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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.

Cambridge City Plan, 1888

1861

(1) Helen Larkins, 61, college servant, b Suffolk

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

(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

Jordan’s Yard, 1939 (Cambridgeshire Collection)

1941

On the night of 27th July 1941 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

Jordan’s Yard looking towards St John’s chapel tower? (MoC 434/74)

Jordan’s Yard, Bridge Street (MoC6.75)

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