Margaret Elizabeth Adlam Stone was born on 21st July 1895 at 9a West Shepton,
Shepton Mallet, Somerset, England.
Her father was Albert Gabriel Stone, a journeyman baker. Her mother was
Emma
Jane Stone, formerly Francis. Her birth was registered by her father on
28.8.1895.
She was the eldest of 12 children. She had ambitions to be a nurse but was
persuaded by her mother to go into Service. She left home at age 15 and became a
housemaid to Reverend Canon Clarke in Llandaff, Cardiff for 10 years. She was
confirmed in March 1911 at Llandaff Cathedral. He then moved to East Grinstead.
She and the Cook/Housekeeper moved there temporarily to see him moved in. Her
reference from Canon A T James, written on December 6th 1915, issued from The Minor
Canories, Llandaff read:-
"I have very much pleasure in stating that Miss Margaret Stone has been
employed as a house parlour maid by the Rev Minor Canon E J Clarke and myself at
the Minor Canories for the last 5 years, during which time she has given us
entire satisfaction and it is with very great regret that we are parting with
her. She is a bright, intelligent and good tempered girl, and at all times
punctual neat and clean in her work.. She is in everyway a most respectable
girl and her moral character is of the highest. She is competent and careful at
her work and at all times cheerful and willing. The only reason why we are
losing her services is that Mr Clarke has taken up a Chaplaincy in the Army and
I am also about to taking up a Commission and our house will have to be closed.
From my experience of her I can strongly recommend her for a similar situation
as I am confident she will give entire satisfaction. If I can be of assistance by
answering any further enquiries I shall be pleased to do so"
She then became House Parlour maid for a lady in Penarth for 2 years until
moving back home, which by now had moved to Mountain Ash, Glamorgan, suffering
from kidney trouble. Once she recovered, she became a parlour maid in a house
called "Bryniethen" in Dinas Powys. She was there for 4 years and left
to get married.
Married her husband, Arthur Thomas Mudford at Cardiff Register Office in the
Counties of Cardiff & Glamorgan on 17th December 1921. He was aged 34
and she was aged 26. Both of them gave their address as 58 Main Street,
Cadoxton. His occupation at the time was labourer at Flour Mill. His father’s
details are given as Joseph William Mudford
(deceased) a general labourer. Her
father’s details are given as Albert Gabriel
Stone, an ostler. The witnesses
were Fred William Hinder and R. Hyde.
After the death of her husband and at the time of her eldest sons marriage,
she moved from 8 Princes Street, Barry to 119 Pontypridd Road, Barry where she
moved in with her eldest son, Arthur George Gabriel Mudford
and his new wife
Mona Evans in 1959. Was at the time given a maximum of two years to live but
lived with them until her death on 13th August 1989 in 11 Romilly Avenue, Barry
South Glamorgan. This after being fitted with a pacemaker aged 90. Death
certificate gave cause of death as a) Cerebrovascular accident and b) Ischaemic
heart disease. Her son, Arthur on 14.008.1989, registered her death.
Buried at Thornhill Crematorium, Llanishen, Cardiff. Entry in Book of
Remembrance reads “Mudford Margaret Elizabeth Adlam Died 1989. Called to rest
after a life well spent.”
Funeral arrangements were by Robert Fouracre. The cost of the funeral was
£1011.50.