CFHS code : HT196
Parish : Holy Trinity
Inscription : headstone In Affectionate Memory of CHARLES DAVID FORDHAM d 21 Nov 1942 aged 75 also his beloved wife ELIZA d 19 May 1947 aged 81
Monument : Headstone/Kerb stones
Above information from Cambridge Family History Society Survey
Monument
Inscription
Charles David (David) Fordham (14 December 1866 – 21 November 1942)
David was the son of Henry and Jane Fordham and was baptised at St. Andrew the Less Church on 4 October 1868, when he and two of his siblings were baptised on the same day. His father was a carpenter and he grew up at New Street and Occupation Road. He married Eliza Woods in 1888 and they had eight children: Ernest Edward (1889-1961), Sydney Josiah (1890-1953), Harold Reginald (1893-1930), Leonard (1893-1969), William Henry (1895-), Lily May (1897-1979), Grace Florence (1899-1979) and Percy Cyril (1902-1983). David later worked as a painter and the family lived at 91 Norfolk Street (1891/1901). By 1911 he was working as a plumber for a gas fitting/plumbing company and the family were living at 94 Norfolk Street. In 1921 he was documented as working as a plumber for local building firm Redding and Son. David died at home and his funeral took place on 26 November 1942.
Eliza Smith Fordham (née Woods) (14 February 1866 – 19 May 1947)
Eliza was born in Old Hunstanton , the daughter of agricultural labourer James Smith Woods and Ann (née Potter). She was baptised on 1 April 1866 in Hunstanton and grew up on the High Street. She worked as a servant prior to marrying David Fordham when she was 22 years old and died at 2 Roseneath, Histon Road aged 81 years old.
From parish burial records it is known that Charles’ parents and two siblings are buried in the St. Andrew the Less area of the Cemetery. It is unlikely that this grave will be found.
Henry Howlett Fordham (1840 – May 1911)
Henry was the son of David (1810-1878) and Ann (née King) and was born in Eltisley. His father was a carpenter and aged 11 Henry was working as a farmers lad. He married Jane Day on Christmas Day 1865 in Over and they had 10 children: Charles David, Harry John (1868-1869), Harry John (known as John) (1868 -1939), Annie Maria (1871-1928), James (1875-1965), Benjamin (1877-1955), William (1878-1880), Lily Jane (1882-1965), Clara Lucy and one further child who died as an infant. They lived at 19 New Street (1871) then Occupation Road (1881) and Henry worked as a carpenter. After he was widowed he lived with his children Ann and James at Occupation Road and in 1911 was documented as being retired. He died at home aged 71 years old and his funeral was held on 16 May.
Jane Fordham (née Day) (1844 – December 1895)
Jane was born in Over, the daughter of agricultural labourer James and Lydia (née Clark). Aged 16 she was working as a dairy maid, for farmer Nathaniel Dring in Over. She married Henry Fordham when she was 21 years old.
In September 1889, labourer William Franks was charged with ‘having outraged’ their daughter Annie (aged 18) . The court heard that William was a family friend and that Annie was ‘destitute of mind’. The court firstly considered whether Annie was capable of taking the oath in court. Annie did take the stand, and said that William Franks had come to the family house, and beckoned her into the garden shed where he ‘committed the offence complained of’. She said she had resisted him and called out, and Franks had given her 3d. He assaulted her again in her bedroom the following week, but her aunt had come home unexpectedly. Dr Lucas examined Annie and found ‘her to be of very weak mental power…..she had a complete absence of reasoning power’. The case was dismissed through lack of evidence, even though the Bench said that they had no doubt of William Franks guilt and that he was a ‘through scoundrel’.
In April 1895 two women (Harriet Lucas and susan Westwood) were summonsed to court for assaulting Jane in New Street, but the case was dismissed with costs. Jane died at home aged 51 years old and was buried at Mill Road Cemetery on 2 January 1896.
Harry John Fordham (c. July 1868 – March 1869)
Harry was baptised at St. Andrew the Less on 4 October 1868 and died at New Street aged 8 months old. He was buried on 25 March 1869.
William Fordham (c.November 1878 – August 1880)
William died at Occupation Road aged 21 months old and was buried on 6 August 1880
Annie Fordham was buried at Mill Road Cemetery in May 1928, it is not known if she was buried in the family grave, as records only exist until 1913 for the St. Andrew the Less Parish
Annie Maria Fordham (1871 – 30 April 1928)
Annie was baptised at the Primitive Methodist Chapel on 16 April 1871. She was documented as being ‘feeble minded’ on census returns, and lived in the family home until her fathers death in 1911. She then lived with her brother James, who was a dairy worker. She died at Gas Lane and her funeral was held at Mill Road Chapel ‘in the presence of a large gathering’. Local newspapers noted that she had been connected with the local branch of the Salvation Army for many years and ‘was well known and greatly respected’.
Sources:
Ancestry
Parish burial records transcribed by CFHS
Newspaper archives
by Claire Martinsen
[If you have any information about this family, please contact us at Friendsofmillroadcemetery@gmail.com]