Dr Walter William SPENCER
Walter William Spencer was born in Liverpool, England in 1846, the third of nine children.
He was educated firstly at Cheltenham College, then in Edinburgh and London. He Graduated in medicine with honours, at the age of 21 years in 1867.dren.
He married Elizabeth Hepple in 1868 then decided to come to Australia to improve his health. They came to Australia in 1870 where he worked in Sydney for several years but found that the climate did not agree with his asthma. They arrived in Bathurst in 1877.
Dr Spencer was appointed to the Medical Staff of Bathurst Hospital in 1883 and later went into practice with Dr Thomas Machattie. He involved himself in all aspects of the community holding executive positions in many societies and clubs.
He was a Council Alderman from 1883-1889, becoming Mayor in 1884. He was a very progressive alderman and Bathurst is the richer for his many plans being implemented. Lake Spencer in Machattie Park was named after Dr Spencer.
Dr. Spencer lived in the grand house ‘Braemar’ in Keppel Street – which has since been demolished and shops built on the site. Three children were born in Bathurst, but sadly only one survived infancy.
Dr Spencer died suddenly on 1st May 1893 and following a very large funeral, was buried in Bathurst cemetery beside his infant children. Although the children’s grave had a headstone, Dr Spencer’s site remained unmarked for 120 years, until Bathurst Family History Group erected a plaque at the grave site in May 2017.