33, Poland Cottage, Hertford Street

History of 33 Hertford Street

House was built by Arthur Brasher. In 1901 the Brasher family were living at 177 Victoria Road.

1911

Arthur L Brasher, 36, house painter, b Chesterton

Annie L, 36, b Quy

Ethel L, 12, b Chesterton

Horace J, 11, b Chesterton

Hilda L, 9, b Chesterton

Ada L, 7, b Chesterton

Arthur L, 5, b Chesterton

Winifred L, 3, b Chesterton

Hilda’s unpublished account of life in Hertford Street was quoted in the CWN 9.4.1981:

My grandfather had a frugal upbringing which made him very grateful and thrifty. As soon as he was old enough he got a job in the kitchen of St John’s College as poultry boy. He saved all the money he could, he also got a job as shoe black and kitchen porter. He must have saved enough money to buy the small house in Hertford Street where he lived for some years. Then he bought enough ground to build a bigger and better house (33 Hertford Street.) He and my grandmother moved into that house and we moved into his smaller house (62 Hertford Street).

As well as keeping his ladders along the wall at the side of the house and his handcarts inside the gates, Dad kept rabbit hutches in the garden. He bred blue and black Dutch rabbits and won lots of prizes at the Mammoth Show held on Jesus Green every year. He also won prizes in shows with his chickens, a breed called Polish.

We children loved May Week. All the bgrand ladies watched the races down on the river from their punts. We went down to the lock gates and watched them pass through. The boys called in loud voices, ‘Here we are sir, here we are sir,’ and often got rewarded with fancy cake tossed over to them.

1913

Arthur Lincoln Brasher, house decorator

1970

Arthur William Brasher

1981

Arthur William Brasher

Marjorie

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