Alexander Spence was the third of the seven children born to James Irvine Spence and his wife Elizabeth Richardson Spence who were married in 1891 in Hartlepool. James had been born in Middlesbrough about 1865 and his wife in Glasgow around 1872.
In 1881, James was living in the Angel Inn in John St West Hartlepool with his parents, William, a Scot, and his Middlesbrough born wife Mary. By 1891, James was married and in Reed Street with his new wife, his sisters and brothers and four boarders.
1901 finds the family in Arncliffe Gardens West Hartlepool and father James was listed as a rivetter. by 1911, they were in the Lord Clyde Hotel Hartlepool , James was the landlord and young Alexander, at 16, was a butcher.
Alexander lost his life on HMS Invincible when it exploded and cut in two during the Battle of Jutland on 31st May 1916. his parents, listed as living at Rose Cottage, Newton Bewley were informed of their son's death.
