Parish : St Clement
This grave was not found by CFHS during their survey of the ceemtery and is therefore unlikely ever to be located within the Cemetery
Relationship: Husband, wife and son
Charles Ernest Winspear Clennett (1858 – 18 January 1926)
Known as Ernest throughout his life, he was born in Stockton upon Tees, the eldest child of photographer Robert Clennett (1834-1912) and his wife Margaret (née Clennett) (1839-). His middle name of Winspear, was the maiden name of his maternal grandmother and he was baptised in Stockton on 23 January 1859. Ernest grew up in Hartlepool where his father ran ‘Clennet’s Portrait Rooms at 25 Lynn Street. Local adverts of the time promised ‘Mr Clennet has the best lighted( sic) studio in the neighbourhood and produces the best work….the best and most artistic work at popular prices’.
Ernest initially also worked as a photographer, but later worked as a professional musician. He married Martha Johnston on 22 February 1886 at St. John Church, Middlesborough and the couple had five children: Ethel May (1886-1964), Herbert Edmund (1889-1946), Philip Ernest (1985-1922), Stephen (1898-1898) and Eric Stephen (1900-1975). They moved to Cambridge soon after the wedding, and their daughter Ethel was born in the town in December 1886.
The family initially lived at 21 Park Street, before moving to Willow Walk (at least 1890-1909) and then 10 Portual Place (at least 1910 onwards). By 1901 Ernest was documented as a musician and all four children also worked as professional musicians/music teachers. In 1911 he was working as a musician in a local Cambridge theatre, and later worked at the Royal Aquarium Theatre, Great Yarmouth. In 1921 Ernest was unemployed and lodging in London, whilst the rest of the family were living in Cambridge. He died at home aged 67 years old and his funeral was held 5 days later.
Martha Clennett (née Johnstone) (1862 – 21 January 1936)
Martha was born in Glasgow, the daughter of Walter and Martha. Her father was a carter, and she grew up in the townhead area of Glasgow. Aged 19 she was living with her family at 7 Monkland Street, Glasgow and was working as a machine worker.
After she was widowed she moved to live at 79 Granchester Meadows with her daughter Ethel and son Herbert (1927 onwards). She died there aged 73 years (although records gave her age as 70 years) and her funeral was held on 25 January.
Philip Ernest Clennett (c.September 1895 – January 1922)
Philip was baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 27 October 1895 and worked as an organist/violinist. In April 1903 he won first prize in a music competition held at the Guildhall – he was the first of 10 entrants into the Junior Pianoforte competition and won a prize of 15s. In May 1909 he passed his ‘Rudiments of Music’ exam, under the pupilage of Mr F Bowman. When the 1911 census was taken he was documented as being an organist.
Philip was a member of the Cambridge Amateur Swimming Club and took part in the 1913 Christmas morning swim, which was held annually at the Cambridge Bathing Place. 25 people took part that year, despite the cold weather and ‘several degrees of frost’. The Cambridge Independent Press noted that ‘some of the spartans were content to take just a plunge, while others indulged in a lengthy swim. On emerging these had assumed quite a lobster-like appearance, but a good rub down put matters right’. In July 1914 he won the 50 yard handicap race at the annual club competition.
He enlisted as a soldier on 23 March 1916, and from army papers it is known he was 5 ft, 9.5 inches tall with a chest girth of 34 inches. He was assigned to the 10th Suffolk brigade and sent to train in Essex in April 1916. He was discharged 4 weeks later with officers noting that he was ‘not likely to become an efficient solider’. His records noted that he ‘has to be kept constantly under observation’ and that Philip was ‘mentally very sluggish, very depresed and memory very poor’. However the following year he was called up again and he went before the Cambridge Borough Tribunal to ask for exemption. His solicitor Mr Wootten told the tribunal that he had been under ‘medical supervision’ since his discharge and ‘for a long time his life was dispaired of. If he had to join the Army he would be taken ill in the same manner. Clennett was not sure if he was discharged by a Special Board, as he lost his memory at that time’. He was denied exemption, but it is not known where he served.
In December 1916 he played a violin solo in the interval of a Red Cross fundraising event. In March 1918 he played in the first violin section of the orchestra playing at the Cavenidsh Hall, Free School Lane.
Philip died at Portugal Place aged 26 years old and his funeral was held on 31 January.
Ernest and Martha’s infant son Stephen was buried in the Holy Trinity area of the Cemetery
Stephen Clennett (April 1898 – July 1898)
Stephen died at 10 Willow Walk aged 3 months old and was buried at Mill Road Cemetery on 23 July 1898.
Sources:
Ancestry
Newspaper archives
By Claire Martinsen