Trinity college staff: Johnathan Apthorpe on right, [Frederick?] Carter [b 1841?]on left and four bedmakers. (Cambridgeshire Collection)

59 Hertford Street

History of 59 Hertford Street

1901

Jonathan Apthorpe, 71, retired college servant, b Cambridge

Elizabeth, 51, b Hants

Frederick, 20, college clerk, b Chesterton

Leonard, 19, invalid, b Chesterton

Frank J, 16, solicitor’s clerk, b Chesterton

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1913

Jonathan Apthorpe, pensioner

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59 Hertford Street was the home from at least 1955 of Anthony Alfred Brotchie. He had been approached in 1941 by Canon Marshall of the Catholic church as a replacement winder for the church clock,  a prominent landmark on Hyde Park Corner. The clock and its chimes were driven with a 24-hour power reserve and required manual winding every day. ‘Catholics in Cambridge’ ed N Rogers, has a an account by Tony Brotchie of his time as clock winder. Once, because there were no lights in the clock tower he had to use a torch to wind the mechanism. Someone must have reported the strange lights because he was quickly investigated by plain clothes police.