7 St Andrew’s Hill

History of 7 St Andrew's Hill

Romilly records in his diary 4 July 1843:

M.L. and I went over the two dilapidated houses, gardens and 6 cottages belonging to 2 unfortunate maiden Ladies of the name of Bones who have just been removed to Bedford Asylum. Their relation (Mr Michael Headly) kindly showed us over the place: it was a melancholy exhibition: the 6 cottages were all dismantled, the gardens become a wilderness: the house in St Andrews St had never been finished, they having quarrelled with their Architect:- the house facing the Pig market was where they lived. They fancied everything was poisoned: they used to throw aside their bread after smelling to it: we saw at least 60 loaves of bread in different closets, many wrapped up in paper an dated, the greater part mouldy and hard: they had fastened down the register to their stove, tying it to the top bar, because they thought there were spies in the chimney: they did not venture to speak to each other lest they be overheard by the spies, but wrote down their thoughts on slates: they slept in the same bed: they spoke to persons from a pannel in the bedroom window: they had no servant but an occasional charwoman; they had had not changed their linen for weeks nor see the said charwoman: the elder of the 2 sisters had more than £1000 about her when taken away: they resisted very much (as might be expected) when taken away, and fled from room to room: their little dog defended them stoutly and bit the Policeman. The house and cottages that were unoccupied would let for more than £150 p.a.” in one of the gardens was the old decayed chaise of their Father (an Attorney) ….. [John Bones died in 1813 and is commemorated in a memorial tablet on the north wall of Great St Andrew’s Church.]

The story of these two sisters who lived at 7 St Andrew’s Hill was retold by Enid Porter in the Cambridge News of 31 January and 7 February 1964.

The Museum of Cambridge holds the following items:

1852: Grant of the custom of the persons of Mary Ann Bones and Sophia Bones persons of unsound mind to Caroline Headly

1852: Grant of the custom of the persons of Mary Ann Bones and Sophia Bones persons of unsound mind to Caroline Headly

1852: Grant of the custom of the persons of Mary Ann Bones and Sophia Bones persons of unsound mind to Caroline Headly

1852: Grant of the custom of the persons of Mary Ann Bones and Sophia Bones persons of unsound mind to Caroline Headly

1852: Grant of the custom of the persons of Mary Ann Bones and Sophia Bones persons of unsound mind to Caroline Headly

1852: Grant of the custom of the persons of Mary Ann Bones and Sophia Bones persons of unsound mind to Caroline Headly

1852: Grant of the custom of the persons of Mary Ann Bones and Sophia Bones persons of unsound mind to Caroline Headly

Bones sisters, Headley custody document, MoC description

Bones sisters’ diary, sample page, held by Museum of Cambridge

1861 Census

Richard Wilson, 49, clergyman no cure private tutor, b Yorks

1913 (Kelly)

Cox and Allen, bookbinders etc
A Cox, advertising agent

1937

(7) Cox and Allen, bookbinders; Foister and Jagg printers; Cambridge Town Football Club (H.H. Neve sec.)

1962 (Kelly)

W S Thatcher, private tutor
Elias and Co stock brokers