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Line drawing of a narrow courtyard with timber-framed buildings, a woman and child standing in the center, and a small cat.

Cross Keys Inn (Bird’s Yard) 1911

Cross Keys Yard, Magdalene Street, Cambridge

History of Cross Keys Yard, Magdalene Street

1851

Cross Keys Yard:

Matthew Ball, 63, vinegar maker’s clerk, b Hackney

Frances Levitt, 51, house servant, b Lolworth

Magdalen Street: (unnumbered)

William Ingle, 41, ironmonger, b Cambridge

On 15 September 1858 Josiah Chater reports in his diary a fire opposite Magdalen College, next door top Ingle’s.

1861

1.Sarah Blett, 55 college servant, b Cambridge

2.William Ingle, 51, whitesmith, b Cambridge

3.William Addison, 30, cabinet maker, b Cambridge

4.Charles Stearn, 26, labourer, b Histon

5.Charles Gawthrop, 24, brewer’s drayman, b Histon

Old Cross Keys Yard:

Thomas Stubbings, head, 45, brewer’s man, b Carlton

Mary Johnson, head, 64, bedmaker, b Caxton

1874

William Adison, carpenter

Henry Purkis, corn merchant

Gawthorpe, engine driver

Howard, flyman

A water-colour drawing of timber-framed buildings with overhanging upper stories and small windows fronting a cobbled yard.

Cross Keys Magdalene St 1909 (MoC11:92:59)

1913

3.B W Rich

2.Mrs Ready

1.James Evans Silk, coachman


A man stands in a cobbled yard beside a weatherboarded building stacked with numerous wooden barrels, near an open doorway.

Cross Keys Yard, 1920

Cross Keys Yard was home to Messrs W K Bird, a malt vinegar brewer and mustard and potted meat manufacturer, for 105 years before the premises were acquired by Magdalene College in 1915.

Black and white print showing a narrow alleyway with laundry hanging on a line between two buildings, textured with ink lines.

Cross Key’s Yard, print by Rita Genlloud c.1926

By 1932 work was underway on Mallory Court.

A clay pipe with crossed keys embossed on the bowl rests on a blue background next to a carved wooden handle and labels 9 and 18.

Cross keys clay pipe (Museum of Cambridge)

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  • Magdalene Street
  • Museum Exhibit Stories

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14 Magdalene Street

17 Magdalene Street

25 Magdalene Street, Cross Keys Inn

19 Magdalene Street

20 Magdalene Street

16 Magdalene Street

4, 3, 1, 2 Magdalene Street

24 Magdalene Street

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