51 (104)Fitzroy Street, Cambridge

History of 51 Fitzroy Street

1876

104 Fitzroy Street, 1876

This was William Heffer’s first shop. The stock was initially very mixed: needles and cotton, envelopes, labels.

1877

24 November 1877 Cambridge Chronicle: PROSTITUTION: Sarah Buttress of Compasses Passage was charged by William Heffer, Fitzroy Street, with importuning him for the purpose of prostituion in Regent Street at about quarter to eleven on Friday evening. Defendant was sentenced to 14 days hard labour.

1881 (104)

William Heffer, 36, stationer, b Exning Suffolk

Mary, 44, b Balsham

Kate A, 14, assistant, b Cambridge

George H, 12, b Cambridge

Ernest W, 9, b Cambridge

Lucy, 7, b Cambridge

Emma L, 6, b Cambridge

Frank, 5, b Cambridge

Sidney, 3, b Cambridge

William Heffer had been living in 1871 at 10 Clement Place working as a groom. In 1861 he had been a groom, aged 19, at Paxton House, Little Paxton. Official records, including censuses state his birth place (1843) as Exning and the 1841 census lists his family, father Charles and mother Phoebe, living in Exning with their five children. Family tradition elsewhere considers the family came from Burwell.

After Clement Place, the Heffers moved to Ram Yard. He then became licensee of a pub in Burleigh Street. In his biography this is described as a pub opposite 104 Fitzroy Street, but that could only have been the Cherry Tree at 15 Fitzroy Street. In Burleigh Street the most likely pub would have been no.75, The Foresters. But in neither case can William Heffer’s name be found on any list of licensees.

The Vicar of St Andrew the Less had befriended William and arranged for him to take over 104 Fitzroy Street as a shop. The first few years were difficult but William’s work as a temperance campaigner and his work in Sunday School would have brought more clients. He also became a bulldog, a University policeman, walking the streets to ensure the University regulations were kept.

He managed to build the shop up into a centre for supplies not only to schools in Cambridge but also those in surrounding villages.

1886

William Heffer opens a sub-postoffice.

Working Men’s Club

1913 (104)

W and R Fletcher Ltd, butchers

Telegraph, Money Order and Post Office

1939 –

1962 –