18 Sleaford Street, Cambridge

The History of 18 Sleaford Street

In 1881 this property is number 4, and in 1891 this property is number 12.

1881 (number 4)

George Montague, 73, widower, retired farmer, b. Chalfont St. Peter, Buckinghamshire

Mary Ann Montague, George’s daughter, 39, housekeeper, b. Chalfont St. Peter, Buckinghamshire

1891 (number 12)

The property is uninhabited on the night of the 1891 census.

1901

In 1901, 18 Sleaford Street is home to the Gates family. Edward Gates, a 54 Year old Cordwainer, is married to Joyce Gates, aged 52, from Lincolnshire. They have 5 Children: Albert, aged 28, and Horace, aged 19, both work with their father as a Cordwainer; live alongside Ada, aged 17; Frank, aged 15; and Ethel, aged 11.

The Gates family moved here from St Matthew’s Street. See “Our Family in Cambridge” by John Osborne. Ada would marry local boy Jack Hobbs, the famous cricketer. The couple may well have lnown each other from childhood, but they certainly met at St Matthew’s Church. In the biography of Hobbs by Leo McKInstry, it is related that Hobbs had courted Ada for six years but his obsession with cricket nearly caused Ada to lose interest. However, once he was established as a country player for Surrey he proposed and they married at St Matthew’s on 26th September 1906.

In 1911 Edward George and Joyce are at 342 Mill Road.

1911

By 1911, 18 Sleaford Street is home to Edith Trussel. aged 27, listed as “House Duties.” She is married to 30 year old Herbert Henry, an Assurance Agent from Epping. They have two children, Herbert Alfred, aged 3, and Kenneth Clifford, aged 1.

Sources: 1881, 1891, 1901 & 1911 UK Census, 1888 OS Town Plan of Cambridge, 1901 revised map of Cambridge

1913

Herbert Thrussell, insurance agent