CFHS code : MG208
Parish : St Mary the Great
Inscription : In Loving Remembrance of my dear husband GEORGE WITHAM d 12th July 1934 aged 65 ILR EMMA WITHAM wife of the above d 25th June 1937 aged 67 also my mother ESTHER PAGE d Oct 27 1924 aged 83
Monument : Headstone/Kerb stones/Flowerholder
Above information from Cambridge Family History Society Survey
Lat Lon : 52.202079, 0.13784105 – click here for location
Monument
This headstone with kerbs and flower holder stands on the southern border of the parish of Mary The Great roughly 10 rows west of the east path just past a large tree. The inscription of metal letters is in good order as are the kerbstones but the whole It is often covered in ivy & bramble.
Inscription
MEMORIES
In Loving Remembrance of my dear husband GEORGE WITHAM who passed away 12th July 1934 aged 65 years (bn 1869)
Life passes but love endures
Re-united
In Loving Remembrance of EMMA WITHAM wife of the above who passed away 25th June 1937 aged 67 years
Their children’ loss, heavens gain
Never to be forgotten
Kerbstone
Also my mother ESTHER PAGE who died Oct 27 1924 aged 83 years
Relationship: mother, daughter and son-in-law
George Witham (1869 – 1934)
George was born in Morningthorpe, a small village 20km south of Norwich. He was the second son of James (1835-1930) and Sarah Ann (née Dann) (1838-1919) and was baptised on 10 January 1869. He grew up on Morningthorpe Common, and his father worked as an agricultural labourer. Aged 12 George was also working in the same profession. He joined the Cambridge police force in December 1889 and married Emma Page on 14 September 1890 in Fritton, Norfolk. The couple returned to Cambridge and lived at 2 Argyle Quadrant (1891). They had five children: George Harold (known as Harold) (1891-1972), William Basil (known as Bill) (1893-1945), Ethel May (1895-), Gladys Maud (1898-1989) and Winifred Hester (1904-1993). They family lived at Argyle Street until at least 1901 before moving to 39 St. Philips Road (at least 1911 onwards).
George had served 26 years in the Cambridge Police on 9th December 1915 and applied to ‘have his pension fixed according to the Police Superannuation act 1906…and applying for his present rate of pay to be increased 20 per cent’. The Watch Committee agreed that his pension of £1, 2s and 4d per week be guarenteed, but his request for an increase in pay was not approved. By May 1917 he had been promoted to the rank of Sergeant.
George Witham died at Addenbrookes Hospital aged 65 years old and his funeral was held at St. Philip’s Church on 16 July. Handel’s Largo was played as the coffin was taken from the church, before interment at Mill Road Cemetery. A large number of the Borough Police Force attended the funeral.
George and Emma’s eldest son Harold was also a policeman, and rose to the rank of Inspector.
George’s brother in law John Evans is buried at Mill Road Cemetery – he also worked as a policeman
Emma Witham (née Page) (1870 – 1937)
Emma was born in Fritton, eleven miles from Great Yarmouth and was the daughter of James and Esther. She was bpatised on 31 July 1870 and married George Witham when she was 20 years old. She died in Cambridge aged 67 years.
Esther Page (née Fryer) (1841 – 1924)
Esther was born in the village of Hempnall, South Norfolk, the daughter of agricultural worker William Fryer and his wife Sarah. She was baptised Hester on 16 May 1841 in Hempnall, and all documentation up to 1901 document her name as Hester, in later life she appears to have been called Esther. She married agricultural labourer James Page in Hempnall on 8 November 1859 and they initially lived in the village, before moving 18 miles away to Fritton (1871). James and Esther had nine children; James William (1861-), Sarah Ann (1863-1869), Mary Ann (1865-), Emma, Rosa (1871-1933), Emily (1875-), George James (1877-), Harry George (1878-1939) and George (1880-). In 1881 the family were living in the village of Hempnall, and by 1891 on Norwich Road in Fritton. James Page died in Fritton on 2 January 1898 aged 58 years old and is buried at St Catherine Churchyard. Esther continued to live in the family home with her son Harry and daughter in law Nellie (1901) and then lived alone (1911). She died at the home of her daughter Emma – 37 St. Philip’s Road. Her youngest daughter Emily also lived in Cambridge, which is what also might have brought her to the town.
Sources:
Ancestry
Newspaper archives
by Claire Martinsen
[If you have any information about this family, please contact us at Friendsofmillroadcemetery@gmail.com]