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Overstream House, Victoria AvenueOverstream House, Victoria Avenue
History of Overstream House
1911 Overstream House
John Fynn, 60, tailor, b Cambridge
Mary Jane, 59, teacher of dancing, b Worcs
Felix Freeth, 24, tobacconist’s assistant, b Cambridge
Arthur John, 22, scientific instrument maker, b Cambridge
Geoffrey Hyde, 18, tailor, b Cherry Hinton
1913 Overstream House
John Fynn, tailor
Mrs Fynn, teacher of dancing
1917 UK Roll of Honour
Felix Freeth Fynn: Private 352901, 9th Battalion, Royal Scots. Died in United Kingdom 12 October 1917.
1918
Arthur Fynn died 3.11.1918 probably influenza
Mrs Fanny Edith Fynn died 8.11.1918 probably influenza
1927
Mrs A R Darby, dance teacher
1937
Mrs Ivy Benstead, teacher of dancing
1940s:
Joan Metcalfe taught dancing
1950s:
Mrs Benstead taught ballroom dancing
BR recalled in 2020: Mrs Benstead’s son Jack played in a jazz band in Cambridge but later went with his music to the U.S.A. The House looked very different back then from how it looks like now. The extension which we danced in had a lovely polished wooden floor and had a ballet barre round the walls; a large mirror hung over an open coal fire with a safety guard around so we didn’t get burnt. The music for ballet was played for us on a piano with records for the ballroom. The room was very popular for hiring for parties and had a regular jazz club there every week.
1962 Overstream House
Children’s Relief International
1970
Children’s Relief International
1981
Save the Children Fund
Leslie Griggs, caretaker and handyman, remembered coming to Overstream House to learn dancing in 1927.
1994
The charity Wintercomfort took over the house as its headquarters. Visit its website for more information.
1999
In a highly controversial case, the manager, Ruth Wyner, and deputy manager, John Brock, of Wintercomfort were prosecuted under the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act. The crime was to ‘knowingly permit’ the dealing of Class A drugs at the centre for the homeless.
This caused a storm of protest and great concern throughout the voluntary sector. Summaries and discussion of the case can be found:
https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/law-drugs-learning-hard/article/620552
http://www.inference.org.uk/wintercomfort2/p0.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1083446.stm
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/dec/22/news.claredyer
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