52 Storey’s Way, Ingleby, Cambridge

History of 52 Storey's Way

This house was set on fire by Miriam Pratt, a suffragette school teacher from Norwich on 17th May 1913. A second house was attacked, 44 Storey’s Way, Whittingehame Lodge, but the fire was put out quickly.

Morning Advertiser, 23 May 1913

THE SUFFRAGETTE CAMPAIGN.

CAMBRIDGE ARSON CHARGE.

At Cambridge yesterday Miriam Pratt, 23, a school teacher, of Turner-road, Norwich, was charged on remand with unlawfully, maliciously, and feloniously setting fire to a dwelling-house in Storey’s Way, Huntingdon-road, between May 16 and 17.

The Town Clerk prosecuted, and Mr. C. J. Smart appeared for the prisoner.

Police-constable Alfred Charles Smith deposed to discovering the fire in Storey’s Way. In a second house he found a ladder bound with flannelette saturated with paraffin. The bottom part was burning. There were other inflammatory materials about. The fracture in the glass would enable a person to undo the window catch. On a freshly cemented floor he found a lady’s footprint.

Police-constable William Coysten spoke to finding one house fully in flames. He discovered that the second had been on fire, but the flames had burnt out. When he went into the second house he noticed a panel of glass broken, and on the floor the lady’s watch produced.

Sergeant William Ward, of the Norwich City police, said the prisoner was his niece. She lived at Turner-road with the witness and his wife. He knew the watch belonged to the prisoner. He gave it to her about five years ago. She left home on May 10, and returned on the following day. She left again on May 13, saying she was going to distribute leaflets in the East Cambridgeshire election. She returned last Saturday evening. He had read about the Cambridge fires in an evening paper. His niece’s watch was found to be missing. When she came home he spoke to her about the fires, and she begged him not to say it was her watch. He asked her if she had anything to do with the fires, and she admitted being there with two others, but said she did not set the house on fire. He asked about her hand, and she said she had punctured it in trying to cut the putty out of the window with a pair of scissors. She said she accompanied Miss Mountain and another lady, who took her watch into the house. The prisoner was an elementary school teacher at Norwich. She was certificated, and was in London for two years. She had sold suffragette papers in Norwich, and held the key of the suffragettes’ office there. She left witness’s house on several occasions in the Whitsun holidays—week, saying she was going to distribute leaflets in East Cambridge during the election.

Mr. Smart applied for bail, and stated that he was prepared with responsible sureties.

The town clerk said he should oppose bail at present.

The magistrates then remanded the prisoner for eight days without bail.

Pillar-Box-Burning.

At Cardiff on Wednesday night about half a dozen pillar-boxes in the city were tampered with. The method was the same in each case—a black or violet liquid and gum being poured in. Less than 40 letters were damaged, and the addresses of these were decipherable.

The Suffragette, 17 October 1913

THE FIRE AT CAMBRIDGE.

VINDICTIVE SENTENCE ON MISS PRATT.

At the Cambridge Assizes last Tuesday Miss Miriam Pratt, of Norwich, appeared to answer the charge of setting fire to a house in Storeys Way, Cambridge, on May 17.

Miss Pratt addressed the jury at considerable length, protesting against the attitude of the Government on the question of Votes for Women.

She was found guilty, and Mr. Justice Bray delivered the extremely harsh sentence of eighteen months’ imprisonment.

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1939

Miss Spencer