Hannah Kilham was the daughter of Peter and Hannah Spurr, who were respectable tradespeople in the town of Sheffield, in which place she was born the 12th of 8th month, 1774. Of her early years little is known. Her constitution was delicate, and her mind much disposed to reflection. When very young her mother died, and she, under the superintendence of an elder sister who was married and lived near, took charge of the family, and was incessant in her exertions that all should be comfortable and in order for her bereaved father, brothers, and younger sister. Through the kindness of two of her early associates we are indebted for the following detail: “Our acquaintance commenced at the vicarage day-school when your beloved mother was about ten years of age, she was then a most amiable, talented, and serious girl, and set an example worthy the imitation of her schoolfellows. At that time she regularly attended the evening prayers at the parish church; and, however she might be engaged with her companions, she always left them at the hour for worship. Her sympathy with, and care for the poor manifested itself when she was very young; and my sister remembers she had her weekly pensioners for whom she saved her pocket money, for she often accompanied her at the stated time for carrying her pence to those on her list. She also at that time kept a diary of her good and bad deeds, which she placed on opposite columns; but she gave it up, because she soon found the bad to preponderate.”