CFHS code : BE109
Parish : St Bene’t
Inscription : JAMES HAROLD WATTS d Jany 10 1901 aged 6 LAURA EMMA WATTS d May 27 1934 aged 72 JAMES WATTS d 24 Jan 1940 aged 75
Monument : Cruciform Coped stone
Above information from Cambridge Family History Society Survey
Lat Lon : 52.202612, 0.13621291 – click here for location
Monument
This cruciform coped stone is 1 row to the west of the west path close the northern border of the parish. The inscription of metal letters is mostly intact.
Inscription
JAMES HAROLD WATTS died January 10 1901 aged 6 years
LAURA EMMA WATTS died May 27 1934 aged 72 years
JAMES WATTS died 24 Jan 1940 aged 75 years
Relationship: Mother, father and son
Laura Emma Watts [nee Richardson] (26 June 1861 – 27 May 1934)
Laura was born in Debden, near Saffron Walden in Essex and was the illegitimate daughter of Emma. She was baptised at St. Mary the Virgin Church, Debden on 28 July 1861 and married James Watts in 1889. The newly weds moved to 1 Lodge-gate Cottages where James was working as a builder and wheelwright. They had four children: Winifred Muriel [1890-1958], James Harold [1894-1901], Doris Marjorie [1896-1983] and Donald Owen [1899-1989].
They later moved to 230 Mill Road, Cambridge which was run as a Post Office and Stationer’s shop. James worked as a coachbuilder, and Laura worked as a Post Office assistant. They had moved to live in Harston by at least 1921. In the 1930’s both Laura and James appear on the register of electors at 57-59 Perowne Street, although they were living at ‘St Edmunds’ in Harston. Laura died at home and her funeral was held at Harston Church, before interment at Mill Road Cemetery. James left flowers at the grave with a message which read ‘to our darling, from her sorrowing husband and children’.
James Watts (23 May 1864 – 24 January 1940)
James was born in Stow Cum Quy. His parents were James and Anne Watts, and his father worked as a builder and wheelwright. James followed in the same profession, working for Messrs. J and A. Watts.
The census of 1939 shows his occupation as retired coachbuilder, and it is known he had only recently retired through illness. He died at home in Harston in 1940.
James Harold Watts ( 1894 – 10 January 1901)
James Harold was the son of James and Laura Watts and died aged 6 years old.
Source:
Ancestry
Newspaper archives
by Claire Martinsen
[If you have any further information about this family, please contact us at Friendsofmillroadcemetery@gmail.com]