CFHS code : HS29
Parish : Holy Sepulchre
Inscription : In Ever Loving Memory of ELIZABETH SWAN d April 21 1909 age 63 also ROBERT WILLIAM SWAN husband of above d Mar 13 1921 aged 72 also their daughter FLORENCE SWAN d June 12 1957 aged 74
Monument : Headstone/Kerb stones
Above information from Cambridge Family History Society Survey
Lat Lon : 52.202336, 0.13758993 – click here for location
Monument
Inscription
In Ever Loving Memory of ELIZABETH SWAN
Who passed away April 21 1909 age 63 years.
“Peace Perfect Peace”
Also ROBERT WILLIAM SWAN
dearly beloved husband of above
Who passed away March 13 1921 aged 72 years
“His name was peace”
also of their daughter FLORENCE SWAN
Who passed away June 12 1957 aged 74 years
“Re-united”
Elizabeth Swan (née Faris) (c.1846 – 21 April 1909)
NB – her maiden name was spelt Ferris, Farris or Faris on documentation, but the most common spelling has been used
Elizabeth was born in Tollard Royal, Wiltshire – a village six miles south east of Shaftesbury and was the daughter of blacksmith Francis and his wife Charlotte (née Staples). Aged 15 she was living in Minterne, Dorset and working as a servant for farmer William and Jane Paulley, and by 1871 was living at 5 Camden Place in Cambridge where she was the cook for Rev. James and Sarah Neil. She married Robert Swan in Tollard Royal on 29 August 1872.
Robert worked as a college gyp and in 1881 the couple were living at 36 Lower Park Street before moving to live at 3 Round Church Street (at least 1891 onwards). They had six children: Henry Robert (1873-1952), Francis (1876-1957), Ernest (1880-1967),Elizabeth (1878-1879) Lizzie (1881-1952) and Florence (1883-1957). In 1881 Elizabeth was documented as being a college servant, but thereafter was marked as doing home duties. She died aged 63 years old.
Robert William Swan (18 February 1848 – 13 March 1921)
Robert was the son of George and Harriet and grew up at St. Sepulchre Passage. His father was a labourer/housepainter and Robert worked as a college gyp. Gyps were a type of manservant within the colleges at the time and were described by Charles Astor Bristed as ‘a college servant, who attends upon a number of students… [who] calls them in the morning, brushes their clothes, carries parcels for them… and waits at their parties and so on.’
After he was widowed he lived at Round Church Street with daughters Lizzie and Florence (1911) and Florence acted as his housekeeper. He died at home and was buried on 16 March.
Florence Swan (14 February 1883 – 12 June 1957)
Florence was the youngest daughter of Robert and Elizabeth and lived at home with them until their deaths. She then moved to run a Lodging House at 31 Norwich Street (until at least 1946), before moving to 16 Hartington Grove. She died at the Evelyn Nursing Home aged 74 years old.
Sources:
Ancestry
Newspaper archives
by Claire Martinsen
[If you have any further information about this family please contact us at Friendsofmillroadcemetery@gmail.com]