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Jordan's Yard, before 1934 (photo L J Jarman)(Cambridgeshire Collection)

Jordan’s Yard

History of Jordans Yard

1959 Royal Commission on Historical Monuments Survey of Cambridge: Nos. 1,2,3,4, and 4a Jordan’s Yard, forming a range of dwellings pf three stripes with cellars, with plastered timber-framed walls and tiled roofs, continue and are of the same build as Nos 15 and 16 bridge Street….. Generally the buildings contain a quantity of 16th and 17th cent.panelling, some in No.1 in situ, and plain 18th cent. fittings.

No.5 Jordan’s Yard…has plastered timber-framed walls and tiled roofs. The E part is of the 17th century; in the 18th cent. the W part was built between the foregoing and 4a Jordan’s Yard.

This was an alleyway, perpendicular to Bridge Street, between nos. 13 and 12.

Benjamin Jordan was a livery stable-keeper in the first half of the 19th century. In 1861 when up for sale there were five houses in the yard, a farriery, a smithy, a farmyard and a garden, and stabling for 50 horses. the fifth house was the home of Professor Mayor, president of St John’s College. (J.H.Bullock – Bridge Street, 1939). In 1904 his neighbours were a bedmaker, a blacksmith and a painter.

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For data on recipients of Cambridge Charity Organisation Society support see Mapping Relief.

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1861

(1)

Helen Larkins, 61, college servant, b Suffolk

Martha, 34, seamstress

Caroline Purkiss, 31, college servant

Henry Purkiss, 7, grandson

In 1851 the Larkins were living in Park Street

(2) Robert Dent, 49, shoeing smith, b Norfolk

In 1853 the Dent family were at 11 Manor Street; in 1851 they were at the Black Swan, Bridge Street.

(3) Samuel Wilson, 74, printer, b Cambridge

(4) vacant

(5) vacant

(6) Richard Farrow, 57, groom, b Tadlow

1901

(1) vacant

(2) vacant

(3) Eliza Topnam, 71, college bedmaker, b Essex

(4) Elizabeth Williams, 56, college servant, b Cambridge

(5) John E B Mayor, 76, professor of Latin, b Ceylon

(6) Arthur Austin, 38, picture frame maker, b Cambridge

(7) Harry Hubbard, 38, b Mildenhall

1913

There were 13 addresses there:

1. William Burcher, warehouse and workshop
2. Millington & Everitt, electrical engineers
3. E H Rhodes, cycle stores
4. Mrs E Williams
5. Mrs Susan Frances Priest, The Hermitage
6. Arthur J Austin
7. William Gair
8. Moses Marks, tailor
9. Mrs H Barton, Frederick Barton
10. Frederick W Aplin
11. Henry Thomas Sharp
12. Mrs S Betson

Holden’s Stables

13. Mrs Vail

1939

1942

On the night of 27th July 1942 the repair shop of Allin’s Garage at 5 Jordan’s Yard received a direct hit from a 250 kg HE bomb which caused the collapse of adjoining houses.

1962

1. –
2. Peters
3. Miss G Morley
4. Miss I Williams
5. James Madge
6. William Buckle

6a. Timothy Meehan

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Jordan’s Yard is also mentioned in ‘Going Up: To Cambridge and Beyond’ by Frederick Raphael (2015)

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