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97 Ainsworth Street

The White, Swann and Barber families

Number 97 is one of a terrace of three houses on the west side of Ainsworth Street.

1871 census for household 211*

George White, head, 52, baker, b. Cambridge
Ann White, wife, 59, charwoman, b. Milton, Cambridgeshire
William R White, son, 20, stonemason, b. Cambridge
Mary White, mother, widow, 75, no employment, b. Cambridge

*In 1871 Ainsworth Street was not yet numbered. The White and Briggs families lived next door to each other in 1871 and again in 1881, so we can tentatively identify their homes in 1871 as nos. 97 and 95.

1881 census

George White, head, 61, baker, b. Cambridge
Ann White, wife, 69, b. Milton, Cambridgeshire
William R White, son, 29, stonemason, b. Cambridge
Susan White, daughter-in-law, 26, b. Foxton, Cambridgeshire
Elizabeth M White, granddaughter, 10 months, b. Cambridge

1891 census

George White, head, 73, retired baker, b. Cambridge
William Robert White, son, 39, stone mason, b. Cambridge
Susan White, wife, 37, b. Foxton, Cambridgeshire
Elizabeth M White, daughter, 10, scholar, b. Cambridge
William E White, son, 9, scholar, b. Cambridge
Emily R White, daughter, 6, scholar, b. Cambridge
Sidney D White, son, 2, b. Cambridge

1901 census

William R White, head, 43, stone mason, b. Cambridge
Susan White, wife, 41, b. Cambridge
Elizabeth M White, daughter, 20, dressmaker, b. Cambridge
William E White, son, 19, waiter GER, b. Cambridge
Emily R White, daughter, 16, dressmaker, b. Cambridge
Sidney D White, son, 12, b. Cambridge
Cyril F White, son, 8, b. Cambridge

The eldest son William was working as a waiter for the Great Eastern Railway. The majority of their services ran through Cambridge, but very few of them contained dining cars in 1901. The services he worked on were likely those between London Liverpool Street and Hunstanton or York. These trains, particularly to York, were not very frequent, so this is a fairly rare role to play on the railway in this area of the country.

In 1902 the house was up for sale: ‘To be sold, privately, 97 Ainsworth Street, 6-roomed house, good garden – Apply same.’ (Cambridge Daily News, 17 April 1902).

The White family moved to 34 Ainsworth Street.

1911 census

Frank Swann, head, 39, acting railway engine driver, b. Cambridge
Kate Swann, wife, 37,  b. Hauxton
Minnie Wisher, stepdaughter, 17, dress maker, b. Cambridge
Eleanor Swann, daughter, 13, b. Cambridge
Violet Swann, daughter, 8, at school, b. Cambridge
Stanley Swann, son, 2, b. Cambridge
14 years married, 3 children

In 1901 the Swann family lived at 13 Hooper Street, and Frank was then a railway fireman. Now in 1911 he was an ‘acting railway driver’, indicating a progression along the career path to qualified railway engine driver – a respected and well-paid job that could only be reached after years of hard work and study.

Kate Swann was the daughter of Ephraim and Elizabeth Oakman, who lived at 18 Hooper Street.

1921 census

Darcy S L Barber, head, 40, railway engine driver, GER, b. Coton, Cambridgeshire
Esther Barber, wife, 39, b. Longstanton, Cambridgeshire
Annie Louise Barber, daughter, 9, b. Cambridge
Winifred M Barber, daughter, 8, b. Cambridge
Thomas H Barber, son, 6, b. Cambridge

Sources: 1871–1921 England Census, Cambridge Daily News 17 April 1902

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