Custance map of Cambridge, 1798. Site of White Horse Inn

Northampton Street (Bell Lane), Cambridge

History of Bell Lane

1799

Richard Kidman lived in Northampton Street at this time. He was implicated in the theft of silver with a man called Grimshaw. Grimshaw was arrested and executed; Kidman was transported. In 1810 Kidman returned to Cambridge and became a clock repairer.

Henry Gunning describes Kidman’s return in Vol.II of his reminiscences for the year 1810, p268. Gunning briefly describes Kidman’s time in Australia. He then narrates how, after Kidman’s return, he came across him about 10 miles from Cambridge carrying a clock. Gunning engaged him to do a job of digging and planting his garden, during which time Kidman stayed at Gunning’s house.

---

---

1909 07 09

There had been an outcry after Cambridge Corporation destroyed eight tenements when improving Northampton Street. Now they wanted to erect houses for persons of the working class on land in Albion Row, Lady Margaret Road and the Haymarket. Some would be on the site of the old cattle market. This had previously been moved to St Andrew’s Hill, then in 1842 to Pound Hill and in 1887 to its present site near the railway station, an Inspector was told. CWN 09 07 09

Credit: Mike Petty Archive, Cambridge Castle End Scrapbook 1897 to 1990, ref. CWN 09 07 09.