17 Priory Road, Cambridge

History of 17 Priory Road

1905

Herts and Cambs Reporter, 16 June 1905

THE DUCHESS OF WESTMINSTER’S JEWELS.
FOUND BURIED IN A FIELD.

On Wednesday afternoon the whole of the Duchess of Westminster’s jewellery, amounting in value to about £8000, were discovered in Cambridge.

It may be remembered that the jewellery was missed from the duchess’s dressing table, where she had laid it on returning from the theatre on the night of May 29. The articles included a very valuable pearl necklace and 20 diamond brooches, one of which was a large and handsome piece of jewellery, presented by the tenantry at Chester on the occasion of her wedding.

On Tuesday evening last Inspector Drew, of Vine Street, arrested a man named Albert Chapman, a native of Cambridge, who was formerly employed as a night watchman at Grosvenor House, on a charge of stealing the jewellery. From a statement made by Chapman, Inspector Drew journeyed on Wednesday afternoon to Cambridge, where he was met at the station by the Chief Constable, Mr. C. E. Holland. They proceeded to 17, Priory Road, and arrested a man named George White, who is described as a tailor. Detective Marsh having been left in charge of the premises, the other officers proceeded with White to a field up the Newmarket Road, where the missing jewels were brought to light. Some time ago White was the tenant of a public-house at Trumpington.

Yesterday (Thursday) Albert Chapman, a night watchman, was charged at Marlborough Street with stealing the Duchess of Westminster’s jewellery from Grosvenor House, and George White, a tailor, with receiving the same. Both prisoners were remanded.

White was eventually found not guilty; he had acted out of fear. Chapman was found guilty of theft and sentenced to 18 months with hard labour.

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1913

Frank Laughton, college waiter