115a Sturton Street, Cambridge

The Melton Family

This property doesn’t appear on any census between 1871 and 1911.  It first appears in 1918 on the Electoral Register.

1918 – 1938

The Melton family are the first family recorded as living here.  They have previously lived at 15 Ainsworth Street and 4 Ainsworth Street.

1921 Census

Sidney Melton, 55, born Rougham, Suffolk.  Carpenter for W. Saint Builders, 4 Barnabas Road.
Elizabeth Melton, 52, born Waterbeach, Cambridge. Home Duties.
Elsie Melton, 25, born Cambridge.  Dressmaker for M. Siggers, St. John’s Street.
Winnie Melton, 23, born Cambridge.  Boot Shop Assistant for Woodman, Freeman & Hardy’s.
Doris Melton, 18, born Cambridge.  Boot Shop Assistant for Woodman, Freeman & Hardy’s.
Ernest Melton, 11, born Cambridge.  In part time education.

Sidney James Melton and his wife Sarah Elizabeth are buried in Mill Road Cemetery with two of their sons.

Sources: 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, 1911 UK Census, Cambridgeshire, England, Electoral Registers, Burgess Rolls and Poll Books (1722-1966), Mill Road Cemetery,

1947 –

AT sent this email in 2023:

My parents bought 115a in 1947 and it was owned by the family until a couple of years ago when my mother passed away. When they moved in it had been rented and was left in a very poor condition. I think the tenants had purposely damaged the house and left on bad terms. In the basement cellar there was a a cooking range. The brickwork can still be seen. It was always thought that the house next door was part of the same house. That’s why it was numbered with an ‘A.’ The front of the house had access to the basement; you can see the brick arch under the front room window. The door was accessed under the front door via a staircase. It was always the intention to excavate this entrance, but we never did. When my elder brother was a boy, he dug up a Roman short sword in the back garden. An old neighbour called Mr Hardy fashioned a handle for it, so my brother could play with it. It was broken against the tree in the garden and discarded. I often wonder if anything else is to be found there.