19 – 20, (119 – 120) Fitzroy Street, Cambridge

History of 119 - 120 Fitzroy Street

1861

Joseph Sturton, 46, chemist

Elizabeth Crabb Sturton, wife, 37, b Cambridge

Ann Ainsworth Sturton, daughter, 19, b Cambridge

Miriam Sturton, 14, b Cambridge

Martha Hooper Sturton, 13, b Cambridge

Susanna Sturton, 8, b Cambridge

Richard, son, 6, b Cambridge

In 1851 the Sturton family were living at 112 Fitzroy Street

In 1871 the Sturton family were living at 1 Park Terrace

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1898 09 02

Last night the people of Fitzroy Street, Cambridge, were startled by a loud crash and it was found that one of Messrs Sturton’s shop windows had smashed. It seemed that a quantity of hams and cheeses was stored in the window and, some becoming dislodged, had rolled down to the glass and smashed it. The window was completely wrecked and the cheeses and hams rolled into the street. The police were promptly in attendance and remained on guard until Mr Sturton arrived and had the window boarded up.

Credit: Mike Petty, Fitzroy Street Cambridge Scrapbook 1897 to 1990.

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Petrol lorry destroyed by fire — 27 September 1912
Chesterton Road was the scene of a very remarkable fire. A motor lorry belonging to Messrs Sturton of Fitzroy Street, laden with cans of petrol was totally destroyed. The highly-inflammable spirit became ignited and a fire of extraordinary fierceness blocked the road with a sheet of flame. Can after can exploded flinging its contents in a blazing shower in all directions. The flames leapt to an astonishing height, reaching above the tops of houses and were accompanied by volumes of black, oily smoke. The paint on the door of a house on the river side began to blister and trees in the garden began to shrivel and smoke. It was impossible for the fire brigade to get near and it had to be left to burn itself out 12 09 27

Credit: Mike Petty Archive, Cambridge Chesterton Road Area Scrapbook, reference 12 09 27

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1913 (119 – 120)

J A Sturton, grocers, hardwaremen and oil merchants

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1962 (19 – 21)

S Pauley Ltd, decorators merchants