Railway Cottages, Chesterton Junction

History of the Railway Cottages

The community that developed around Railway Cottages at Chesterton Junction provides an important insight into the social and economic history of Cambridge during the age of the railways. Built to house railway employees and their families, the cottages were closely tied to the operation of one of the region’s most important railway junctions. Their residents included engine drivers, firemen, signalmen, platelayers, porters and other workers whose labour kept the railway network functioning.

The cottages illustrate how the arrival of the railway transformed Cambridge and its surrounding villages. Railways created new employment opportunities and attracted skilled and semi-skilled workers, leading to the growth of distinct railway communities. At Chesterton Junction, work and home were closely connected, with many residents living only a short distance from the tracks, sidings and signal boxes where they worked.

The community was also shaped by the challenges of railway life. Residents lived alongside constant noise, smoke and the dangers associated with a busy railway junction. Yet strong social bonds often developed between families who shared similar occupations, working patterns and experiences. The cottages therefore provide valuable evidence of working-class life, housing conditions and community identity in industrial Cambridge.

Today, Railway Cottages are significant not only as surviving examples of railway housing but also as reminders of the people whose everyday work supported the growth of Cambridge and connected the city to the wider world. Their story helps us understand the impact of transport infrastructure on local communities and preserves the experiences of generations of railway families who contributed to the development of the city.

1851 “On the Fen”

Robert Mansfield, 37, rail labourer, b Chesterton

Mary, 32, b Fenstanton

William, 13, b Barnwell

Eliza, 9, b Barnwell

Ann, 7, b Chesterton

 

Thomas Morley, 37, rail labourer, b Fen Ditton

Martha, 36, b Essex

Frances, 9, b Fen Ditton

Annie, 7, b Fen Ditton

Amelia, 5, b Fen Ditton

Emma, 1, b Chesterton

 

John Hand, 46, rail labourer, b Leicester

Elizabeth, 37, b York

Eleanor, 16, b York

William, 8, b Birmingham

Elizabeth, 11, b Ely

Juan, 1, b Ely

 

William Evans, 26, rail labourer, b Cheshire

Mary, 27, housewife, b Cheshire

James, 4 mos, b Chesterton

 

Thomas Casburn, 36, rail labourer, b Burwell

Susan, 34, b Burwell

John, 11, b Burwell

Thomas, 8, b Burwell

Henrietta, 2, b Cambridge

 

Charles Jackson, 32, rail labourer, b Middlesex

Mary, 37, b Yorks

Joseph, 3, b Middlesex

Mary Ann, 1, b Middlesex

 

John Heritage, 35, rail servant, b Herts

Betsey, 32, b Herts

Henry, 10, b Herts

Elizabeth, 10, b Herts

William, 8, b Herts

Ellen, 6, b Herts

Emily, 3, b Chesterton

Herbert 6 mos, b Chesterton

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1861

James Havers, 27, railway signalman, b Essex

Clara, 31, b Essex

Eleaner E, 5, b Essex

 

Charles Hill, 25, railway pointsman, b Middlesex

Sarah, 26, b Middlesex

Arthur, 7 mos, b Chesterton

 

John Strickson, 31, railway signalman, b Stilton

Mary, 30, b Peterborough

Mary A, 8, b Essex

William H, 5, b Essex

John T, 3, b Essex

Harriet W, 1, b Chesterton

 

David Middleton, 23, labourer, b Chesterton

Jane, 24, b Chesterton

Martha, 1, b Chesterton

 

William Middleton, 39, plate layer, b Chesterton

Susan, 34, Chesterton

 

Robert Mansfield, 46, ag. labourer, b Chesterton

Mary, 40, b Longstanton

Anne, 17, b Chesterton

 

Thomas Cooper, 43, railway labourer, b Norfolk

Elizabeth, 39, b Yelling

Harriet McQuire, visitor, 8, b St Ives

 

John Cambridge, 36, railway labourer, b Chesterton

Sarah A, 30, b Chesterton

Henry, 5, b Chesterton

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1871 Fen Road

(1)

John Tyrell, 40, pointsman on GE Railway, b Essex

Emma Tyrell, 37, b Essex

Harry Tyrell, 11, b Cambridge

Frederick Tyrell, 8, b Chesterton

William Tyrell, 7, b Chesterton

Phoebe Tyrell, 5, b Chesterton

Sarah Ann Tyrell, 3, b Chesterton

Annie M Tyrell, 1, b Chesterton

(2)

David Middleton, 34, railway plate layer, b Chesterton

Jane Middleton, 35, b Chesterton

Martha Middleton, 11, b Chesterton

(3)

Thomas Rickwood, 38, railway servant, b Ely

Eliza Rickwood, 37, b Cambridge

George Rickwood, 12, b Cambridge

Henry Rickwood, 10, b Cambridge

Thomas Rickwood, 7, b Chesterton

(4)

Robert Mansfield, 58, railway plate layer, b Chesterton

Mary Mansfield, 54, b Longstanton

(5)

William Middleton, 51, railway plate layer, b Chesterton

Susan Middleton, 47, b Chesterton

[Susan Middleton died after being hit by a train and the coroner reported the cottages were “in a dangerous position.”]

(6)

Thomas Rivett, 50, railway labourer, b Norfolk

Susan Rivett, 44, b Norfolk

Clara Rivett, 10, b Fulbourn

Esther Bradman, infant, 1, b Cambridge

William Turner, lodger, widower, 36, engine driver, b Norfolk

(7)

Henry Slack, widower, 26, b Norwich

Violet Maria Slack, 5, b Norwich

Maria Fisk, mother, 59, b Norwich

(8)

Israel Utteridge, 28, railway signalman, b Trumpington

Mary Ann Utteridge, 33, b Horseheath

Emily Utteridge, 7, b Cambridge

Alice Utteridge, 4, b Cambridge

William Utteridge, 3ms, b Chesterton

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1881 Chesterton Junction

John Tyrell, 50, railway porter, b Essex

Emma, 47, b Essex

Henry, 21, general labourer, b Cambridge

George 19, general labourer, b Cambridge

William, 17, general labourer, b Cambridge

Phoebe, 15, domestic servant out of employment, b Cambridge

Annie, 11, b Cambridge

Charles, 7, b Cambridge

Richard, 4, b Cambridge

 

James Rivett, 59, railway labourer, b Norfolk

Susan, 54, b Norfolk

Clara, 20, b Fulbourn

Nelly, 11, b Cambridge

 

William Middleton, 60, plate layer, b Cambridge

 

George Rickwood, 22, general labourer, b Cambridge

Rhoda, 20, b Thriplow

[In 1881 Rose was born, and in 1883, Emily Rosetta was born. In 1885 there was a coroner’s investigation in to the deaths of both George and Rose close to the railway line.]

 

Mary Mansfield, 58, green grocer, b Longstanton

William Dowham, servant, 10, green grocers helper, b Chesterton

 

Eliza Rickwood, 45, b Chesterton

Thomas, 18, b Chesterton

 

Jane Edwards, 34, railway labourer, b Swavesey

Mary, 31, b Histon

 

James Belch, 43, railway porter, b Suffolk

Ada Mary, 12, b Herts

Alice Maud, 8, b Trumpington

Alfred James, 7, b Trumpington

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1891 Junction

Israel Uttridge, 47, railway signalman, b Trumpington

Mary Ann, 52, b Horseheath

William Ambrose, 20, white smith, b Chesterton

 

Isaac Edwards, 45, railway plate layer, b Swavesey

Mary, 40, b Histon

Elizabeth Wilson, niece, 5, b Histon

 

George Rickwood, 32, railway labourer, b Chesterton

Rhoda, 30, b Thriplow

Emily, 7, b Chesterton

 

William Richard Pauley, 29, foreman plate layer, b Histon

Elizabeth, 29, b Cambridge

Hazel W, 2, b Chesterton

 

William Middleton, 73, plate layer, b Chesterton

Mary, 77, b Suffolk

 

James Rivett, 62, plate layer, b Norfolk

Susan, 60, b Norfolk

Nellie, 21, drapers assistant, b Cambridge

 

Thomas Rayner, 31, railway plate layer, b Chesterton

Esther, 27, b Dry Drayton

Florence, 4, b Chesterton

Grace, 2, b Chesterton

 

William Shetten, 37, railway platelayer, b Westley

Annie, 45, b Chesterton

 

Reuben Dyson, 28, railway signalman, b Essex

Mary Ann, 26, b Haslingfield

---

1901

Israel Uttridge, 58, railway servant, b Trumpington

Mary, 62, b Horseheath

 

George Tyrell, 38, foreman railway plate layer, b Cambridge

E, wife, 40,

George, 18, b Chesterton

Oliver, 16, b Chesterton

Herbert, 14, b Chesterton

 

Fred Welman, 36, GER platelayer, b Milton

Emily, 31, b Horningsea

Dora, 8, b Milton

Percy, 5, b Milton

Reginald, 3, b Chesterton

Kate, 1, b Chesterton

 

Thomas Rayner, 42, railway servant, b Chesterton

Esther, 38, b Dry Drayton

George, 17, b Chesterton

Florence, 14, b Chesterton

Grace, 12, b Chesterton

Dora, 9, b Chesterton

Ethel, 5, b Chesterton

Henry, 5 mos, b Chesterton

 

Isaac Edmond, 53, plate layer, b Swavesey

Mary, 50, b Histon

Lizzie, 15, b Histon

Alfred Wilson, visitor, 45, labourer, b Histon

 

George Rickwood, 42, GER plate layer, b Cambridge

Emily, 17, b Chesterton

[Emily would marry Sidney Vail and continue in the cottages having daughters Violet Elizbeth Rhoda, Gladys Rosetta and Kathleen Vera.]

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1911

 

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1921

Ernest Charles Rule, 31, b Fen Ditton, GER plate layer,

Maria Susan, 40, b Chesterton

Geoffrey, 4, b Chesterton,

Thomas Jolley, step son, 12, b Chesterton

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1939 Chesterton Junction

(1) –

(10)

George Brown, b 1882, railway worker

Susannah, b 1892

?

(9)

John Ansell, b 1890, railway engineer

Minnie, b 1890

Frederick, b 1918, salesman soft furnishing

Ethel, b 1921, clerk furniture shop

(8)

Henry Jordan, b 1876, pumping engine driver

Sarah, b 1875

(7)

Maria S Rule, b 1881

Geoffrey, b 1917, motor lorry driver

Frederick A Jolley, b 1872, retired railway plate layer

(6)

Charles Frost, b 1904, railway maintenance

Gladys, b 1905

?

(5)

George H Flack, b 1879, retired railway plate layer

Esther, b 1875,

(4)

Kathleen Vail, b 1914

Violet E R, b 1906, tailoress

(2)

Henry C Pauley, b 1904, lengthman railway

Florence, b 1905

Edith, b 1928

?

?

?

David, b 1937

Samuel Loader, b 1870, house decorator

Edith, b 1869,

(3)

Ellis Pauley, b 1880, railway engineer ARP warden

Lily, b 1882,

Doris, b 1920

Annie Baker, b 1876

?

?

Frederick Flavell, b 1934

?

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