53 – 55 Fitzroy Street (north side) 1970 (MoC 34/92/70)

53 (103) Fitzroy Street, Cambridge

History of 53 Fitzroy Street

1891 (104-103)

William Heffer, 47, bookseller and stationer,

Mary, 55,

Kate A, 14, bookseller’s assistant,

George H, 22, banker’s clerk,

Ernest W, 19, bookseller’s assistant,

Lucy M, 17, bookseller’s assistant,

Emma L, 16,

Frank, 15,

Sidney, 13,

---

1892

29.1.1892 Camb. Chronicle: STEALING A PACK OF PLAYING CARDS – Thomas Allen, 15, labourer, of 129 Lower York Street was charged with having stolen a pack of playing cards of the value 1s from the shop of Mr William Heffer, Fitzroy Street, on Saturday evening. The complainant said on Saturday night last he missed two packs of cards. He saw the prisoner in the shop and at the same time another boy came in for a half-penny stamp, for which purposes he had to go into another part of the shop. His suspicion being arouses by the other boy turning back for a second stamp, he looked towards the door and saw the prisoner’s hand come down from a shelf to his pocket. The boy denied having taken anything and the witness let him go, but went out immediately and brought the boy back. Whilst walking towards the shop the prisoner dropped a pack of cards on the pavement. PC Symonds gave evidence as to arresting the prisoner. The prisoner elected to be dealt with summarily and pleaded guilty. He was sentenced to 14 days imprisonment.

---

---

1901 (103 – 104)

William Heffer, 57, bookseller and postmaster,

Mary, 65,

Kate A, 34, bookseller

George H, 32, bank clerk

Lucy M, 27, bookseller

Emma L, 26, hospital nurse

Frank, 25, bookseller

Sidney, 23, bookseller

Florrie West, servant, 21, b Cambridge

In 1896 William Heffer moved his shop to Petty Cury.

In 1911 the Heffer family were at 7 Mortimer Road

---

1913 (103)

W Heffer and Sons, stationers, printers

---

1923 05 26

Cambridge is justly proud of its business veterans, and it may truly be said that no one is held in higher respect than Mr William Heffer. He started as a groom but resolved to make a start in business on his own, and opened as a stationer and newsagent in a shop which is still his, the Post Office in Fitzroy Street. It has been said that Mr Heffer to a large extent altered the character of Fitzroy Street, for when he introduced to Cambridge the 25 per cent discount off books, university men and others not accustomed to frequenting that part of the town began to stream up there and, of course, other tradesmen benefited in consequence.

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

---

1939 (53)

A G Balaam, stationer

---

1962 (53)

J D’Arcy Penberthy, stationer and Post Office