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Parson's Court, Wheeler Street before Corn Exchange built (MoC PB 116/82)

Parson’s Court, Wheeler Street

History of Parson's Court, Wheeler Street

1861:

(1)

Harriet Pateman

(2)

Edward Bell, 67, corn and seed merchant, b Cambridge

Charlotte, 60, b Fulbourn

Sarah Squires, daughter, 36, straw bonnet maker, b Cambridge

John Gillam Bell, 30, corn and seed merchant clerk, b Cambridge

Alfred Gillam Bell, 26, corn and seed merchant clerk, b Cambridge

Allice Squires, granddaughter, 10, b Cambridge

William Bell Squires, grandson, 5, b Cambridge

Eiza Jennings, servant, 42, b Cambridge

In 1851 the family were at 3 Free School Lane

Edward Bell died in 1865.

(3)

Harriet Martin Nicholls

(5) vacant


3/6/1904: Fire in Messrs Bell and Son’s premises in Wheeler Street, an ancient building used as a corn and seed merchants premises for two or three centuries. Police constable Winter noticed fire and smoke at 4.30 am and gave the alarm. The hose reel from the Guildhall was affixed to a hydrant and a stream of water directed on the burning building. Firemen appeared on the scene with the horsed fire-escape and tender but the building of three floors and constructed largely of lath and plaster was burning fiercely. The flames leapt high through the roof and shot out through the windows. In a very short time the roof fell in with a crash and all hope for saving the property was destroyed. The efforts of 28 firemen and 15 police was directed towards preventing the spread of the fire to the adjoining property. The cause of the outbreak is unknown. There had been unusual activity among the rats and mice in the old premises, now taken as a sign that the fire had got a good hold on Sunday evening. The damage was extensive. The fire and second floors, used for the storage of fodder and seed were nearly burnt out, the ground floor and offices were severely damaged by smoke. The basement and the top floor and a small part of the roof of the ‘Bell’ public house were damaged by water as were the contents of the tobacconist’s shop at the end of Wheeler Street occupied by Mr Canham. The window frames of the Cambridge Free Library were slightly damaged by the heat. (Cam.News)

1913

  1. A M Robinson auctioneer
  2. Nockolds and King estate agents
  3. E Bell, corn merchants
  4. Ernest Gordon, custodian of new Lecture Rooms, Bene’t Street

No. 3 (formerly No.4) is a Listed Building


1962

1 Dorothy Hall, ladies hairdresser

2 & 3 City of Cambridge Weights and measures Department

4 Hy W Pilsworth

Parson’s Court & Corn Exchange (MoC152.71)

 

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