CFHS code : AG153
Parish : St Andrew the Great
Inscription : WILLIAM LOFTS d March 30 1918 in his 54th year also his beloved wife ELIZA LOFTS d November 30 1930 aged 65
Monument : Cross (restored)/Kerb stones
Above information amended from Cambridge Family History Society Survey
Lat Lon : 52.202881, 0.13676728 – click here for location
Monument
This large granite cross in the southern section of the parish of St Andrew the Great stands to the south of the east west path from the centre circle. Sadly it was toppled in December 2022.
Inscription
Sacred to the memory of WILLIAM LOFTS died March 30 1918 in his 54th year
Also his beloved wife ELIZA LOFTS died November 30 1930 aged 65
“At Rest”
William Lofts (1864 – 30 March 1918)
William was the son of Charles and Elizabeth (née Goode) Lofts. In 1871 Charles was a barman, and the family were living at the Star Tap, 241 Newmarket Road. Charles later worked as a gardener and the family moved to 19 Broad Street (1881). William trained as a carpenter and then worked as a builder. He married Eliza Gwynne in 1891 and they had one son: Arthur Frederick (1894-1950). They lived at 14 Willis Road and William served on the Cambridge Board of Guardians as well as acting as a sidesman at St. Andrew the Great Church. He was ill for some time before he died aged 53 years old in March 1918. Newspapers reported ‘he had been far from well for some little time, and about three weeks ago had a sudden seizure and though he was attended by Dr. Wingate and Dr. L. Humphry, he succumbed to his attack’. His funeral was held on 3 April at St. Andrew the Great.
Eliza Lofts (née Gwynne) (1865 – 30 November 1930)
Eliza was the fourth of six daughters born to Thomas and Mary (née Whitworth) Gwynne. Thomas worked for the railway as a boiler maker and the family lived at 10 Norfolk Buildings (1871/1881) and 5 Barmouth Terrace, Cavendish Road (1891). Aged 15 Eliza was a patient at the Convalescent Home in Hunstanton and she married William Lofts when she was 25 years old. She contined to live at Willis Road after she was widowed and died at home aged 65 years old.
Sources:
Ancestry
Newspaper archives
by Claire Martinsen
[If you have any information about this family, please contact us at Friendsofmillroadcemetery@gmail.com]