Soham Roots Interactive Website - William T Doe, Stone Mason & Monumental Sculptor, Clay Street, Soham.

William T. Doe
Clay Street, Soham.
Stone Mason & Monumental Sculptor.

Many local residence of Soham will remember Doe's the stone masons and many People would have used Mr Doe and his expertise for their loved ones Monuments, many of the stones in Soham Cemetery are made by Mr Doe. The earliest we can trace the Doe Family in Soham is on the 1881 Census.

1881 Census Clay Street Soham.
William Doe, Head, Married, aged 38, Stone Mason, Employing 1 Man & 1 Boy, born Bramford Suffolk.
Louisa Doe, Wife, aged 36, born East Dereham Norfolk.
William T. Doe, Son, aged 12, Scholar, born Berden Essex.
Simon J. Doe, Son, aged 10, Scholar, born Sawston Cambridgeshire.
Louisa H. Doe, Daughter, aged 7, Scholar, born West Row Suffolk.
George F Doe, Son, aged 4, Scholar, born Bury

The large white house next to the wooden cottage on the right is William Doe's in Clay Street c.1910.St Edmunds Suffolk.

Advert dated 1914, William T Doe, Soham.

Advert dated 1914.
It appears that the Family moved around quite a lot finally settling in Soham, they can be found listed on the Trade Directories for Soham from 1883 onwards, so it is probable that the business was set up around this time.
William Doe carried on his business in Clay Street until he died in 1899 aged 57, he is buried in Soham Cemetery with his Wife Louisa, who had died in 1897 aged 54. His Son William Thomas Doe carried on the business in Clay St until he died in 1926 aged 58 years, he is also buried in Soham Cemetery along with his Wife Ada who died in 1925 aged 55 years. Some of this Family are found on the 1901 Census.

1901 Census
Clay Street Soham.
William Doe, Head, Married, aged 32, Monumental Sculptor, born Berden Essex.
Ada Doe, Wife, aged 31, born Soham.
William Doe, Son, aged 6, born Soham.
Hilda Doe, Daughter, aged 2, born Soham.
Violet Lily Doe, Daughter, aged 12, born Soham.
Louisa Doe, Daughter, aged 10, born Soham.
Children born after 1901
Frederick George Doe, Son, born 1904 in Soham. Died in 1918 aged 14 years.
Thomas Doe, Son, born 1912 in Soham.

Advert dated 1953.

It is not clear at present how the business went after the death of William Thomas Doe in 1926, but we believe that it may have been carried on in Clay Street by his Son William, who may have been joined in the Business by his Brother Thomas. William died in 1954 aged 59 years and was Buried in Soham Cemetery later to be joined by his Wife Alice Elizabeth who died in 1972 aged 66 years. After the death of William the business was certainly carried on by Thomas who by this time was running the business from premises in Fordham Road, he was well known as a conscientious tradesmen, who was often to be seen in the Cemetery taking care of his '' stones '' making sure they were all in good order and making any repairs that were needed. Thomas ( Tom ) Doe died in 1975 aged 63 years and is buried in Soham Cemetery with his Parents.
William T Doe's in Clay Street as it looks today.