5 Warkworth Villas/22 Warkworth Street

History of 22 Warkworth Street

1913 5 Warkworth Villas

AW Hickman

????

Leonard (Ben) Asplen, stove cook at King’s College. Leonard Asplen and his wife Rosa used to run the Granta pub. Rosa was remembered for always having great dress sense and looking good for special college outings.

1962 22 Warkworth Street

Mrs Ward

In 2021 family member MW sent the following:

Mrs Miriam Ward (nee Wright) (1890-1979) moved to 22 Warkworth Street in about 1948, following the death of her husband George Frederick Ward (1871-1948). The Wards had run the village bakery in Whittlesford [Orchard Terrace] for 70 years. Miriam was born in Wenden Lofts, near Saffron Walden, Essex and grew up at Hamlet House Farm, Lower Pond Street, before moving with her family to The Bury, Clavering. For 12 years she was a teacher there until, as was the custom for women, she left the profession after her marriage in 1920.

Miriam was able to buy no.22 with the assistance of her sister-in-law (Florence) Ethel Whitelaw, whose Scottish husband, John Dron Whitelaw (1872-1949) ran a small department store on Fitzroy Street. Also living there until his marriage to Eileen Kate Reynolds in 1954 was Miriam’s only son James Ward (1931-2006), an accounts clerk and manager, who for many years after was organist at the Round Church. Miriam let rooms to a succession of university students. She particularly enjoyed taking in students from far flung parts of the world, especially India. In 1964, the property was sold and she moved with her son, daughter-in-law and grandson Mark to share a house in Orwell.