38 City Road, Cambridge (RGL2026)

38 City Road, Cambridge

History of 38 City Road

In 2026 DFSS sent detailed notes on the ownership of this plot as well as a photograph of the identure (deed) from 1848:

16 February 1848: Thomas Ready, gardener, bought land. House probably built between 1849 and 1850.

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1913

Thomas Law

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1939

H J Barrell, police constable

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The indenture is in fact a ‘deed’ made on the 21st September 1848, and uses the word ‘deed’ later in the document. Specifically it states that Thomas Ready, a gardener ( presumably working in the Garden of Eden….see map of 1830 attached ) bought the land ( as one of many similar lots intended for housing ) at a public auction at the Horse and Groom pub in Cambridge for £24 and 3 shillings on 17th February 1847 from Francis George Gifford ( described as a gentleman) using the solicitor Charles Henry Cooper. It seems the right to the use of the land ( a bit like a lease ) belonged to Gifford and this indenture releases the land including the right of its use from him to the Ready family ( Thomas, and wife Ann ) and includes the land’s future ownership and use being held in trust for their daughter Mary Ann when she reaches the age of 21 ( the age of majority at that period ). The land in question is 17 feet wide and 79 feet deep situated in the parish of St Andrew the Less, Cambridge and is part of the parcel of land measuring 5acres and 3 roods then known as the ‘Garden of Eden’ ( a nursery or market garden ) abutting onto ‘a new road or way called the City Road’ at the front and at the rear abutting the ‘back of the houses and premises in Eden Street’ between land on that street then owned by one Robert Newbury and one William Wallis. It further conveys the right of passage over any existing rights of way or structures on their land to include a path then belonging to Gifford which is presumably the one that still exists onto Eden Street from number 38. The Ready family’s ‘tenants, servants’, and modes of transport are also given the right to use this passage ‘for ever’. It further states that there is a duty to maintain the part of the roadway called ‘the City Road’ in front of the parcel of land land until it becomes the responsibility of the Parish and ‘Improvement Commisions’ ( now the responsibility of the council ). If the Ready family decide to construct a building on the land being conveyed it must face directly onto the road to maintain a ‘uniform line of frontage’ Hence no front garden is permitted.

The document ends with a resume’ of the various holders of the lease for the land before it was acquired by Francis George Gifford. Namely….

30/31 March 1820….Thomas and William Palmer from James Burleigh Esquire.

5/6 November 1824…Aron Chevell  ( presumably a tenant or Gardner ) from Thomas and William Palmer

8 November 1824…Thomas and William Palmer took out a mortgage on the land from Fishers Bank.

30 July 1825….the land features in the probate of the will of Thomas Palmer

3 September 1832….Mary Lucas Palmer ( presumably Thomas’ widow and who later remarried Francis Gifford ) releases the land, presumably freed from mortgage to one John Haylock. Probably another tenant or gardener.

16 February 1848…the present change of ownership.

Signed…

Francis George Gifford

Thomas Ready

Ann Ready

Mary Ann Ready ( daughter of the above )

Submitted to the Norfolk land registry on 15 July 1848.

So the house was probably built between 1849 and 1850. Another similar indenture exists of the same date for number 33.