Mill Lane

History of the Mill Lane area

For a very detailed analysis of the history of this area, particularly as show in maps, visit:

https://www.cambridge.gov.uk/media/2316/mill-lane-historic-environment-analysis.pdf

The OS map of the Mill Lane area from 1901 is shown here:

OS Map 1901 Mill Lane area

Despite the density of the housing and other buildings apparent from the maps of the area depicted in the Cambridge City study, the census references to households in the street are surprisingly sparse.

The map below is an extract from the City Council report showing the numbering of Mill Lane:

In 1851 there are four households in Mill Lane but despite the numbering, it is difficult to associate them with the residents listed in the 1861 census as the properties are unnumbered and the names different.

1841 Mill Lane

Charles Foster, 35, merchant

Mary Ann, 35,

Sidney Wentworth, 12,

Roda Salmons, 35, servant

Mary Ann Bell, 25, servant

Emma Nicholls, 25, servant

Daniel Radford, 20, servant

William Chapman, 20, merchants clerk

1851

(7)

Ann Comings, 90, coal corn and timber merchant employing 8 men, b Cambridge

Henry Hazard, brother, 63, b Cambridge

Jane Grange, servant, 35, b Hunts

Sarah Peachey, 50, b Cambs

George Pamment, 28, servant, b Suffolk

Josiah Chater writes in his diary about the 1853 election that was subsequently declared void in Cambridge. A Royal Commission was set up which examined nearly 300 witnesses. The Commission decided that ‘bribery. treating and other corrupt practices have for a long period systematically prevailed at elections.’ Hazard, was a member of the local Conservative committee. he had been approached in 1852 by C W Naylor, proprietor of the Cambridge Chronicle, for money to be used in bribing voters. He paid over in all the sum of £1,250.

(8)

George Dickerson, 43, inn keeper, b Trumpington

(9)

Charles Finch Foster, 55, alderman banker merchant, b Cambridge [son of Ebenezer Foster and brother of Richard Foster]

Mary Ann, 47, b Middlesex

Sidney Wentworth, 22, BA Corpus College Cambridge, b Cambridge

Rhoda Simmonds, 46, servant, b Granby

Mary Fromant, 32, servant, b Norfolk

Thomas Smith, servant, 26, b Herts

In the 1861 census the Fosters are living at Marine Parade, Dover. Mary Ann née Wentworth died in 1863; Charles died in 1866.

1891

(1) Mary A Stanton, 59, lodging house keeper, b Balsham

(2) Kerenhappack Clark, 63, lodging house keeper, b Essex

(5) Daniel W Sayer, 58, corn miller foreman, b Suffolk

(6) Andrew Henschke, 64, hairdresser, b Germany

(7) Thomas Sutton, 73, groom retired, b Harston, blind not from childhood

(8) William Famely, 52, millers carter, b St Ives

(9) John Porter, 45, billiard table keeper, b Norfolk