain, firstly to Bengal. In 1875, he was the chaplain of Calcutta Cathedral. His service on the North West Frontier included stints at Sialkot, Karachi, Amritsar, Ferozepore, Multan and Simla before his years as archdeacon.[7]

Spens was married twice, with his first wife, Sarah Middleton (m. 25 April 1871 in St. George's Cathedral, Georgetown), he had one son, Andrew William Spens (1872–1917), a Trinity College, Cambridge graduate who died of wounds sustained during the Great War.[8][5] His second wife was Emma Burgoyne Condon, daughter of James Condon (m. 14 May 1880 in Karachi).[8][5] His third wife was Martha Ella James, daughter of Colonel Philip Charles William FitzRoy James (grandson of Charles Hamilton James, Count of Arran) and Susan Georgiana Ryder, daughter of the Hon. Granville Ryder, who he (m. 14 May 1902 in Kensington).[9][8][5] Through his third wife, Martha, Spens became the brother-in-law of Rev. Canon Mark James.

He was recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms and, as Spens of Craigsanquhar, matriculated his arms at the Court of the Lord Lyon in 1897.

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