CFHS code : AL197
Parish : St Andrew the Less
Inscription : In Loving Memory of WILLIAM THOMAS OLIVER d November 21 1896 aged 32 also his wife ELIZABETH our dear mother d May 16 1938 aged 71
Monument : Headstone/Kerb stones
Above information from Cambridge Family History Society Survey
Monument
Located to the north of the north path and east of the central path, in the parish area of St Andrew the Less. The stones have separated but are all there. The inscription is complete.
Inscription
In Loving Memory of WILLIAM THOMAS OLIVER
Who died November 21, 1896. Aged 32 years.
Also his wife ELIZABETH our dear mother
Who died May 16, 1938. Aged 71 years.
“United by Gods own hand.”
“Peace Perfect Peace.”
William Thomas Oliver (1866 – 21 November 1896)
William was born in Wolverhampton, the son of Thomas and Emma (née Hasselbee). His father was a plumber, and the family moved to Action (1871) before settling in Cambridge (1881). Aged 14 (1881) William was living with his family at 44 Gold Street and working as an apprentice plumber. He married Elizabeth Smith in 1890 and they had four children: William Thomas (1891-1955), Arthur John (1892-1957), Elizabeth Maud (known as Maud) (1895-1895) and Elizabeth Maud (1896-1961). William worked as a plumber, and they lived at 19 York Terrace, Norfolk Street and Abbey Walk.
Their daughter Maud died in July 1895 aged 3 months old and an inquest was held into the death. Elizabeth told the inquest ‘Her infant had seemed in good health till last week. She then took it to Mr. Flanders, chemist, who told her the baby had bronchitis and gave her some stuff, instructing her to rub the child’s throat with camphorated oil. On Sunday night the child seemed better, and was, she thought, going on well; but when witness woke up at half past six on Monday morning, she found it dying in her arms. She sent for Mr. Wood (the surgeon), but when he arrived the child was dead.’ Mr Wood’s post mortem found Maud’s lungs to be highly congested, and a verdict of death from natural causes was returned. Maud was buried at Mill Road Cemetery on 1 August 1895, but it is not known if she was buried in the same grave as her parents. William died at home in November 1896, his age was recorded as 32 years (though according to documentation through his lifetime it is thought he was 30 years) and his funeral was held on 25 November.
Elizabeth Oliver (née Smith) (1866 – 16 May 1938)
Elizabeth was the daughter of George and Sarah Ann (née Arnold) and was baptised on 2 September 1866 at the Primitive Methodist Chapel, Cambridge. Her father was a college kitchen porter, and she grew up at 15 Castle Street (1871) and 33 Gold Street (1881). Aged 15 she was working as a servant and married William Oliver when she was 24 years old. After she was widowed Elizabeth worked as a college bedmaker and lived at 12 York Terrace (1901/1911).
Sources:
Ancestry
Newspaper archives
Parish burial records transcribed by CFHS
by Claire Martinsen
[If you have any information about this family, please contact us at Friendsofmillroadcemetery@gmail.com]