CFHS code : AL494 and AL495
Parish : St Andrew the Less
Inscription : In Loving Memory MARK SHELDRICK d Jan 23 1892 aged [41] over 20 years member of the Boro Police Force also MARY ANN wife of the above d Dec 12 1892 aged 4[3] WILLIAM HENRY SHELDRICK d Jan 12 1892 aged 15
Monument : Headstone (fallen and broken)
Above information from Cambridge Family History Society Survey
Lat Lon : 52.203969, 0.137627 – click here for location
Monument
This grave is located in the northerly part of the St Andrew the Less section of Mill Road Cemetery, to the west of the footpath leading from the Norfolk Street entrance to the central path. It is now lying within the kerb stones of another grave (that of the Goymer family), but has been moved from a position south and west of where it now lies.
The grave comprises a sandstone headstone, with a separate plaque. The headstone, the exact shape of which cannot now be determined, has broken into several pieces and its surface has eroded. Some of the inscription transcribed a decade ago is no longer legible.
Inscriptions
‘In loving memory of Mark Sheldrick
who died Jan 23 1892 aged [41] years
over 20 years member of the Boro Police Force’
‘also Mary Ann wife of the above
who died Dec 12 1892 aged 4[3] years’
‘[also] William Henry Sheldrick
who died Jan 12 1892 aged 15’
[illegible quotation]
separate plaque:
‘In loving memory of
Charlotte E Sheldrick
died 20th Feb 1968 aged 90 years’
“At rest”
Mark Sheldrick (1851-1892) – policeman – see also Life Story page
PC 16 Mark Sheldrick was born in Thriplow, a village south of Cambridge now famous for its annual daffodil festival, in 1851. He was the second of seven children of Henry and Esther Sheldrick, both Thriplow-born. Henry was a farm worker, and by 1861, at the age of 11, Mark had followed his father on to the land, as had his older and younger brothers (13 and 9 – note at how young an age boys went to work in those days!).
Sometime during the next 10 years, Mark turned his back on farm work and Thriplow: by 1871 he was living at 36 Bradmore Street, off East Road in Cambridge, where at 21 he had joined the Borough Police Force. He married Mary Ann in 1874 and they had at least four children: William Henry (1876-1892), Charlotte Elizabeth (1878-1969), Julia (1881-1867) and Mary Ann (1886-). The family lived at 54 South Street and Mark worked as a police constable in the town. In his role Mark often gave evidence at court – the majority related to defendants being drunk and/or using obscene language. For example in March 1872 he charged Patrick Kelly with ‘being drunk, creating a disturbance, refusing to go away and using obscene language opposite Rhadegund Buildings. Patrick was committed to prison for 10 days. ‘Furious driving’ was another frequent charge, and in October 1872 Mark saw William Pinder ‘driving a horse and van very furiously and he was whipping the horse and urging it on’. When he apprehended William Pinder, he offered Mark something to drink ‘not to say something about it’ but was charged nevertheless. At court William was found guilty and fined 10s and costs or 7 days.
In January 1886 Mark found Sarah Hammond drowned in the River Cam, in King’s College grounds. Sarah had left some items on the bank including ‘a fur edged cloak, umbrella, veil, kid gloves, silk neckerchief and a grocer’s order book’. He gave evidence at the inquest, which also heard that she had been depressed. A verdict of death by drowning was returned.
Mark died at South Street from influenza, having served in the Police Force for over 20 years. He was buried at Mill Road Cemetery on 27 January and The Watch Committee awarded his widow and children a gratuity of £120 after his death.
Mary Ann Sheldrick (née Smith) (1849 – 12 December 1892)
Mary was born in Morton, a village to the north of Bourne, Lincolnshire the eldest daughter of William and Mary (née Scott) Smith. Her father was a master shoemaker and she married PC Mark Sheldrick when she was c.25 years old.
After she was widowed Mary moved to Ainsworth Street with her three daughters and died after eating some contaminated mussels. An inquest was held which heard that she had bought some cockles and mussels from a man at her door. The girls had eaten the cockles and she had eaten the six mussels. The following morning she complained of stomach pains and called for the doctor. Dr Greer said that he was already visiting the family to care for one of the daughters, and although Mary had been in usual health on the Friday, by Saturday she was very unwell. She continued to get worse before dying on Monday lunchtime. Cause of death was given as ‘inflammation of the bowels produced by the eating of mussels’. The Cambridge Independent Press reported ‘we are informed that this is a very sad case. Three little girls, under the age of 14 years, have had within twelve months to mourn the loss of a father whose face was known to many in Cambridge, then a brother, and now, worst of all, their mother’. Her funeral was held on 16 December.
William Henry Sheldrick (1876 – 12 January 1892)
William was working as a whitesmith’s labourer in 1891. He died of tuberculosis nine days before his father, aged just 15 years old and was buried on 16 January.
Charlotte Elizabeth Sheldrick (1878 – 20 February 1968)
Charlotte was the eldest daughter and after being orphaned went into service. In 1901 she was working as a general servant to Rev. Alexander Maistre, at Harringworth Vicarage, Northampton. She later worked as a ladies maid (1911) before qualifying as a midwife in 1918. Charlotte lived in Penzance (1920) with her sister Julia and then at Rose Cottage, Morton, Bourne in Lincolnshire (at least 1931 onwards). She did not marry and died at 19 Station Road, Morton aged 89 years old.
Sources:
1851, 1861, 1871, 1881 and 1891 census reports
Spalding’s street directories
Death certificates Cambridge County Council;
Watch Committee minute books (Shire Hall Archive)
Communication from Melissa McGreechan
Ancestry
Newspaper archives
Parish burial records transcribed by CFHS
By Ian Bent with further information added by Claire Martinsen
[If you have any information about this family, please contact us at friendsofmillroadcemetery@gmail.com]