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9 Ainsworth Street

Bricklayer, Shoemaker and a French Polisher

Number 9 is one of a terrace of four houses on the west side of Ainsworth Street.

1881

Head of household is Edward Bell, a 59 year old bricklayer from March in Cambridgeshire.  He is married to Elizabeth (nee Hubbard).  She 61 years old and was also born in March.

At the time of the 1881 Census their 12 year old granddaughter, Flora Bell, is living with them.  Flora was born in Cambridge.

1891

The Smee family are living at number 9 in 1891. Head of household, Herbert Smee, 31, is a shoemaker. He was born in Cambridge.  Herbert was previously married to Eliza Stonebridge. She passed away in January 1888 and he married Bertha (nee Dart) in 1889.  Bertha is 24 and was born in Newton Abbot, Devon.

Their children, Nellie Eliza and Herbert Horace, are baptised in July 1890. The family are living at 32 Leicester Street in Northamptonshire. Nellie is Eliza’s daughter. The baptism register lists Herbert as a Bootmaker.

Herbert junior follows his father into the Boot Making business.

February 1893

There is an article in the Cambridge Independent Press reporting that “Martha Huntlea, 33, a married woman of 13 Ainsworth Street, was charged with stealing a wool mattress, fo the value of 8s., the property of Daniel Endersby, general store dealer of Sleaford Street, on February 7th.”

However, “An intelligent little girl of the age of ten years, named Florence Goody, living at 9 Ainsworth Street, said she saw the prisoner take the mattress from the shop door and take it to her home in Ainsworth Street.” the local policeman saw the mattress in the house, as did Mr Endersby.

Martha pleaded not guilty, but the Bench gave her fourteen days imprisonment with hard labour and complimented the little Florence on the way she gave evidence.

(David Endersby was a Grocer at 9 Sleaford Street, the current number 24.)

1901

Head of household in 1901 is 22 year old French polisher, Arthur Willoughby Cornwell.  Arthur was born in Cambridge and is married to Florence (nee Beechener), a 24 year old from Biggleswade.

They have moved to St. Andrew’s Road in Chesterton by the time of the 1911 Census.

1911

This family have moved here from 143 Sturton Street.

Ephraim Henry Hooks is a 49 year old horse shunter working for the Great Eastern Railway.  He was born in Thornham, Norfolk (although the 1891 Census claimed he was born in Cambridge).  He is married to 48 year old Kezia (nee Park) who was born in Kings Lynn.

The couple have five of their children living with them.  Robert Samuel  is 24,  and works as a shunter at the GER railway sheds.  He was born in Thornham.  His sister, Emma Elizabeth, is 18 and works at Chivers Jam Factory in Histon.  She was born in Kings Lynn.

John Thomas (13), William Ernest (9),  and Arthur Edward (8) are all school boys and were all born in Cambridge.

Their son, George Albert Victor Hooks, is now a Private in the Royal Marines.  He was stationed in Kent.  In 1914 George married Florence Everett in Norfolk.

George died of double pneumonia in the Eastern General Hospital (Cambridge) on the 15th March 1917.  His gravestone records he was 24, but he was probably only 22.

Lives of the First World War: George Albert Victor Hooks.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission: Petty Officer Air Mechanic G A V HOOKS

Ephraim and Kezia have been married for 25 years married, the census records that they had 11 children, 5 of whom have died.

1921

John Walker Moss, 65, born in Kentford, Suffolk.  He is working as a gardener for Mrs Keynes of 6 Harvey Road.  Mrs Keynes is on the Borough Council and will become Mayor in 1932.

Emily Moss, 62, born in Isleham, Cambridgshire

Esther Rebecca Moss, 38, born in Kentford, Suffolk.  She is employed as a draper at 71 Lensfield Road.  Esther appears on the electoral rolls for this property until 1960.

Sources: UK census records (1881 to 1921), General Register Office birth, marriage and death indexes (1837 onwards), Cambridge Independent Press 10 February 1893, Norfolk Church of England Marriages and Banns (1754-1938), National Archives (ADM 159/212/177), Lives of the First World War, Commonwealth War Graves Commission,

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