CFHS code : BE111
Parish : St Bene’t
Inscription : In Ever Loving Memory of MARY TAYLOR the beloved wife of JOSHUA TAYLOR b 23 Jan 1846 d 28 June 1919 also of JOSHUA TAYLOR JP b Jan 31 1846 d 25 Nov 1922
Monument : Celtic cross
Above information from Cambridge Family History Society Survey
Lat Lon : 52.202639, 0.13622882 – click here for location
Monument
The cross, in the parish area of St Bene’t, is well preserved and the kerb stones intact. It is not known where the small stone marking May’s grave should be placed. It was found leaning against the cross of her elder brother’s grave which is directly behind this one.
Inscription
east face
In Ever Loving Memory of MARY TAYLOR,
the beloved wife of JOSHUA TAYLOR.
Born Jan. 23. 1846. Died June 28. 1919
“I have redeemed thee, thou art mine.”
Also of JOSHUA TAYLOR J.P.
Born Jan. 31. 1846. Died Nov. 25. 1922.
south face
ERNEST ROBERT TAYLOR. Born Dec. 30.1874. Died July 26. 1930.
north face
ELIZABETH ANN TAYLOR. Born March 10. 1870. Died May 16. 1950
MAY TAYLOR died Sept. 3. 1882 aged 2 years 3 months
“safe in the arms of Jesus”
Relationships: mother, father, son and two daughters
Mary Taylor (née Taverner) (23 January 1846 – 28 June 1919)
Mary was born in Peterborough and was baptised at St. John the Baptist Church on 2 October 1848. She was the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Taverner. Her father was recorded as being a butcher in the census of 1851, but by 1861 was noted as being ‘out of business’. She married Joshua Taylor at St. Johns’ on 6 April 1869 and they had six children: Ann Elizabeth (1870-1950), Mary Ann Ground (1872-1962), Joshua Alfred (1873-1926), Ernest Robert (1874-1930), Thomas (Tom) Taverner (1877-) and May (1880-1882).
Joshua ran the eponymous clothing store at 58-60 Sidney Street with a further shoe/boot shop at Market Street. The couple lived at 6 Trumpington Street (1881), Milton Road (1891) and then at Saxon Barns, 43 Grange Road from at least 1901 onwards. Mary died at the family home aged 73 years old and was buried at Mill Road Cemetery on 2 July. A service was held at Holy Trinity Church before a committal service at the Cemetery. Mary’s nurse Sister Drake attended the service, suggesting she had been ill for some time.
Joshua Taylor (31 January 1846 – 25 November 1922)
Joshua was the eldest child of Joshua (c.1822-1867) and Ann (née Ground) (1820-1893). He was born in Hackney but brought up in Ely where his father kept a clothing shop/outfitters.
The store in Sidney Street was opened in April 1862. The store was called Joshua Taylor, and was probably owned by his father (1822-1867) as Joshua had only just turned 18 years old. Advertisements announced ‘Joshua Taylor tailor, clothier, hatter, hosier and general outfitter, respectfully informs the inhabitants of Cambridge and its vicinity that he will shortly re-open …with an entire new stock…Joshua Taylor will be assisted in the business by a gentleman of twenty years’ practical experience in the trade, when he hopes by strict attention to business to merit a share of that patronage so liberally bestowed upon the family for the last fifty years’. The store expanded over the years to be located at 58-60 Sidney Street and Market Street.
There was also a branch at Fore Hill, Ely.
The premises in Sidney Street were updated at the start of 1889, and in March that year the Cambridge Daily News reported ‘we notice this week the re-opening of Mr. Joshua Taylor’s new proimses in Sidney Street, which have been re-built in the short space of three months. Mr Taylor [who by the bye has also a similar business in Ely] may now be congratulated upon possessing one of the finest blocks of premises in his particular trade in Cambridge. No doubt he will be rewarded by a large increase in business’. In March 1896 the company was changed to a limited company with Joshua as its Managing Director and sons Joshua Alfred and Ernest as Directors.
Joshua was a town councillor for St. Andrew’s ward, and in September 1890 was made an alderman of the town. He gave a speech saying ‘he had not sought the office and it came as a surprise’ that his fellow townsmen had elected him to the post. He was made a magistrate in October 1903. He acted as returns officer in the local elections in November 1903. However of the nine wards, only Bridge Ward was contested. In 1907 Joshua objected to the town Council funding ‘five Sunday promenade concerts to be held on Christ’s Pieces in the evenings between the hours of 7 and 9′. He said that ratepayers’ money should not be spent on these and that they were not wanted. Councillor Newton Digby raised that fact that the concerts had already been approved and that the Council were only to agree the hours. Joshua therefore proposed shorter concerts between 8.15 and 9.30. Councillor Whibley raised the issue of Sundays being ‘a sacred character…they knew the hours of divine service, and they should not encroach upon them’. Alderman Spalding said there ‘were a large number of people who spent Sunday in a most unworthy way by loafing about public houses, simply and solely becasue they had no decent and healthy recreation. He believed that properly conducted music on Christ’s Pieces on Sunday evenings would do a great deal to keep people in a better condition socially than they were at the present time’. Eventually Joshua Taylor’s proposal for a shorter, later concert time was passed by 24 votes to 9.
He died at home aged 76 years old and was buried at Mill Road Cemetery on 29 November.
Ernest Robert Taylor (30 December 1874 – 26 July 1930)
Ernest was the second son of Joshua and Mary and went to school at the Boys High School, Hunstanton along with his younger brother Thomas. He later worked in the family clothing business, and was a joint director with his brother Joshua Samuel. Aged 36 (1911) he was living at home with his parents at Saxon Barns. He continued to live at 43 Grange Road until 1923, before moving to Hilary House, Storey’s Way (at least 1924 onwards), and died at home aged 55 years old.
Elizabeth Ann Taylor (10 March 1870 – 16 May 1950)
Elizabeth was the eldest daughter of Joshua and Mary Taylor. She was baptised on 8 April 1870, and lived with her parents at Saxon Barns. In 1911 she placed an advert in the Cambridge Dailly News offering ‘your character told by handwriting – write to Grapho, c/o Miss Taylor, Saxon Barns, Cambridge, Sec. YHL, enclosing 7d. Proceeds for Barnardo’s Homes. Replies sent in rotation’. She is known to have supported the St. Barnardo’s Home for Girls, Histon road and in December 1917 gave a gift to each of the girls in the home.
After her parents deaths she lived with her brother Ernest at Storey’s Way (at least 1924-1928) and later at 109 Barton Road, Newnham. In 1939 she was living at Barton Road with her sister Mary, brother in law Wilfred Gait and domestic servant Ethel Neve. On the records of 1939 she was documented as being a Director of Joshua Taylor, men’s outfitters. Elizabeth was still at Barton Road in 1950, but died at the Evelyn Nursing Home aged 80 years old.
May Taylor (May 1880 – 3 September 1882)
May was Joshua and Mary’s youngest child and died at 6 Trumpington Street aged 2 years old.
Sources:
Ancestry
Newspaper archives
by Claire Martinsen and Mary Naylor
With thank you to VS, descendant of the family for providing additional information
[If you have any further information about this family, please contact us at Friendsofmillroadcemetery@gmail.com]