91 Cherry Hinton Road

91 Cherry Hinton Road (Perseverance), Cambridge

History of 91 Cherry Hinton Road

1901

(no name or number)

Harry H Onyett

Harriet K C

Muriel

Grace L

Kenneth

Annie E Taylor, servant, 15, born Fulbourn

1911

Harry Herbert Onyett, 42, draper and clothier, born Hunts

Harriet Kate Cliff, 44, (8 children, 1 died), assisting in the business, born Notts

Muriel Onyett, 15, assisting at home, born Cambridge

Grace Lilian, 13, born Cambridge

Kenneth, 11, born Cambridge

Herbert George, 9, born Cambridge

Arthur Edward, 8, born Cambridge

Kathleen, 5, born Cambridge

Charles Henry, 3, born Cambridge

Henry Herbert Onyett and his staff could well be standing outside in this photo.

1939

Wilfrid L Asbury, b 1888, master hair dresser

Louisa B, b 1888

Ethel M, b 1912, receptionist beauty preparation

Hilda L. b 1914, ladies hairdresser

?

?

Joyce E, b 1926

Lilian E Blake, b 1914, servant

See also 8 Rose Crescent

1962

Wilfrid L Asbury

1988

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This was the location at the time of World War One of Harry H Onyett’s, draper and outfitter. In 1988 (CWN) Cecil Utteridge recalled how at Christmas Onyetts would put on a display of toys and Mr Onyett dressed up as Father Christmas and anyone spending a certain amount in the shop received a gift from him.

Later it was owned by the firm of Asbury, ladies’ hairdressers. Wilfred Asbury had come to Cambridge in 1909 from Burton-on-Trent and acquired several premises in Cambridge including one established in Trinity Street in the 1890s by Ignatius Knaster which was taken over by Wilfred Asbury after the First World War.  The firm expanded to three shops in Cambridge and in 1939, Wilfred’s son Roger open up a further shop here in Cherry Hinton Road. During the war a stick of bombs fill on the tennis courts next to the house but no damage was done.

When interviewed in 1964 by the Cambridge News Wilfred Asbury was 75 years old and believed he was the oldest hairdresser in Cambridge. Mrs Asbury commented ‘that hairdressing is not “the art” it was in pre-war days, the job having been made considerably easier by modern machines.

‘”I think the war had a lot to do with it,” she says. “Something had to be done when women were all strung up at the hairdresser’s and then had to get out in a hurry when the air raid warning went.”

Sources: Cambridge News (Cambridgeshire Collection)