9 Brunswick Walk, Brunswick Nursing Home

History of 9 Brunswick Walk

Listed building

1881

Alfred Fuller, 53, cook, b Cambridge

Marian, 44, b Milton

Leslie John, 17, b Cambridge

Florence F, 13, b Cambridge

Maude E, 10, b Cambridge

Alfred L, 8, b Cambridge

Elizabeth Fordham, 19, servant, b Essex

Leslie John Fuller was a student at St John’s College in 1882. From 1886 to 1918 he was a teacher at Derby School. He had five children by Sarah Ann Rowell but didn’t marry her until 1923.

In 2025 CR sent this note explaining the relationship between Leslie and Sarah:

Leslie Fuller, my great grandfather grew up at his parents house in Jesus Lane, where his father and grandfather had lived and worked as chefs at Jesus College. His mother Marian Gunnell was monied and he went to the Perse, I gather, and onto study Natural History/Botany at St John’s. At 19 he left his father’s house to live with Sarah Rowell; I gather she might have been his landlady, but I am not sure whether the romance started before or after his move. After his degree he started teaching at Derby school, where he worked all his life until retirement. He lived in school during term and returned to Sarah during the holidays. They had seven children, the youngest, my grandfather, was born in 1901. The children were all brought up as Fuller-Rowells. Grandfather had explained to me that masters were not allowed to marry in those days, so Leslie kept his home life a secret, I guess. When he retired they married! He was a charming man and also an artist, illustrating botanical books; some of his drawings I have seen as a child but none of the books can be located now and I can find no information at all about this side of him, alas. They lived as a family for many years in Blinco Grove and then, as the children left home, moved to Hemingford Road, off Mill road. Two of his children, my Aunty Lilian and Uncle Jack lived there together after their parents’ demise. We took tea with them when I was small and there were still gas lights, an old ticking clock and a Victorian feeling to the place. I am afraid I do not know so much about my great grandmother Sarah; they both looked wonderfully respectable and solid in photos, Leslie with a splendid moustache and watch chain.

1929

(9 – 10) Brunswick Nursing Home

Mrs Handley, certified midwife

Brunswick Nursing Home (courtesy C Tongue)