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221 Hills Road

221 Hills Road, Cavendish Corner/Strathmore

Notes on the history of 221 Hills Road Cambridge

More information about the history of this building, currently occupied by the language school EF, can be found here:

The History of 221 Hills Road, Cambridge

Information about the history of EF can be found here:

http://www.ef.co.uk/about-us/our-history/

A letter to the Cambridge Weekly New in September 1986 from Anne Bidder recalls some of the activities at the house:

While my father and mother lived at Cavendish Corner, the garden was in frequent use by the local community for sales of work, garden meetings, district nursing, Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, Womens Citizens’ Association, Liberal gatherings (my father was a keen and active Liberal).

The activities all took place on the lawn and orchard near the house but the whole garden was open.

There was never the least damage; my father said that the local people felt a sort of pride – and would never have hurt what was in a sense “theirs”.

Both my parents were remarkable. My father was grandson of George Parker Bidder I, the ‘calculating boy.’ He had a remarkable mind and width of knowledge.

My mother gave up scientific work on her marriage and was active in all sorts of committees, the council of Homerton, the garden committee of Girton (her own college) and active friend of Newnham (where she was a lecturer until he marriage) – the voluntary Mental Welfare Association (with Mrs Rootham, Mr Rackham) and many others…

UK census data

1901

Alexander Macintosh, 40, ironmonger and ironfounder, born Cambridge

Annie M, 35

Alister B, 10

John B, 8

Margaret B, 4

Mercy Hardy, servant, 26, cook

In 1891 the family were living at 11 Bateman Street. Alexander had married Annie McGregor on 5/6/1888 in Cambridge.

1911

George Parker Bidder, 47, zoologist, born Kensington

Marion Greenwood Bidder, 48, physiologist, born Hull

Caroline Greenwood Bidder, 10, born London

Anna McClean Bidder, 8, born Cherry Hinton

Agnes Hamilton Greenwood, visitor, 52, private teacher, born Hull

Fanny Maxted, servant, 47, nurse, born Kent

Emily Calvert, servant, 44, cook, born Hereford

Helen Hinde, servant, 30, parlourmaid, born Bradford

Florence Anne Peatman, servant, 23, housemaid, born Chesterton

1921

George Parker Bidder, 58, Doctor of Science biological research, born Kensington

Marion Greenwood Bidder, 58, Home Duties, born Hull

Caroline Greenwood Bidder, 20, born London

Anna McClean Bidder, 18, born Cherry Hinton

Johaim Jacob Loeliger, Visitor,  53, b Basel Switzerland, hotel proprietor Parker’s Hotel Naples

Florence Anne Peatman, servant, 33, Housemaid, born Chesterton

Ade Helenor Markham, servant, 38,  Palourmaid, born Biggleswade

Else Pollard, servant, 24, Housemaid, born Cambridge

Susan Kenny, servant, 51, Cook, born London

Gertrude Theobald, servant, 17, Tweeny maid, born Suffolk [tweeny maid assisted both cook and housemaid]

…………………..

A biography of George Parker Bidder can be found here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Parker_Bidder_III

Marion Greenwood Bidder was a pioneering woman student and taught physiology and botany at Girton and Newnham colleges.

Anna McClean Bidder was a zoologist and co-founder of Lucy Cavendish College.

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