40 (61) Beche Road, Cambridge

History of 40 Beche Road

1901 (61)

Arthur Plumb, 43, railway inspector, b Meldreth

Naomi R, 43, b Horningsea

William A, 21, postman, b Chesterton

Ethel R, 18, boot sewer, b Cambridge

Edith M, 14, shop assistant, b Cambridge

Frederick, 30, brother, seaman, b Shelford

William J Daldy, 20, postman, b Suffolk

In 1902 there was a report by the Cambridge Post Office into the incidence of card playing and gambling among postmen (recorded in ‘A Postal History of Cambridge,’ 1970).

William Plumb, town postman, appears to have been one of the worst offenders if not indeed the worst offender. In addition to gambling with cards he admits that he has been in the habit of betting on horse races, that he has betted with his colleagues in the office, and that he has disseminated betting information amongst them. Further, he has threatened with violence a messenger named Batterson on the assumption that he had given information which led to the irregularities being brought to light, and has declined to furnish a written explanation in the matter when called upon by the postmaster to do so.

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1913 (40)

Arthur Plumb, shunter GER