CFHS code : HT123
Parish : Holy Trinity
Inscription : In Loving Memory of WILLIAM SUMMERFIELD d August 15th 1925 aged 62 also his wife MAHALA SUMMERFIELD d February 12th 1951 aged 84
Monument : Kerb stones
Above information from Cambridge Family History Society Survey
Monument
Inscription
William Charles Summerfield (1863 – 15 August 1925)
William was born in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire and was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth and brother of Martha. Thomas (1826-1881) was a labourer and William grew up at 11 Coldham’s Lane (1871) and then 5 Custom Street (1881) – by the age of 18 he was working as a milkman. He married Mahala Holmes in 1886 and the couple had four children: Nellie Annie (1886-1972), Jessie (1888-1950), Caroline (1889-1970) and William Ellis (1892-1967). The family lived at 12 Geldart Street where William continued to work as a milkman. By 1911 he was described as ‘dairyman, cab proprietor and farmer’.
In November 1906 he appeared in front of magistrates charged with working a horse in an unfit state. Inspector Dooner of the the R.S.P.C.A brought the charge after seeing William working a mare which was lame. William admitted it was lame and was charged 20s and costs. He was prosecuted again in June 1910, when Frederick Thurbon was seen driving a cab with yet another lame horse. The cab belonged to William, and passers-by remarked on the poor condition of the horse. William’s defence was that he did not know the horse was out. Frederick Thurbon was fined 5s and William £1 plus costs.
In June 1916 farmer Christopher Woods was charged with selling William polluted milk. Ernest Richardson, the local Food Inspector charged him under the Food and Drugs Act and accused Woods of selling milk with 0.55g of ‘dirt’ per pint. The milk was said to be ‘in a dirty condition; there were several pieces of dirt the size of a sixpence and two or three the size of a shilling floating at the top’. Woods claimed this was because he did not strain the milk, and the court heard evidence about milking methods. Dr Laird, the borough Medical Officer for Health was also called to give evidence. Christopher Woods also stated that Mahala Summerfield had asked him not to strain the milk, and there was some evidence that she had not wanted to get ‘nabbed’ selling the milk retail. Woods was fined £5 to be paid within one month and he said at court ‘he was going to sell the cows next September. He was 70 and his wife was 76 and they could not carry on any longer’.
William Summerfield died aged 62 years old at Geldart Street and it was reported he ‘had been in failing health for a very long time, and passed peacefully away’. His obituary said that he was ‘for over 30 years in business as a dairyman and jobmaster. He was well known and respected, as was evidenced by the large assembly at the graveside’.
Mahala Summerfield (née Holmes) (1 January 1867 – 12 February 1951)
Mahala was the daughter of Daniel and Caroline (née Westwood) Holmes and sister of Daniel and Philip.Her father was a carpenter/joiner and she grew up at the back of New Street (1871) and then 12 Albert Street (1881). After she was widowed she went to live at 109 Gwydir Street (at least 1927 onwards) and died aged 84 years old.
Sources:
Ancestry
Newspaper archives
by Claire Martinsen
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