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Summerfield, 1920s (Cambridgeshire Collection)

Summerfield

History of 1 - 12 Summerfield

No 3 Summerfield, Cambridge – A House, Street and Area History

The report No 3 Summerfield, Cambridge – A House, Street and Area History by Tony Watts, Michelle Bullivant and Gilly Watts was published in September 2023.

This 86-page report comprises:

• An outline history of Newnham.
• A more detailed history of Old Newnham, with particular attention to Malting Lane, Church Rate Walk, Newnham Walk, Wordsworth Grove and Clare Road.
• A thorough history of Summerfield, including biographical details of everyone who has lived there (demonstrating the massive changes in its social composition), plus relevant maps and photographs.
• Particularly detailed coverage of No.3 Summerfield, its architectural evolution and its occupants, including its relationship to Newnham Nursery in the late C19 and early C20, and its subsequent development.

Download the full report (PDF).

A printed version is also available, price £10, from tony.watts@zen.co.uk

Census and Directory Info

Summerfield consists of 12 houses numbered 1 to 12, east to west. Numbers 3 – 12 are in 2022 classified as Buildings of Local Interest. Nos 1 and 2 were built later than the other houses. The latter were for many years numbered 1 to 10. In 1960 the two houses at the eastern end were incorporated into the enumeration so the original 1 – 10 were renumbered 3 – 12.

1867

Robert Whyatt bought his plot (1) from Alfred Jones the dentist of 63 Trumpington Street. Alfred Jones had himself bought the land earlier in the year from John Hazard, George Edward Hide and Frederick Grain.

1868

House built by Robert Whyatt. I was a two- up / two-down miller’s cottage. The direction of the original stairs was later reversed.

1871

Nursery Cottage [1 Summerfield]:

Robert Whyatt, 36, miller, b Hauxton
Rebecca, 27, b Herts
Clara, 1, b Cambridge

2 Summerfield:

George Thomas Matthews, 25, printer compositor, b Sussex
Fanny, 24, b Wales
Edward George, 2, b Cambridge
Alfred Thomas Gray, 3 weeks, b Cambridge

3 Summerfield:

James Chapman, 30, college servant, b Quy
Margaret, 33, b Norfolk
Margaret Stapbon, 12, b Norfolk
James Humphrey Chapman, 4 mos, b Cambridge

4 Summerfield:

John Sumpter, 30, college porter, b Windsor
Eliza, 34, no occupation, b Bury St Edmunds
Harvey, 8, b Cambridge
Ada, 3, b Cambridge

5 Summerfield (not listed)

6 Summerfield:

Roger Songer, 26, blacksmith, b Suffolk
Ellen, 28, b Suffolk
William, brother, 20, blacksmith, b Suffolk

7 Summerfield:

William Freeman, 32, gardener, b West Wickham
Eliza Ann, 29, dressmaker, b West Wickham

---

1881 unnumbered

Robert Whyatt, 46, corn miller
Rebecca,
Clara,
Louisa,
Mary,
William,
George W Smith, lodger, 27, grocers assistant

William Songer, 30, whitesmith, b Suffolk
Sarah, 39, b Hauxton
Minnie, 7, b Grantchester
Bertie, 2, b Cambridge
Charles, 6 months, b Cambridge
Thomas Smith [?], 21, gardener, b Herts

James Chapman, 40, college servant, b Quy
Margaret, 42, b Norfolk
James, 10, b Cambridge
Walter, 8, b Cambridge
Sarah Jarvis, relative, 14, b Yorks

Arthur Wilderspin, 29, stationer, b Cambridge
Louisa A, 34, b London
Barton G A, 10 mos, b Cambridge

John Bussey, 69, retired whitesmith, b Norfolk
Susan, 68, b Norfolk
Harriett Woods, grand daughter, 7, b Cambridge
Harriett Smith, daughter, 32, b Cambridge
Edith Smith, visitor, 7, b Grantham
Bernard, visitor, 2 mos, b Grantham
Sarah Leach, visitor, 13, nurse, b Notts

Leet Huckell, 30, gardener, b Gamlingay
Mary Ann, 40,
Catharine A Jackson, 13, step daughter, dressmaker, b Bourne
Jane Musk, niece, 3, b Cambridge

Walter Howlett, 28, solicitors clerk, b Essex
Ann, 24, b Surrey
Nelly Mary, 2, b Cambridge

---

1891 properties unnumbered in census

Robert Whyatt, 56, agent to Building Society
Clara, 21, dressmaker, 21, b Cambridge
Louisa, 19, dressmaker, b Cambridge
Mary, 15, dressmaker, b Cambridge
William, 12, b Cambridge
Minnie Sonder, relative, 16, b Cambridge
George W Smith, lodger, 38, grocers assistant, b Essex

Eliza Bentley, 74, living on own means, b London
Edith Jane, 36, elementary teacher, b Cambridge

James Chapman, 50, no occupation, b Quy
Margaret, 53, college servant, b Norfolk

Louisa Anne Wilderspin, 44, stationer, b London
Jesse L, 24, assistant, b Cambridge

Leat[?] Huckel, 40, nurserys florist, b Gamlingay
Mary Ann, 50, b Bourne
Catharine A Jackson, daughter, 23, b Bourne
Janie E Musk, niece, 13, b Cambridge

George L King, 25, dairyman, b Cambridge
Alice Maud, 23, b Cambridge
Edward P, 2, b Cambridge
Albert S, 1, b Cambridge
Tom Parker, boarder, 23, barman, b Lancs
Elizabeth L Rule, 15, servant, b Cambs

Hannah Perry, 73, living on own means, b Essex

---

1901

1 Summerfield:

Robert Whyatt, 66, fire insurance agent
Rebecca
Louisa Whyatt, single, 29, dressmaker, b Cambridge
Merna M Haddow, 5, granddaughter, b Chesterton
William Whyatt, son, 22, sorting clerk and telegraphist, b Cambridge

2 Summerfield:

William C Newman, 39, printers machinery minder, b Cambridge
Florence J, 38, b Cambridge
Arthur W, 11, b Cambridge
Nora S, 8, b Cambridge
William Knightly, lodger, 47, living on own means, b Sutton
Rosa Mary, lodger, 37, b Bucks

3 Summerfield:

John W Burkiss, 28, butler, b Cambridge
Jane E, 30, b Fen Ditton

4 Summerfield:

Louisa A Wilderspin, widow, 54, clerk at theatre, b Cambridge
Clara A Ward, 37, housekeeper, b Cambridge

5 Summerfield:

Henry Briggs, 43, carpenter, b Cambridge
Ellen, 37, b Derby
Daisy, 15, dressmaker, b Cambridge
Ethel, 14, b Cambridge
Matthew Brewster, boarder, 25, grocers assistant, b Rutland

6 Summerfield:

John W Daines, 38, stewards clerk, b India
Augusta, 35, b Cambridge
Ellen M, 10, b Cambridge
Lillian B, 8, b Cambridge
Evelyn G, 5, b Cambridge

7 Summerfield:

George W Silk, 56, postman, b Dry Drayton
Jane, 49, b Kent
Annie E, 20, b Cambridge
Charles F, 15, errand boy, b Cambridge
Ethel F, 13, b Cambridge
William, 11, b Cambridge
Reginald, 6, b Cambridge

8 Summerfield:

Leet Huckle, 50, foreman florist, b Gamlingay
Mary, 60, b Bourn

9 Summerfield:

Montague M Hayward, 28, town postman, b Cambridge
Louisa, 27, b Cambridge
Montague, 7, b Cherrington
May Louisa, 4, b Cambridge
Reginald M, 5 months, b Cambridge

10 Summerfield:

Hannah Perry, 82, living on own means, b Essex

---

1911

1 Summerfield:

Robert Whyatt, 76, retired miller, b Hauxton
Rebecca, 67, b Herts

2 Summerfield:

Eliza Clarke, 72, private means, b Ellington

3 Summerfield:

John Warrington Purkis, 38, butler, b Cambridge
Jane Eliza, 42, b Fen Ditton

4 Summerfield:

William Hughes, 45, domestic chauffeur, b Sussex
Gertrude, 27, b York
Beatrice Louisa, 8 months, b Cambridge
Emily Mary Smith, visitor, 25, student of philosophy, b Lancs

5 Summerfield: not listed

6 Summerfield:

Walter John Daines, 48, college clerk Selwyn, b India
Ellen Augusta, 46, b Cambridge
Beatrice Lillian, 17, milliner, b Granchester
Gwendoline Evelyn, 15, b Cambridge
Evelyn Gertrude Fox, 34, private secretary to Professor of Pathology, b Devon

7 Summerfield:

William James Rumble, 37, hairdresser and tobacconist, b Norfolk
Alice Agnes, 37, b Cambridge
Winifred Muriel, 11, b Cambridge
Frederick William George, 8, b Cambridge
Dorothy Dight, 14, visitor, b Cambridge

8 Summerfield:

James Herbert Crohill, 35, printer, b Cambridge
Emily, 37, b Cambridge
Herbert Hector, 10, b Cambridge
Maud Emily Kathleen, 5, b Cambridge

9 Summerfield:

Ernest Gordon, 30, porter Senate House, b Grantchester
Ethel Gordon, 27, b Senate House, b Cambridge

10 Summerfield:

Frederick Fordham, 40, civil servant postman, b Cambridge
Maude Evelyn, 33, b South Africa
Frederick Russell, 4, b Cambridge
Bessie May, 1, b Cambridge

---

1913 Kellys

Two houses building

(1)  Robert Whyatt, collector
(2) Mrs Eliza Clarke
(3) John Purkis
(4) William Hughes
(5) James Harry Briggs, carpenter
(6) Walter John Daines, clerk
(7) William J Rumble
(8) A Pickett, college servant
(9) J H Crowhill, printer
(10) Frederick Fordham, postman

---

1924

Robert Whyatt died. His wife lived there until her death in 1927. The house then passed to their son William Whyatt of Salcombe, Blinco Grove. Then to Samuel James Haddow, Robert Whyatt’s son in law, formerly of 28 Humberstone Road.

---

1935 Kelly’s

(Norvaleen) Alfred Norman Mason
(Thorpe House) Misses A M and A C Mason

---

1939

Norvaleen:

Alfred N Mson, b 1873, retired printer
Kathleen V, b 1882

Thorpe House:

Alice M Mason, b 1868, private means
Agnes C Mason, b 1869, private means
Charlotte Jenners, b 1881, domestic help

1 Summerfield:

Mary Whyatt, b 1875,
Mabel A Bailey, b 1893

Mary Whyatt had married Samuel James Haddow on 14th September 1940. Mary died in 1956.

2 Summerfield:

Ruby F Unwin, b 1881, ladies outfitter

3 Summerfield:

John W Purkis, b 1872, college waiter

4 Summerfield:

Charles H Milton, b 1883, college porter (college ARP warden)
Ellen [née Cable], b 1890
Florence M, b 1907, incapacitated
Elizabeth Cable, b 1865, bedmaker retired

Jane Barham in Backstairs Cambridge, 1986, recorded numerous stories about her ancestors. These included her great aunt Nelly and her husband, Charles Milton. They married in 1923. In 1911 Ellen had been living at 8 Covent Garden. Jane writes that Nellie, Ellen, had shocked her family by marrying Charlie, a college porter who was widowed with two grown up daughters. After Charlie died she lived in one of the Perse Almshouses facing Fen Causeway. Jane describes Charlie’s work as Head Porter. In a 1916 magazine she found a list of members of the college who served in WWI: C Milton, Kitchen Porter, Royal Artillery.

5 Summerfield:

Charles R Beard, b 1865, college gate porter
Jean G, b 1884,

6 Summerfield:

Edith J Boning, b 1865
Harriet, b 1879, secretary to censor of Fitzwilliam House

7 Summerfield:

Frederick Fordham, b 1870, bank messenger
Maude E, b 1877,
Eileen M, b 1920, clerk Cambridge Motors

?

?

8 Summerfield:

Henrietta M S Woods, b 1873, private means
Mary Ogden, b 1876, housekeeper

9 Summerfield:

Elizabeth Piggott, b 1881, college servant & bedmaker

10 Summerfield:

Annie Paddison, b 1879

---

1943

1 Summerfield, the house built by Robert Whyatt, became the property of Reginald Robert Haddow, a research physicist. In 1943 he was living at 304 Milton Road.

---

1956

1 Summerfield, the house built by Robert Whyatt, became the property of Reginald Robert Haddow’s son, Donald Conrad Haddow, of 38 Haig Road. It was then sold to Mrs Constance Beatrice Chaundler for £2,825.

---

1960

The houses in Summerfield were renumbered.

---

1962

(2) Miss M Perers Taylor, opthalmic surgeon
(3) Miss D M Thomas
(3) Mrs C B Chandler
(4) Walter Lucas
(5) Cecil Lucas
(6) Mrs MIlton
(7) Mrs J G Beard
(8) Miss M Johnson
(9) Rt Pryor
(10) Howard L H H Green
(11) Mrs Piggott
(12) Mrs Fordham

---

1986

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