181/3 Hills Road (Springfield and Beechdene)

Notes on 181-3 Hills Road

1901

(Springfield)

Edmund J Kett, 39, builder and ecclesiastical carver

Anna E, 37

Edmund A, 7

Anna M, 14

Edith M Marsh, sister in law,

Lilly E Braysher, servant, 21

1901

(Beech Dene)

William Kett, 57, retired builder

Harriet A, 58

Kate Wright, servant, 19

1911

(Springfield)

Edward Joseph Kett, 49, builder and carver, born Cambridge

Annie Elizabeth, 47, born Norfolk

Annie Marsh, 24, born Cambridge

Susan Elizabeth Sennitt, servant, 23, born Stretham

1911

(Beechdene)

William Kett, 67, ecclesiastical builder retired, born Norwich

Harriett Annie, 68, born Cambridge

Maud Elizabeth Oakman, 22, servant, born Cambridge

These two houses were built by the Kett family of Rattee and Kett in the late 1890s. Wiliam Kett lived at 181  and Edmund at 183. The latter house was once the home of Mrs Win Barrett whose son,Syd Barrett, was one of the members of the original Pink Floyd.

Sources: Cambridge News (Cambridgeshire Collection), UK census

William Kett was appointed a church warden at St John’s in 1908.

22/7/1947 The death occurred at the Catholic Nursing Home in Brooklands Avenue of Mr Edmund Joseph Kett who has been ill for the past week. Mr Kett who was 85, was a partner in the firm of Messrs Rattee and Kett, builders and contractors where he started as a boy immediately on leaving school. He retired from the firm in 1925 when the business became a limited company. During his time with the firm he was responsible for the building of the Cambridge Catholic Church and was also connected with the restoration of Arundel Castle, the Duke of Norfolk’s country seat. This took 16 years to complete (Cam. Press)