High Street, Histon, 1900 : no.11 on left

11 High Street, Post Office, Histon

History of 11 High Street

Mary Tolliday was appointed Histon Sub Postmaster in 1857, taking over from the Gawthrops. The post office was accommodated in their house. (‘Sent By Mail – The Story of Histon and Impington’s Post’ by S J Harper-Scott, 1998.)

Mary Tolliday was the first of three generations who would run the Histon post office. Her husband had been a blacksmith and had died in 1850. Of their five children, John would succeed her as postmaster, George would become village postman, Charles would become Sub Postmaster in Grantchester.

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1851 High Street

Mary Tolliday, widow, 42, blacksmith employing 1 man, b Histon

John, 8, b Histon

Eliza, 7, b Histon

Lucy, 1, b Histon

Charles, 3m, b Histon

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1861 High Street

Mary Tolliday, widow, 52, blacksmith, b Histon

John, 18, blacksmith, b Histon

Eliza, 17, dressmaker, b Histon

Lucy, 11, b Histon

Charles, 10, b Histon

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1870

Mary Tolliday died in September.

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1881 High Street

John Tolliday, 38, postmaster and blacksmith, b Histon

Elizabeth, 37, b Histon

John, 4, b Histon

Annie, 3, b Histon

George, 2, b Histon

Elizabeth, 11 mos, b Histon

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1883

Post office became a Money order Office and Savings Bank.

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1891 High Street

John Tolliday, 48, sub postmaster and blacksmith, b Histon

Elizabeth, 47, b Histon

Mary E, 16, ass post office,

John, 14, clerk in jam factory, b Histon

Annie, 13, b Histon

George, 12, b Histon

Katie H, 8, b Histon

Gertrude A, 4, b Histon

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1897

Telegraph office created.

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1901 Post office, High Street

John Tolliday, 58, sub post master and blacksmith, b Histon

Elizabeth, 57, b Histon

Mary E, 26, post office assistant, b Histon

Robert S, 24, club [??] manufacturing, b Histon

George, 21, blacksmith, b Histon

Kate H, 18, teacher, b Histon

Gertrude, 14, b Histon

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1911 Post office

John Tolliday, 68, blacksmith and sub postmaster, b Histon

Elizabeth, 67, b Histon

John Stanley, 34, clerk, b Histon

Kate Helena, 28, assistant post office, b Histon

Gertrude Amy, 24, assistant post office, b Histon

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1921

John Tolliday died in March. Amy took over running the post office. Amy, Gertrude Amy, ran the post office until the early 1930s when Frederick Floyd took over and the post office moved to the location of The Variety Shop which he had run previously.

Gertrude Amy retired to 62 Station Road. She died in 1955.