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100 Ainsworth Street

100 Ainsworth Street

Number 100 is one of a terrace of five houses on the east side of Ainsworth Street, built around 1870.

1871 census for household 225*

Benjamin Rayner, head, 26, railway fireman, b. Landbeach, Cambridgeshire
Emma Rayner, wife, 25, b. Chesterton, Cambridgeshire
Mary A Rayner, daughter, 9, scholar, b. Landbeach, Cambridgeshire
Alfred Rayner, son, 5, scholar, b. Landbeach, Cambridgeshire
Kate Rayner, daughter, 3 mo, b. Cambridge
Harriet Bowers, wife’s mother, widow, 48, b. Chesterton, Cambridgeshire

*In 1871 Ainsworth Street was not yet numbered. Identification of houses is tentative.

The census records show that the Rayner family had moved next door to 102 Ainsworth Street by spring 1881. Given that the houses were unnumbered in the 1871 census, this could cast doubt on our identification. However, a move next door is very plausible. First, no. 102 is a wider house than no. 100, with more space for a young and growing family (three more Rayner children were born during the 1870s). Second, in 1880, widow Ann Smith from no. 102 married widower Joseph Turner from no. 98 and moved in with him.

1881 census

James Moore, head, 40, horse shunter on GER, b. Colne Engaine, Essex
Sarah A Moore, wife, 22, b. Hauxton, Cambridgeshire

1891 census

Geo. Simpson, head, 32, GER signalman, b. Stratford, Suffolk
Ethel Simpson, wife, 30, b. Cambridge
Ethel Simpson, daughter, 9, scholar, b. Cambridge
Nellie Simpson, daughter, 3, b. Cambridge
Elsey Simpson, daughter, 1, b. Cambridge
infant Simpson, son, 7 days,  b. Cambridge
Frederick Hawes, lodger, 20, GER cleaner, b. Haddenham, Cambridgeshire
Maria Levett, nurse, 70, nurse, b. Cavenham, Suffolk

The Simpsons’ youngest child, just seven days old, was not yet named on census day. The 1901 census tells us he was called Frederick.

The lodger, Frederick Hawes, worked as a cleaner on the Great Eastern Railway. This would have been a very poorly paid job, working long hours scrubbing train carriages clean.  The nurse, Maria Levett, was not a paying member of the household, as she is not described as a lodger. It is likely that she joined the household to help with the birth of the new baby.

1901 census

Thomas Poole, head, 52, railway goods porter, b. Rodmarton, Gloucestershire
Sophia Poole, wife, 47, b. Depden, Suffolk
Florence K Poole, daughter, 13, b. Cambridge
Elsie Poole, daughter, 8, b. Cambridge

Thomas and his family moved here from 53 Gwydir Street, having previously lived at 52 Sturton Street.  He died here in 1909 and is buried in Mill Road Cemetery with his wife Sophie, and three of their children, Ellen, Annie and Elsie.

1911 census

Joseph Henry Mansfield, head, 37, grocer for warehouse, b. Cambridge
Jessie Mansfield, wife, 35, b. Cambridge
Henry Mansfield, son, 14, telegraph messenger, b. Cambridge
Annie Doris Mansfield, daughter, 4, b. Cambridge
Married 7 years, 2 children.

1921 census

Joseph Henry Mansfield, head, 147, grocer’s warehouseman, J A Sturton Ltd, b. Cambridge
Jessie Mansfield, wife, 46, b. Cambridge
Annie Doris Mansfield, daughter, 14, b. Cambridge

Source: 1871–1921 England Census, Mill Road Cemetery,

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