A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Spencer, John Welbore Sunderland
SPENCER. (Commander, 1847.)
The Honourable John Welbore Sunderland Spencer, born 12 March, 1816, is sixth son of Lord Churchill, Colonel of the Queen’s Own Regiment of Oxfordshire Yeomanry Cavalry, and Hereditary Ranger of Wychwood Forest, by Frances, daughter of Augustus Henry, third Duke of Grafton, K.G., and grandson of George, third Duke of Marlborough. His eldest brother, Francis George, is Lieutenant-Colonel of the Oxfordshire Militia; his second, George Augustus, a Major in the 60th Rifles; his third, Augustus Almeric, also a Major in the Army; and his youngest but one, Robert Charles Henry, a Lieutenant R.A.
This officer entered the Navy (from the Royal Naval College) 24 Dec. 1830; passed his examination 23 April, 1835; and was promoted (soon after he had been nominated Mate of the Isis 44, Capt. Sir John Marshall) to the rank of Lieutenant 23 Nov. 1841. Being re-appointed to the Isis 7 Dec. following, he sailed in that ship for the Cape of Good Hope, where he remained until the early part of 1845. His next appointments were, 7 Nov. in the latter year and 9 May, 1846, to the St. Vincent 120, flag-ship of Sir Chas. Ogle at Portsmouth, and Terrible steam-frigate of 800-horse power, Capt. Wm. Ramsay, attached to the Channel squadron. He was superseded from the Terrible in Dec. 1846; and advanced to his present rank 12 Oct. 1847.