8-9 Petty Cury circa 1960 (MoC204B/70)

8 – 9 Petty Cury, Cambridge

History of 8 Petty Cury

1851

George Williams, 28, grocer, b Cambridge

Elizabeth, 27, b East Dereham Norfolk

John, 11, b East Dereham Norfolk

Jane, 8, b East Dereham Norfolk

John Williams, father in law, Baptist Minister East Dereham, b Cambridge

Elizabeth, mother, in law, 47, b Norfolk

Charles Rowton, assistant, 20,  b Cambridge

John Barker, assistant, 18, b Essex

Elizabeth Ellen, servant, 18, b Barton

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1861

(9)

George Williams, 39, grocer employing 1 assistant and 1 apprentice, b Cambridge

Elizabeth, 37, b Norfolk

Elizabeth, 9, b Cambridge

George C, 6, b Cambridge

Harriet, sister, 36, milliner, born Cambridge

David Waiter, lodger, blacksmith, b Norfolk

Elizabeth Waiter, wife,  b London

Octavius Blinkhorn, assistant, 17, grocer’s assistant, b Cambs

Susannah Ryder, servant, 18, b Sawston

(8) see 7 Petty Cury

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1871 (8)

Charles Constable, hatter

Amelia Kent, sister, 30, b Cambridge: See 1861 entry. Amelia had remarried in 1870 to James Kent. By 1881 Amelia and James had moved to Ecclesall Bierlow in Yorkshire where James ran a brewery. See Mill Road Cemetery entry.

Sarah H Scott, visitor, 13, b Sheffield

Sarah Bullum, servant, 40, b Ditton

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1881 (8) Hatters Shop [for 9 Petty Cury see Falcon Inn]

John F Constable, widower, 75, hatter, b Cambridge

Charles, 52, hatter and clothier, b Cambridge

Sarah Busling, 40, servant, b Ditton

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1891

George J Dring, 24, pork butcher, b Grantchester

Eliza E, 21, pork butcher, b Cambridge

Kate S, sister, 25, housekeeper, b Cambridge

Mary L, sister, 22, housekeeper, b Cambridge

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1900

George Wootten (over Pryor’s)

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1901 uninhabited

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1913

James Valentine Pryor, fishmonger and ice merchant

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MacFisheries: sturgeon on display — 6 August 1924

A sturgeon which was caught in Hemingford Grey Mill pit was the subject of interest to a number of spectators at the MacFisheries depot in Petty Cury, Cambridge. It is understood to be the largest fish that has been caught in the locality for some years past. It weighed 185 lbs, was 8ft ½ inch in length, measured 38 inches round the girth and was 19 inches across the tail. It is though the fish reached so high up the river owing to the recent floods. The tail, fins and certain parts of the intestines were removed to the Zoological Laboratories and portions of the flesh and skin will be returned to Hemingford Grey

Credit: Mike Petty Archive, Cambridge Petty Cury Scrapbook, 6 August 1924.

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Falcon Club, 8–9 Petty Cury: war workers’ club — 9 October 1943

Club for transferred war workers to be established at 8-9 Petty Cury to provide canteen and recreational accommodation for men and women, including washing and ironing facilities. Will be open 10am-10pm; an attractive meeting and resting place for workers who have come from away – 43 10 09

Credit: Mike Petty Archive, Cambridge Petty Cury Scrapbook, ref. 43 10 09.

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MacFisheries: spikes beneath the roof — 5 March 1955

Sir – While surveying the exterior of premises over the Mac Fisheries in Petty Cury, Cambridge, I observed a row of iron spikes attached to the fascia board of the guttering. I presume they were fixed for the purpose of breaking up the large banks of snow leaving the roof and ensuring a more ‘equitable distribution’ on pedestrians using the pavement below. Such fittings must be something of a rarity – perhaps more observant readers can mention other buildings still retaining these spikes and enlighten me on their history – D.W. Overhill.

Credit: Mike Petty Archive, Cambridge Petty Cury Scrapbook, ref. 55 03 05.

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1962

(8) Developed Products Ltd, industrial products

(8/9) C J Stephens

(8 & 9) MacFisheries Ltd, fishmongers

(8 & 9) Mallinson’s School of Photography & Journalism

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In 2022  AN sent this note:

When I was about 10,  [in the 50s ] my mother would take me into Cambridge, from Trumpington where we lived, and I was fascinated by the shops there, Eaden Lilley,  and the lovely  stalls on the market, and the beautiful Petty Cury [ totally ruined !! ]  where she would go into Mc fisheries with its live fis , eels etc swimming around which I was fascinated with, in the big tank set in the floor under the big counter. Also , later on in life , I used to take game to a shop by the Guildhall called Sennits, the game dealer, where in a dingy basement sat a wizened old man who used to pluck them all day long and on being instructed to take pheasants down to him, was usually with profanities , saying,   What do you think I’m going to do with those  !!!!!!  things this time of day !!  I think it may have ended up as a model shop ?

In 2024 AM wrote (circa1950): My Grandmother used to work for Boots the Chemist. I remember shopping with her at Mac Fisheries it must have been reasonably close to Lensfield road as she used to send me to get cast off pieces for the cats dinner. There was a hole in the floor where the live fish were kept and I was always afraid I would fall in !