51 Hartington Grove (Sussex House)

Historical notes on 51 Hartington Grove

1900 January: Newspaper report on letter sent by Charles Piper to the Chesterton Rural District council about the condition of Rock Road. “Rock-road was not only dangerous being well nigh impassable, but also in a highly unsanitary condition. The main drain between Hartington Grove and Blinco Grove was blocked with foul silt which was consequently  forcing its way upwards and standing in great pools on the road. The district, with its “infernal roads, make-shift drains, and cesspools system”, was going from bad to worse.”

1901

(Sussex House)

Charles H Piper, 48, brewer’s general merchant, born Sussex

Lucy, 48, born London

Albert Henry, 16, music student, born London

Marguerite L, 11, born Cambridge

David J, 9, born Cherry Hinton

Edith F Smith, general servant, 19, born Essex

In 1891 the Piper family were at 5 Emery Street.

1911

Albert Edward King, 48, solicitor, born Longstanton

Minnie, 42, born Huddersfield

Edith Mary, 19, born Cambridge

Bernard Ellis, 18, law student, born Cambridge

Edward George, 16, born Cambridge

Geoffrey Cole, 12, born Cambridge

Ruth Marion, 5, born Cambridge

Mabel Ellis, sister in law, 31, born Hunts.

Florence Calter, servant, 31, cook, born Gt Abington

Miss Harding was living at the house of E A King when she volunteered for the Red Cross 1915-1916 at Huntley VAD hospital as linenkeeper.

According to the 1982 Cambridge Weekly News article on Hartington Grove, one owner of this house once kept peacocks in the garden. The house was built in 1893 on a grand scale with a coach house in the garden.

Another past owner was Angelica de St-Prix who worked with Prince Peter of Denmark on a book on “polyarchy.”

Sources: Cambridge News (Cambridgeshire Collection)