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Redcourt, 4 Adams Road

History of 4 Adams Road

1908 House built by Francis Shillington Scales on land leased by St John’s College. Architect was Arnold Mitchell of 17 Hanover Sq. London.

1914

Francis Shillington Scales, MA MB. He was a pioneer in X-ray techniques.

The following note was sent by MF in 2025:

E. Joyce Shillington-Scales (Cousin Joyce)

Born 1897 daughter of Dr Francis Shillington-Scales (1866-1927) a pioneer of radiology who was educated at Jesus College, Cambridge and one of those who established Cambridge as a world leader in scientific research. He did X-ray experiments in the garage of the large house he had built at 4 Adams Rd. That’s where Joyce was born and grew up. Her mother was Marion Shillington who married Francis in 1892. The Shillingtons were a prominent family in the political, business (linen manufacturing), sporting and religious life of Northern Ireland. Marion was an older sister of ‘Do’ (Major David Shillington) who was Unionist MP for Co. Armagh and Minister of Labour in the Government of Northern Ireland during the 1930’s. Her cousin Sir Graham Shillington (Debbie’s Uncle G) was Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary during the troubles. Her elder sister Doris was a respected harpist.

 4 Adams Rd is now Robinson College and itself part of Cambridge University. I understand it hosted some members of LSE during World War II.  Their home website mentions that they have two etchings by Joyce. That academic connection with Jesus College must have been the key to knowing Arthur Gray (1852- 1940) who was Master of that college from 1912 to his death, an unusually long stint even by Oxbridge standards. Arthur Gray’s only work of fiction was ‘Tedious Brief Tales of Granta and Gramarye’ which he published in 1919 under the pseudonym of ‘Ingulphus’. This publication of mystery consists of a poem and nine tales many of which refer to the College. For us, this slim card backed volume is especially interesting as containing 16 illustrations by Joyce.

So we know that Joyce was a very esteemed illustrator in her early twenties. The photocopied illustrations we have come from the 1919 edition rather than the edition published 1993 by Ghost Story Press or the 1996 Jesus College quincentenary celebration edition. They include ‘A corner of the Library’, ‘Norman Gallery’ (Thankful Thomas), ‘Main Gateway,’ ‘Porter’s Lodge’, ‘Doorway to Cow Lane’. ‘Master’s Stall’, and ‘Founder’s doorway’.

Joyce was also a renowned calligrapher. Much more to find out. She was awarded the BEM in 1942. Joyce married Dermot Cather in 1931. Dermot had been a Midshipman at the Battle of Jutland. He very kindly loaned us his naval sword to cut our wedding cake April 20th, 1974. Dermot’s brother Geoff won a VC in the First World War. Joyce and Dermot lived in Battle, Sussex. The covering letter Anthony Shillingford passed to me with the photocopies of Joyce’s Jesus College illustrations was posted in New South Wales and is dated April 1983 so we are fairly sure Joyce was alive then at which time she would have been 86. It was Joyce who initiated the famous scarf with Shillington ancestry sewn as a spider’s web and actual signatures where possible.

The Museum of Cambridge has four of Joyce’s pencil sketches (1928): Sidney Street, the Market area and Hobson Street.

For more information about  E Joyce Shillington

https://hauntedlibraryblog.blogspot.com/2014/09/e-joyce-shillington-scales.html

https://www.robinson.cam.ac.uk/news/4-adams-road

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1939 -1945 LSE student were evacuated here

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1946 – 1988 house owned by Reddaway family. Brian Reddaway was an economist.

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1962

W Bryan Reddaway

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