Background
Alice Lucy was born as Alice Spencer was born in or around the year 1594. She was the sole heiress of her father, Thomas Spencer of Claverdon in Warwickshire.
Alice Lucy was born as Alice Spencer was born in or around the year 1594. She was the sole heiress of her father, Thomas Spencer of Claverdon in Warwickshire.
He held the seat until 1629 when it was abolished. The King dismissed parliament that year and it was not recalled for over a decade. Her husband returned in 1640 as part of the Short Parliament.
Later that year he was again re-elected to represent Warwick.
However he fatally fell from his horse in December of that year. lieutenant was noted that she would always cite her husband"s best features.
The memorial notes that her husband"s "tables were ever open to the learned and his gates never fast to the poor". Her eldest son, Spencer, inherited his father"s title, but after 1640 Alice was the de facto head of the household.
She was known for her piety.
Alice became an invalid so she employed a local schoolmaster, Thomas Dugard, as her preacher. Her children would read from the bible during the day and there was a sermon, a psalm sung and a mother"s blessing every night. Dugard said that she "made a church of her house".
In 1647 and 1648 there was a shortage of food in Warwickshire and Alice ensured that the poor had food.
She ensured that where corn was sold that it was not just in large packages so that it was available to those who could only afford a small amount.
Her husband became a Member of Parliament for Warwickshire in 1615.