CFHS code : AL4
Parish : St Andrew the Less
Inscription : In Loving Memory of THOMAS ALDRIDGE d March 30 1928 aged 83
Monument : Kerb stones
Above information from Cambridge Family History Society Survey
Lat Lon : 52.204241, 0.13766672 – click here for location
Monument
These kerb stones, in the parish area of St Andrew the Less, are located about 8 metres from the north wall, roughly six rows east of the Norfolk Street gate.
Inscription
In Loving Memory of THOMAS ALDRIDGE died March 30th 1928 aged 83 years
Thomas Aldridge (c.1845 – 30 March 1928)
Thomas was born in Cherry Hinton and married Annie (1842-1901). They had at least three children: Alfred (1876-), William Charles (1880-1949) and Eliza (1882-). In 1891 they were living at Catharine Street, and Thomas was working as a general labourer. He later worked as a cab driver, and they lived at 10 Vicarage Terrace (at least 1901 onwards). In February 1900 he was taken to court for ‘furiously driving a horse and cab in Fitzroy Street’. P.C. Wright said he thought the horses had been galloping at around 12 or 13 miles per hour and had called out to Thomas to stop. Thomas pleaded not guilty, but the policeman said several people had complained to him about the cab driver’s behaviour. Thomas was fined 5d and costs. The following month he was involved in a collision with Mr and Mrs Andrews on Trumpington Road. Thomas was said to have been on the right side of the road and driving slowly, whilst Mr and Mrs Andrews’ trap was in the middle of the road and going too quick, meaning the vehicles collided. ‘The cabman was thrown from his ‘dickey’ and fell heavily on the pavement, while both Mr and Mrs Andrews were ejected from the trap’. All three were taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, and Thomas was found to have broken his leg and was said by local newspapers to be ‘not going on so well’. In March 1901 he was fined 2s, 6d and 8s, 6d costs for driving without a light at Fen Ditton.
He was widowed in June 1901, and Annie Aldridge was buried at Mill Road Cemetery on 5 June 1901. It is believed she might be buried in the same grave as her husband. Thomas married widow Elizabeth Emma Lawrence (née James) (1860-1932) in 1907. Her husband Alfred had died in April 1906 leaving her with six children. Thomas and Elizabeth lived at her home – 56 Staffordshire Street. In 1911 he was working as a labourer for Cambridge Corporation but had retired by 1920.
Sources:
Ancestry
Newspaper archives
Parish burial records transcribed by CFHS
by Claire Martinsen
[If you have any information about this person, please contact us at Friendsofmillroadcemetery@gmail.com]