17 Merton Street, Merton Cottage, Cambridge

History of 17 Merton Street

1871

George Wilfrid Stephenson, 47, architect and civil engineer, b London

Eliza Cunliffe [Andrew], 46, b Gainsborough Lincs

G W H, 16, b Lancs

G H L, 11, b Lancs

In 1877 Stephenson’s part in the fraud dealings of John Wright Neville was discovered. Stephenson was Town Surveyor.

CCJ18771103

A warrant was issued for his arrest but it was reported that he had fled to America (Cambridge Independent Press 22/9/1877). However, in the Cambridge Independent Press 3/8/1878 it stated:

We are informed on what appears to be good authority that Mr George Wilfred Stephenson, who, it will be remembered, absconded when his complicity with the late acting clerk of the Board in the frauds on the funds of the Commissioners was discovered, has recently died in Belgium.

Elise Cunliffe Stephenson (b 1825) died in July 1873 in Cambridge. They had married in West Derby Lancs in 1853.

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1913 Merton Cottage

James Hawkes

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1939

Charles Thaxter

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1962

John Whittow