Gas Lane

History of Gas Lane

This was the location of the earliest gas works in Cambridge. They stood until the late 1830s.

See Grafton and Gas by Alan Brigham, Cambs Local History Soc., Sept 2004.

Gas Lane had disappeared by the end of the 20th century. It had been in the triangle of roads between Norfolk Street and Newmarket Road. In the 1888 OS map it runs east from Staffordshire Street, later the approximate course of St Matthew’s Street. By the early 20th century the eastern end of Gas Lane linked to the western ends of Petworth and Geldart Street.

See Cambridgeshire Archives Mapping Relief project:

Gas Lane – Mapping relief

1851

James Gates, 50, baker, b Fen Ditton

Harriet, 55, b Wisbech

George, 24, baker, b Haslingfield

188 OS map of Gas Lane area of Cambridge

1871

(1)

Jethro Pratt, 45, fish dealer, b Cambridge

(2)

Samuel George, 35, fishmonger, b Cambridge

(3)

Ann Gooch, 65, unable to work, b Cambs

(4)

Lydia Haggar, 60, nurse, b Madingley

(5)

William Newman, 46, fruitere, b Cambridge

(6)

Susanna Askham, b 55, laundress, b Cambridge

(7)

Ann Miller, 72, nothing, b Devon

(8)

Elijah Adell, 46, marine store dealer, b Beds

(9)

William Clapham, 29, journeyman butcher, b Cambridge

(10)

Jeremiah Allard, 63, brewery journeyman, b Cambridge

(11)

Dinah Death, 76, hawker, b Oxon

(12)

Thomas Saggers, 26, labourer, b Cambridge

(13)

Alfred Jacobs, 27, bricklayer’s labourer, b Cambridge

(14)

George Clarke, 39, bricklayer, b Essex

(15)

Caroline Reynolds, 40, laboring woman, b Cambridge

(16)

George Parr, labourer, 71, b Burwell

(17)

Elizabeth Bavister, 69, incapable, b Landbeach, right wrist broken

(18)

James Aylett, 40, labourer, b Madingley

(19)

Mary Cann, 55, charwoman, b Willingham

(20)

William Smith, 45, labourer, b Cambridge

(21) unoccupied

1899

29.12.1899 Cambridge Chronicle

Elisa Booty and Fanny Laxton, young women, were charged with stealing 6d and three or four penny from William Pearce, hawker, in Norfolk Street, on Bank Holiday.—The prosecutor, an elderly man, stated that he lived at 5, Gas Lane. Shortly before ten o’clock at night the prisoners came up to him in Norfolk Street. One of them spoke to him, put her arms around him  and took the money from his pocket. He was also struck in the face.  He subsequently went with P.-c. Wright to Sun Court, Newmarket Road, and identified the prisoners as the women who had robbed him.  He gave the women into custody and Booty then struck him In the face. —Emily Binder, landlady of ‘The Cherry Tree,’ Fitzroy Street, said the women entered her house about 9.15 and asked for whiskey. Witness advised them to have soda water and the prisoners then ordered lemonade, with which they were served- P.c. Wright said at 9.45p.m. he went with Pearce to Sun Street, where they saw the prisoners. Laxton said to Pearce ‘If you say I robbed you in Norfolk Street, I will knock you over that _ gate.’ She then struck the prosecutor in the face. In the course of a conversation, Laxton said the prosecutor was the man who cave them 6d. to buy the baby they were carrying a doll. Booty said ‘No, that is not the man.’ The women were given in charge and taken to the Police Station. On the way to the Police Station Laxton said to Booty ‘You had that money. I had none of it.’ —P.-c. Hurry gave confirmatory evidence. The Court sentenced each of the prisoners, who are well-known to the police, to three months’ imprisonment with hard labour.