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25 Ainsworth Street
Violet House
Number 25 is a single property standing at the end of a terrace on the west side of Ainsworth Street, known as Violet House.
There is no entry for no. 25 in the 1881 census, and the house was listed as unoccupied at the time of the 1891 and 1901 census. However, we know from other sources that there were residents in the 1880s and 1890s – apparently one or more families called Smith.
The Admissions Register for East Road Boy’s School has Alfred Smith of 25 Ainsworth Street joining on 28 March 1882. His father’s name was David. Alfred only attended until 8 December 1882. Another son, Harry Smith, joined on 22 January 1883. His previous school is given as St Matthew’s. Harry left on 13 March 1885.
This may be the family that appear on the 1881 census at 2 Fuller’s Walk, York Street, which is now 28 Abbey Walk. The father was called David Smith, and the children resident there in 1881 included Alfred, aged 11, and Harry, aged 5. The Electoral Register records a David Smith resident in ‘York Street & Ainsworth St’ in 1882–1883.
A decade later, another Smith child is recorded as not attending school (Cambridge Independent Press, 5th May 1893):
Educational Delinquencies: Attendance orders were made in each of the following case for neglecting to send children to school: Edgar Smith, 25 Ainsworth Street.
1911 census
Hannah Vail, head, widow, 62, laundress, employer, b. Abington, Cambridgeshire
Florence Vail, daughter, 35, b. Cambridge
Sidney Vail, son, 24, type-founder for general printer b. Cambridge
Claude Victor Vail, son, 22, compositor for general printer, b. Cambridge
At this time Hannah had six living children. She was running a laundry business from home.
The Electoral Register shows that the Vails lived here from at least 1908. A news article about Hannah’s married daughter Catherine Flood indicates that she and her husband Edward were living here by the autumn of 1907. She complained in the Cambridge Borough Police Court about some young lads committing a disorderly act in Ainsworth Street on 25 September: ‘she requested the defendants to go away, as her husband, who was a baker, could not sleep. They refused to go’ (Cambridge Independent Press, 11 Oct 1907). Her address was given as 25 Ainsworth Street.
Florence Vail married widower Joseph Ward at St Barnabas in 1911. By 1939 they were living at Causeway Passage.
In 1916, Sidney Vail married Violet Coburn (Cambridge Independent Press, 5 May 1916):
A pretty wedding took place at St. Matthew’s Church on Thursday, when Mr. Sidney Vail of 25 Ainsworth Street, was married to Miss Violet Coburn of Sturton Street. The Rev. Hawtrey May officiated. The bride, who was given away by her father, was charmingly attired in a grey dress, with hat to match and carried a sheaf of lilies. She was attended by two bridesmaids Miss Florence Vail and Miss May Impey, and also by Ruby Coburn (niece of the bride) and Claude Flood (nephew of the bridegroom). The duties of best man were carried out by Mr E. Flood (brother-in-law of the bridegroom). The reception was held at 25 Ainsworth Street. The happy couple were the recipients of many useful presents.
In June 1915, Claude Victor Vail joined the 1st Cambridgeshire Regiment as a Private. His service records state that he had been working as a compositor for printers Fabb and Tyler of Guildhall Place for six years.
He was wounded in the right leg on 14 October 1916 and was admitted to the 18th General Hospital (in Camiers) on 16 October 1916. He spent five days in the hospital. Thiepval is mentioned, though it is unclear whether that is where the wound occurred or where he would be transferred after discharge.
He transferred to the Labour Corps in June 1917 and became a Lance Corporal in April 1918. Claude transferred to the Royal Defence Corps in June 1918 and was posted to the 56th Protection Company. He was demobilised on 14 April 1919.
In 1919 his membership of the Typographical Association was logged in Doncaster.
Claude married Nellie Edge in 1926 at St Oswald’s in Ashbourne, Derbyshire. By 1939 he was working as printer’s Monotype keyboard operator, in Conisbrough, Yorkshire.
1921 census
Hannah Vail, head, 72, widow, home duties, b. Abington, Cambridgeshire
Rose Vail, daughter, 47, domestic, private, b. Abington, Cambridgeshire
Rose Vail was working as a domestic servant at ‘no fixed place’.
Hannah Vail died in 1934 aged 85. A few months later, her daughter Rosanna (Rose) married railway goods foreman Thomas Tatham. On the 1939 Register they were living at 151 Sturton Street.
Sources: UK census records (1881 to 1921),General Register Office birth, marriage and death indexes (1837 onwards), Cambridge Independent Press, National School Admission Registers & Log-Books 1870–1914
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