38 Bridge Street – Griffin, Red Lion, the New Red Lion, Red Lion Yard, Cambridge

History of 38 Bridge Street

West of Bridge Street in the Nineteenth Century

For detailed information on this site see T E Faber ‘An Intimate History of St Clement’s Parish’, 2006.

1279 Cecily Plumb who married Walter Wyne

1283 William Pittok

1343 John Pittok / Piscator

1365 Stephen Morice junior tenant

1371; daughter Agnes Morice tenant

1374 Thomas Spore occupant

1397 John Brigham occupant

end of 15th cent: Geoffrey Fisher and wife

1556 death of John Richardson who left property to his nephew Christopher

1641-63 Thomas Sowersby inn keeper

1673-74 not listed in Victuallers’ Book

1676 John Curtis taxed for 9 hearths

1688 Christopher Green the Elder, college cook of Caius owned nos 38-41 Bridge Street. In 1688 estate temporarily split between his two children but by 1706 properties reunited and stayed in ownership of Edward Green I, cousin of Christopher. John Curtis named as holder of Griffin.

1697 Christopher Green bequeaths Griffin, now or late in occupation of Sarah Godfrey

18th cent: the Red Lion was reputed to be one of the haunts of the highwayman Dick Turpin (1706-1739)

1738 Another Christopher Green bequeathes Griffin ‘ now in occupation of …. Stanton’. Thomas Stanton licensed in 1708; Allen Stanton licensed in 1742.

1750-55 William Linsdell, for Red Lion in 1752 and 1755.

1750 In the Old Red Lion Yard Alderman Nutting carried on his business as a coal merchant and dealer in corn, deals, iron, timber and salt. he may also have kept the inn. (Vanishing Cambridge, Mike Petty)

1756 Griffin late in occupation of Thomas Whitby

1756-67 William Lindsey for Red Lion

1768-95 William Lindsey for New Red Lion

1796-1821 New Red Lion listed continuously

1795 nos 39-41 sold to Charles Finch I, ironmonger.

1803 according to T E Faber it is likely that the name of the original Red Lion in Bridge Street at no.47 was transferred to no.39.

1821 Edward Green II sold no. 38 (‘heretofore called the Griffin Inn and now and for some time past the Red Lion‘) to Richard Foster, brewer for £1,000.

1821-46 old Red Lion was revived and the designation’New red Lion’ was needed.

1822-56 New Red Lion listed contonuously

1838

The Fly coach every morning at 10am to Holborn, London. Another ran the same day and house for Cambridge.

The Defiance left for Huntingdon every day at 1.45pm

The Red Rover left Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays for Colchester at 9am

1855 the ‘Red Lion or New Red Lion’ sold to St John’s by Richard Foster, son of Richard Foster, for £950.

1861 Red Lion

John W Watson, 54, publican, b Hardwick

Red Lion Yard:

(1) Thomas Amps, 51, groom, b Huntingdon

(2) George Saunders, 45, labourer, b Cambridge

Old Red Lion Yard, Bridge Street, date unknown (photo L Cobbett)

Old Red Lion Yard by Rita Genlloud

Rita Genlloud was the author of By-Ways in Old Cambridge. She was born in Stapleford in 1896. In 1911 she was living at 95 Hills Road.

Red Lion yard, demolished 1938

Red Lion Yard, Mary C Greene (MoC)