CFHS code : AL426
Parish : St Andrew the Less
Inscription : Sacred to the Memory of KEZIA the beloved wife of THOS SMITH BROWN d April 1 1862 aged 50 also three children of the above who died in their infancy
Monument : Headstone
Above information from Cambridge Family History Society Survey
Monument
Inscription
Sacred to the Memory of KEZIA
The beloved wife of THOS. SMITH BROWN died April 1 1862 aged 50 years
Also three children of the above who died in their infancy
Kezia Brown (née Goodchild) (c.1812 – 1 April 1862)
Kezia was the daughter of Thomas Goodchild and was born in Clare, Suffolk. She married soap merchant Thomas Smith Brown (1812-1900) on 30 September 1836 in Clare. They had at least eight children: Emma Elizabeth (1839 – 1921), Charles (1840-), Louisa Sarah (1842-1916), Martha Ann (1844-1846), Isabelle (also sometimes spelt Isabella) (1846-1909), George (1851-1907), Kate Ellen (1853-1853) and Kezia Anne (1854-1858) . The family lived in Clare, where their first three children were born, but had moved to Cambridge by the time Martha was born in 1844. They lived at 10 Victoria Street (1851) and Waterside, 1 River Lane, Newmarket Road (1859-).
Thomas Brown worked as a soap maker when he first moved to Cambridge but later became Clerk of the Market and Inspector of Provisions (1850-1870) and was also the turncock of Hobson’s Conduit (1852-). As Clerk/inspector he earned £5 a year (1855) and £4 a year for the Hobson’s conduit role (1852). He resigned from his town roles in 1870 to once again become a soap manufacturer.
Kezia Brown died at River Lane after what was described as ‘a long and painful illness, born with Christian fortitude’.
Thomas Smith Brown died in September 1900 aged 88 years old and was buried in Chesterton with his daughter Isabelle. His obituary said he ‘traded for many years as a soap maker in the borough, and he will be well remembered by the older generation as having held the office of collector of the market and paving tolls here. He gave up that position some 35 years ago, and at the age of 60, retired from business,although for some time he acted as agent to Dr. Geldart, the Master of Trinity Hall, at the time of the development of the Abbey Estate and Romsey Town’.
Martha Ann Brown (c.1844-1846)
Martha was baptised on 21 January 1844 and died in 1846 aged 2 years old.
Kate Ellen Brown (1852- October 1853)
Kate was baptised at St. Andrew the Less Church on 23 January 1853. She died aged 9 months old and was buried on 5 October 1853.
Kezia Anne Brown (1854-2 January 1858)
Kezia was baptised at St. Andrew the Less Church on 26 November 1854. She died at Church Street on 2 January 1858 aged 3 years old and was buried on 8 January.
Thomas Brown’s brother Benjamin is also remembered at Mill Road Cemetery.
Sources:
Ancestry
Newspaper archives
Parish burial records transcribed by CFHS
by Claire Martinsen and Mary Naylor
Many thanks to P.B., relative of the family for contacting us with information on this family
[If you have any information about this family, please contact us at Friendsofmillroadcemetery@gmail.com]