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The Female Refuge, Home of Mercy, 19 Christchurch (Church) (Victoria and Albert Street) Street

History of Female Refuge

The Open University Cambridge Women’s Refuge project can be found here.

Cambridge Women’s Refuge

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According to 1959 Royal Commission on Historical Monuments Survey of Cambridge  the building was of brick and had slate covered roofs. An institution was established at Dover Cottage, East Road, in 1838 to ‘afford to females who have been leading a sinful course of life, and express a desire of returning to the path of virtue, a temporary refuge where they may be sheltered from temptation, be provided with proper employment, receive religious and useful instruction.‘

In 1839 the managing committee started looking for new buildings. The building at this location was completed by 1841. In 1959 it was divided into flats.

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1838

22 Sep Cam Chr. Announcement of acquisition of premises.

17 Nov Cambridge Chronicle. Announcement of objectives of the Cambridge Refuge.

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1841 Cambridge Female Refuge

Elizabeth Loft, 40, matron of the refuge

Ann Smith, 65, Ind

Charlotte Palmer, 22, inmate of the refuge

Susanna Palmer, 20, inmate of the refuge

Amelia Sparrow, 22, inmate of the refuge

Charlotte Prince, 20, inmate of the refuge

Mary Bradswell, 18, inmate of the refuge

Hannah Spittle, 22, inmate of the refuge

Jane Darnell, 18, inmate of the refuge

Eliza Battell, 25, inmate of the refuge

Sheergan Taggard, 18, inmate of the refuge

18 Sep: Camb Ind. Press: new building for the Cambridge Female Refuge completed adjoining Christ Church.

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1847 Camb Chronicle 13 Feb.

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1851 Victoria and Albert Street

Elizabeth Lofts, 50, matron of female refuge, b Cambridge

Mary Ann Melvin, servant, 30, sub matron, b Cambridge

Mary Ann Good, 30, house servant, b Royston

Rozin Gaunt, inmate, 19, b Paxton

Eliza Hurmon, inmate, 20, b Cambridge

Louisa Rogers, inmate, 17, b Cambridge

Charlotte Smith, inmate, 18, b Essex Bumpstead

Nancy Late, inmate, 19, b Newmarket

Susan Clarke, inmate, 19, b Cambridge

Ann Lord, inmate, 21, b Sawston

Martha Fletcher, inmate, 17, b Cambridge

Sarah Brown, inmate, 20, b Peterborough

Mary Spaxman, inmate, 18, b Suffolk

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1861

Elizabeth Lofts, widow, 61, matron, b Soham

Mary Wilson, spinster, 59, submatron, b Histon

Charlotte White, 23, inmate, b Hunts

Eliza Taylor, 19, inmate, b Chesterton

Sophia Linsford, 18, inmate, b Hunts

Sarah Flack, 18, inmate, b Cambridge

Lousia Shalton, 16, inmate, b Cambridge

Elizabeth Thacker, 22, inmate, b Peterborough

Elizabeth Doyen, 16, inmate, b Cambridge

Harriett Peak, 18, inmate, b Cambridge

Emma Coxall, 20, inmate, b Cambridge

Ellen Page, 20, inmate, b Cambridge

Eliza Larkins, 18, inmate, b Chesterton

Mary Collins, 18, inmate, b Sutton

Ellen Webb, 16, inmate, b NK

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1871 Female Refuge Church Street

Marianne Smith, 34, matron of refuge, b Boston Lincs

Charlotte White, servant, 32, laundress, b Wyton

Mary A Boatwright, inmate, 32, training for service, b Bottisham

Elizabeth Pearson, inmate, 23, training for service, b Cottenham

Elizabeth Partridge, inmate, 24, training for service, b Dullingham

Emma Harriss, inmate, 31, training for service, b Dublin

Emma Abbess, inmate, 24, training for service, b Soham

Elizabeth Bishop, inmate, 27, training for service, b NK

Louisa Apthorpe, inmate, 15, training for service, b Grantchester

Ellen Wallace, inmate, 16, training for service, b Cambridge

Emma Newman, inmate, 18, training for service, b Cambridge

Jane Fordham, inmate, 21, training for service, b Cambridge

Sarah Topps, inmate, 17, training for service, b Lincs

Sarah A Hagger, inmate, 19, training for service, b Saffron Walden

Elizabeth Faust, 15, training for service,  b Ipswich

Annie Brown, inmate, 15, training for service, b Cambridge

Elizabeth Fynn, inmate, 14, training for service, b Cambridge

Agnes Stearn, inmate, 17, training for service, b Cambridge

Sarah A Gayler, inmate, 15, training for service, b Essex

Matilda Newland, inmate, 21, training for service, b Cambridge

Sarah A Gillson, inmate, 15, training for service, b Cheveley

Ellen Turner, inmate, 22, training for service, b Lincs

Eliza Adams, inmate, 17, training for service, b Essex

Louisa Reader, inmate, 16, training for service, b Cambridge

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1881 Female Refuge, Church Street

Clara Clements, matron, 40, matron of refuge, b Canterbury

Jane Edmonds, assistant, 35, cook, b Yarmouth

Anne Tillerton, assistant, 23, workroom assistant, b Birmingham

Alice Aldous, inmate, 16, trained for servants, b Norwich

Maria Warnes, inmate, 20, trained for servants, b Cambridge

Charlotte Williams, inmate, 19, trained for servants, b Suffolk

Mary Smith, inmate, 19, trained for servants, b Suffolk

Elizabeth Prime, inmate, 20, trained for servants, b Cambridge

Emily Thorpe, inmate, 21, trained for servants, b London

Jane Wright, inmate, 20, trained for servants, b Cambridge

Minnie Mountain, inmate, 23, trained for servants, b Melbourne Australia

Sarah Houghton, inmate, 17, trained for servants, b Cambridge

Jane E Doggett, inmate, 15, trained for servants, b Cambridge

Mary A Smith, inmate, 19, trained for servants, b Cambridge

Mabel Smith, inmate, 20, trained for servants, b Norfolk

Francis Oafield, inmate, 18, trained for servants, b Wisbech

Carry Norman, inmate, 16, trained for servants, b Chesterton

Rachel Reuben, inmate, 19, trained for servants, b Cambridge

Annie Blackwell, inmate, 15, trained for servants, b Cambridge

Amelia Freeman, inmate, 15, trained for servants, b Cambridge

Eliza Muncey, inmate, 19, trained for servants, b Cambridge

Kate Handley, inmate, 16, trained for servants, b Cambridge

Selina Breeze, inmate, 17, trained for servants,  b Wisbech

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1891 19 Church Street Female Refuge

Elizabeth J Daw, head matron, 54, head matron female refuge, b London

Ellen E Wood, assistant, 40, assistant matron, b London

Anna Kimpton, assistant, 27, laundress, b Shropshire

Caroline Pratt, assistant, 37, needlewoman,

Emma Allgood, inmate, 18, b Suffolk

Lucy A Veasey, inmate, 17, b Leicestershire

Rosa Wachull, inmate, 17. b Berks

Emma Harrod, inmate, 19, b March

Gertrude Blageley, inmate, 18, b Baldock

Kate Allen, inmate, 19, b Fen Drayton,

Harriet L Stein, inmate, 19, b Chesterton

Mabel G Gunow, inmate, 21, b Wales

May Glover, inmate, 24, b Great Gidding

Agnes Pepper, inmate, 17, b Essex

Mary A York, inmate, 15, b Northampton

Mercy G Wiles, inmate, 27, b Beds

Annie Pickett, inmate, 37, b Surrey

Florence E Heath, inmate, 19, b London

Alice Ellington, inmate, 17, b Isleham

Ellen Hodds, inmate, 19, b Norfolk

Florence Norman, inmate, 18, b Essex

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1901 The Female Refuge Church Street

Elizabeth J Daw, 64, head matron Female Refuge, b London

Ellen E Wood, 50, House and Kitchen Matron, b London

Emma Pride, 62, workroom matron, b Gloucs

Beatrice Dorrell, 30, laundry work, b London

Elizabeth A Gilbey, 22, laundry work, b Little Abingdon

Elizabeth Smith, visitor, 24, laundry work, b Toronto Canada

Hannah Bell, visitor, 24, servant, b Sutton

Agnes Green, visitor, 18, servant, b London

Madeline M Wood, inmate, 22, laundry work, b London

Annie Morrison, inmate, 20, house work, b Sussex

Isabel Tod, inmate, 25, laundry work, b Massachusetts USA

Laura A Ashwin, inmate, 23, house work, b Isle of Wight

Louisa A Halton, inmate, 13, laundry work, b London

Emily P Davies, inmate, 25, laundry work, b Hereford

Sarah E Lee, inmate, 20, laundry work, b Yorks

Clara E Peppitt, inmate, 23, house work, b Beds

Daisy Hilder, inmate, 14, laundry work, b Sussex

Maud Darner, inmate, 18, laundry work, b London

Ada Gravett, inmate, 18, laundry work, b Winchester

Eva Towers, inmate, 15, laundry work, b Lincs

Alice Green, inmate, 16, house work, b Leics

Ellen Williams, inmate, 19, laundry work, b Hereford

Florence Stacey, inmate, 18, house work, b Leics

Anne Garlick, inmate, 21, housework, b Worcs

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1911 19 Church Street, Home of Mercy – Female refuge

Agnes Louisa Meeking, lady supt., 46, b Suffolk

Sarah Elizabeth Robinson, matron, 36, b Yorks

Alice Louisa Clayton, matron, 26, b Norfolk

Rose Towell, matron, 28, b Devon

Edith Harvey, inmate, 22, b Staffs

Isabella Hines, inmate, 18, b Yorks

Lilleth Logan, inmate, 16, b London

Gertrude Susannah Smith, inmate, 23, b Norfolk

Ethel Maud Allen, inmate, 18, b Suffolk

Eleanor Elizabeth Bailey, inmate, 23, b Beds

Edith Minnie Richards, inmate, 16, b Dorset

Violet Agnes May Lingard, inmate, 20, b Essex

Ada Mary Reeve, inmate, 15, b London

Martha Mary Childs, inmate, 18, b St Neots

Violet May Whiting, inmate, 14, b Yorks

Rose Ellen Barnes, inmate, 18, b Lincs

Lilian Alice Main[?], inmate, 15, b Beds

Ida Mary Graham, inmate, 19, b Suffolk

Caroline Ellen Parker, 17, b Surrey

Eva Rebecca Fry, inmate, 17, b London

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1913

Home of Mercy (Female Refuge)

Miss Meeking, superintendent