CFHS code : ED77
Parish : St Edward
Inscription : In Loving Memory of WILLIAM WILLSON d August 4th 1914 aged 56 also his wife GEORGINA WILLSON d June 13th 1948 aged 88
Monument : Kerb stones/Urn
Above information from Cambridge Family History Society Survey
Lat Lon : 52.203147, 0.13699955 – click here for location
Monument
The kerb stones are intact but although there is a small plinth within the kerbs, there is no urn.
Inscription
‘In Loving Memory of WILLIAM WILLSON died August 4th 1914 aged 56
Also his wife GEORGINA WILLSON died June 13th 1948 aged 88’
Plinth
‘In Memory of Mother, Minni A………..’
William Herbert Willson ( 1851 – 4 August 1914)
William was born in Cambridge. . He married Georgiana later Georgina) Hull in 1877.
They had eight children: Maud Florence [1879-1956], William Herbert [1880-], Lizzie Sarah [1881-], Rose Florence [1882-1977], Sidney James [1884-], Grace [1887-], Minnie [1888-1980] and Bertie [1892-1970].
In 1881 the family were living at 6 Gold Street and William was working as a boatman, in 1891 they had moved and were living at 156 East Road. By 1901 the family were living at Robinson Crusoe Island, where William was a barge boatman. Robinson Crusoe Island is the tiny islet in the River Cam where splits between Coe Fen and Sheep’s Green. In 1911 William and Georgina were at 98 Norfolk Street where he was described on the census as an out of work domestic gardener.
William died in sad circumstances in Great Yarmouth in 1914. An inquest was held in to his death, which the Cambridge Independent Press reported:
DROWNED YARMOUTH. Cambridge Man’s Last Message.
An inquest was held at the Town Hall, Great Yarmouth, Friday evening, on the body of William Herbert Willson, a boatman of 35 Market Hill, Cambridge, whose body was recovered from the sea near the Jetty the previous evening. In his opening the Coroner said that Willson came to Yarmouth on Thursday on a visit. At about 9.55 a constable was duty on the Marine, when report reached him that something was washing ashore near the Jetty. He went there, and saw the body of a man in the water, and on pulling it out it proved to be the body of the deceased. Willson came to Yarmouth quite unknown to his wife and son; in fact, the latter had arranged to take him to a place of amusement in Cambridge on the previous day and had no idea he was in Yarmouth until about eight o’clock at night, when Mrs Willson received a postcard from her husband. It was not signed, but was in his own handwriting. The son would tell them that his father had a very shaky hand, and there was no doubt that the postcard was in his writing. The postcard was enclosed in an envelope, and simply bore the words, “Goodbye” twice. It was posted at Yarmouth at 11.30, and delivered to Cambridge during the evening. Mr Willson could hardly get about, and was very depressed because had not got any work to do, and it might be that something possessed him walk into the sea; or, the other hand, his sight was bad, and might have accidentally fallen in. There was nothing to show beyond the fact that he was greatly depressed.
Mr. Sidney James Willson, wharf foreman, of 23, Norwich Street Cambridge, said that his father was 56 years of age. He last saw him alive Wednesday evening at home when he told him would take him to a music hall the following evening. His father quite lively the time, but not had good health for the past five years. He had suffered from giddiness, had lost the use of the muscles his legs, and was very feeble on his feet, his eyesight was also very bad, and could hardly see two yards in front of him. Witness discovered that his father had gone to Yarmouth when he did not return for breakfast Thursday, and the previous evening his mother received a comical picture-postcard, which was enclosed in an envelope, and bore the words, “Goodbye” written twice in pencil. Witness had no reason think his father contemplated suicide, but he was depressed because was unable to work.
Dr. T. Lettis said that saw the deceased 10.15 the previous night the beach just the north the Jetty. Efforts were being made to restore animation, but without result, and finding such to be the case, he ordered the removal of the body to the mortuary. The cause death was drowning. PC Lawson said that he took the body from the water, and, with several other constables, tried to restore artificial respiration. A handkerchief, a small empty leather purse and bone handled pocket knife were all the articles that were found on the deceased. After a retirement the jury returned the open verdict found drowned.
Georgiana Otaviana Willson [nee Hull] (31 October 1859 – 13 June 1948)
Georgiana was the daughter of Eliza Hull and was born in Cambridge. She was known as Georgiana when she was a child, and on marriage, but appears to have been known as Georgina later in life.
Her mother was unmarried, and she grew up at 7 Sells Court with her two sisters and brother, and where Eliza was a seamstress [1861] and later a book binder [1871]. Georgina married William Willson when she was 18 years old.
She was left a widow in tragic circumstances when she was 54 years old. She died in Cambridge in 1948.
Claire Martinsen
Source: Ancestry/Newspaper archives
[If you have any further information about this family, please contact us at Friendsofmillroadcemetery@gmail.com]