15 Sedley Taylor Road, Kersall, Cambridge

History of 15 Sedley Taylor Road

1935 (1934-70)

George Walker PhD

Dr George Walker was a mathematician. It was reported in 1982 that in WWII they ‘had an anti-aircraft battery at the end of the garden. Mrs Walker used to take the “cup that says it all” to quote one of our popular newspapers, about a contemporary situation, to the troops at the bottom of the garden. “They had occasion”, says Dr Walker, a retired mathematician of Emmanuel College, “to try to shoot down accidentally and unsuccessfully one of their own planes”.’ (Source Cambridge News)

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1939

George Walker, b 1903, mathematician science director (ambulance officer)

Phyllis Florence née Rowsell, b 1894

William V Lewis, b 1907, university lecturer in geography (air raid warden)

According to Ancestry George Walker was born in Sydney in 1903. he was still resident there in 1925 but in 1930 married Phyllis Florence Rowsell (1900-1986) in Devon, England. They were resident again in 1930 in New South Wales. In 1935 their daughter, Mary Elizabeth Walker (1935-2022) was born. In 1939 George was resident in Cambridge described as a mathematician. Mary married in 1963.

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1952

Miss Mary Walker wrote this letter dated 3rd August 1952 to her penpal, Peggy:

Miss Peggy Daugherty, 1415 Custer Drive, Erie, Pennsylvania, USA

Dear Peggy, Very many thanks for your letter – I am sorry I have been so long in replying. I, too, seem to have been extremely busy lately. I do hope you had a very happy birthday with everything you wanted. We aren’t allowed to drive in England until we are 17 years old. Do you have an exam for driving before you are given your permit? We have a very stiff one. Few people under twenty-one seem to drive in England. I am probably going to learn soon however. You are clever being able to, for nearly a year. What kind of car have you? Ours is a very old English Austin 12.

Yes, we were extremely sad in England over the death of King George. It came as a shock although we knew he was seriously ill. He seemed to be recovering however which made everything about the funeral all the worse. I have sent you a magazine about the funeral – I don’t know when it will reach you as it went by ordinary post. I also sent you some old newspapers over a month ago as you said you wanted to see some. I hope they have reached you safely. I marked the politics of each paper.

I was glad to hear that you had been doing well at school. and hpe hope you are continuing to have honor cards. How often do you have reports? We only have them twice a year. Schools is progressing quite well thank you but we do get a terrific amount of work to do which leaves very little time for going out except at weekends. How much homework are you supposed to do a week? We are supposed to get about 20 hours done out of school which is rather too much in my opinion.

The dance went off extremely well thank-you. I wish it would happen all over again. I am glad you enjoyed yours. Have you been to any more dances recently? I haven’t – we don’t have many at this time of year.

I haven’t seen any American films lately except “A Place in the Sun” with Shelly Winters. Monty Clift and Elizabeth Taylor – what do you think of her marrying our Michael Wilding? Apparently they are going to live in the USA most of the time.

I’m afraid this writing paper is rather peculiar. I use it because it goes by Air Mail fairly cheaply and gets to you quickly.

Do you play table tennis? We have a table and play a lot. We haven’t had any skating this year either – it has been quite a mild winter. However I am looking forward to the summer with tennis and swimming.

Well, I’m coming to the end of the paper so will have to stop. Write soon. In the meantime be good and work hard. Much love from your pen pal Mary.

Photo of letter:

Sedley Taylor Road, Cambridge

The pen friend was Margaret Ann Daugherty from Erie, Pennsylvania, born in 1936 on St Valentine’s Day. It is not known how the two came to be pen-friends. Her daughter, TL, kindly shared the letter and this information by email in 2026. Peggy sadly passed away in 2016.