51 Ainsworth Street

Search by topic

Two Railway Firemen and two Pensisoner sisters

Number 51 is one of a terrace of four houses on the west side of Ainsworth Street.

1881

John T Wilson, 30, Fireman on GER, b. Newmarket, Cambridgeshire

Harriet J Wilson, 38, b. Cherry Hinton, Cambridgeshire

Rebecca S Wilson, 4, b. Cambridge

William T Wilson, 2, b. Cambridge

Gertrude J Wilson, 4 months, b. Cambridge

1891

Head of Household is Frederick Hasdell Allen, a 31-year-old, fireman on the railway. He is originally from Wisbech, Cambridgeshire. His wife is Sarah, 36, who was born in March, Cambridgeshire.

They have a five year old son called George Hasdell who is at school.

By 1901 they have moved to 104 Ainsworth Street, where they are still living in 1911. Frederick becomes a railway engine driver and dies in 1934, giving his address as 102 Ainsworth Street, his son’s house.

Frederick, Sarah, George and his wife Agnes are all buried in Mill Road Cemetery.

“An Insurance Agent Charged with Trying to Pick Pockets – At the Cambridge Borough Police Court on Saturday, John Henry Bareham (40) of 51 Ainsworth Street, Cambridge, was charged with being a suspected person, and unlawfully attempting to commit felony by picking pockets in St. Andrew’s Street.” The article goes on to say that Mr. Bareham has worked for the Prudential Assurance Company for two years ‘and had always been correct and punctual.’ Mr. Bareham was fined £3 and costs.
Cambridge Independent Press 05 May 1899

1901

Jane Bowers, widow, 78, Pensioner from Parish, b. Landbeach, Cambridgeshire

Mary Mansfield, 88, Jane’s sister, 88, Pensioner from Parish, b. Landbeach, Cambridgeshire

Edward G Gates, 22, Boarder, Boot and Shoemaker working from home, b. Whaplode, Lincolnshire

Elizabeth Gates, 21, Boarder, Laundress working from home, b. Rawtenstall, Lancashire

Arthur G M Gates, 1, son of Boarder, b. Cambridge

1911

Walter Fordham, 35, plumber and painter, b. Cambridge

Susannah Fordham, 30, b. Ashdon, Essex

Walter and Susannah are 4 years married and have no children.

DOMESTIC DIFFERENCES: A machinist, named George Argent, of 58 Ainsworth Street, was summoned for assaulting Esther Pleasants, a young married woman, of 51 Ainsworth Street on August 13th.

Complainant said defendant was her brother-in-law, and there were some domestic differences between them. On the day named defendant came to witness’ house and struck her. Witness, in answer to defendant, said she threw a piece of wood at him after he assaulted her.

George Biggs, a coachman, of 49 Ainsworth Street, spoke to witnessing the assault. He saw defendant strike the complainant a violent blow with his fist. Witness at once intervened, and prevented the defendant from hitting the woman again.

Mrs. Beatrice Biggs, wife of the last witness, corroborated.

Defendant, in the witness box, said his mother-in-law had been carrying tales between his wife and complainant. Defendant said he hit the complainant, but he had great provocation.

Rachel Argent, wife of the defendant, said that in consequence of what she said to her husband the latter went over to complainant’s house. Witness followed, and Mrs. Pleasants caught hold of her and beat her. Witness’ husband then hit Mrs. Pleasants.

The Bench said there seemed to be some feeling between the parties. Both ladies in the case should bear and forbear. However, there had been no justification for the defendant striking a woman.

Defendant, who conducted his own case in a very business-like way, was fined 5s. and £1 costs.” Cambridge Daily News 15 August 1913

1918-1922

“In Memoriam. LARKINS. In ever-loving memory of my dear husband, George Larkins, who died March 11th 1919, and also of my dear father, Robert E. Farmer [see below], who died January 31st 1919.
Two loving hearts are taken from us,
Two loving souls are gone.
‘Tis God alone who know what’s best,
To take them from us who loved them best.
From 51 Ainsworth Street, Cambridge”
Cambridge Daily News 11 March 1920

1921 Census: Emma Eliza Larkins, aged 36, widowed, General Shop Keeper

Emma is on the electoral register for 51 Ainsworth Street from 1918, when she is listed with her husband George, until her death in 1922.

Sources – 1881, 1891, 1901, 1911 & 1921 Census, England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995, Mill Road Cemetery, England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007

In 2024 ML sent in this note:

In Memorium notice – correction:
Emma Larkins’s father was Robert Edward Parker (not Farmer).
As the memorial notice states, Emma lost both father and husband (George Larkins) in early 1919.

George Larkins was my great uncle. George was born 1st May 1879 – the ninth of fourteen children born in Cambridge to Mary Ann Larkins and George William Larkins.

(Census records: 1881 – 14 Shelly Row; 1891 – 22 Castle Street).

For 14 years, George was a stoker in the Royal Navy – from 1896 – 1911 serving on a number of ships; he was a recipient of the China Medal (HMS Waterwitch 1900 – 1903). ‘Waterwitch’ was a survey vessel forming part of the British naval contingent involved in relieving the Peking legations during the Boxer Rebellion. In 1900 she surveyed the north channel of the Yangtze prior to the battleship Centurion’s navigation of the river.

He was hospitalised with heart disease (1911 Census: Royal Naval Hospital Alverstoke, Hampshire) and invalided out of the service.
In civvy street, George found employment with the Great Eastern Railway. He married Emma Parker in 1916. At the time of his sudden death the couple had had only 3years married life.
A report of George’s funeral in the Cambridge Daily News states representatives from GER carried his coffin – which was draped in the Union Jack. He and Emma are buried in the ‘Borough’ (now City) Cemetery, Newmarket Road; Emma survived George by only three years.

Contribute

Do you have any information about the people or places in this article? If so, then please let us know using the Contact page or by emailing capturingcambridge@museumofcambridge.org.uk.

License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Search by topic