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131 York Street

A Labourer & a Grocer

This property is no longer standing.  Numbers 129, 131, 133, 135 & 137 formed a terrace on what is now St. Matthew’s Piece.  The 1888 Cambridge Town Plan and the 1910 Land Tax both refer to this section as “Lower York Street”.

1881

John Everitt, head, 33, 1848, sawmill hand (sawyer), Haverhill, Suffolk
Catherine Everitt, wife, 33, 1848, Yarmouth, Norfolk
Minnie Everitt, daughter, 10, 1871, scholar, Cambridge

1890s

Numbers 129 – 135 do not appear in the 1891 Census.  There are seven houses listed as “Lower York Street”, but it is uncertain which of those apply to these missing properties.  None of the families match one from 1881 or 1901.

The Cambridge Independent Press for the 24th August 1894 runs a public notice announcing that “Desirable freehold properties” including “Nos. 129, 130, 132, 134, 136, 138, 131, 133, 135, 137, 143, 145, 147, 149 & 151 Lower York Street” are to be sold by Auction.

1901 census

George Lee, head, 60, general labourer, 1841, Cambridge
Esther Lee, wife, 56, 1845, Cottenham, Cambridgeshire

August 1902

Rosalie Boyce, 131 York Street, appeared as a witness against a Percy Barrington of St Barnabas Road who was charged with making false entries in a cash book and not paying the staff of the Public Tea Company.  Rosalie “stated that she entered the employment of the Company on June 7th.  She was paid 2s 6d on the same day as she came.  On the following Saturday she received no commission, nor had she ever received any.  Any entries for commission were incorrect.  She did not go to Godmanchester on July 12th.  She went on June 7th, 14th and 28th.”  Cambridge Daily News 06 August 1902

1910 Land Tax

The odd numbered properties, 129 – 151 (Lower) York Street, all appear on the 1910 Land Tax owned by a Mrs M C Sheldrick who lived at 151 Chesterton Road.

Mary Catherine Sheldrick (1850 – 11 September 1922) was married to Joseph Albert Sheldrick, a Superindendent for the Post Office.

George Lee is the tenant named on the Land Tax document.

1911

George Lee, 69, shopkeeper, general grocer, b. Cambridge

Ester Lee, 67, assists in business, b. Cottenham

David Lee, 45, pedlar, b. Cambridge.   It is recorded that he has been married 17 years, but wife not with him him on census night.

Ester and George have been married for forty-seven years and have one child.

The Census has been filled in by “A F Baker on behalf of George Lee” George has signed with an X and Mr Baker has accidently written “68 Mill Road”, then crossed it out to write 131 York Street.

1918

Living at the property in January 1918 is a Mrs F Furness.  She is recorded in the paper as having received word that her brother, Private Robert Hewitt of the Suffolk Regiment, was killed in action on November 24th. Cambridge Independent Press 04 January 1918

1919

“Welcome Home. Prisoners of War and Relatives Entertained… Invitations has been sent out to between 803 and 900 men, the great majority of whom assembled on Parker’s Piece and marched thence to the Guildhall, where they were welcomed by the Lord Lieutenant, the Mayor, and the Vice-Chancellor.”

One of the men was Lance-Corporal H. Jenkins of the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, 131 York Street.  Cambridge Independent Press 17 January 1919

Sources: 1881, 1891, 1901, 1911 UK Census, 1888 Cambridge Town Plan, 1910 Land Tax, Civil Registration Birth Index (1837-1915), Civil Registration Death Index (1916-2007), Cambridge Independent Press 24 Aug 1894, Cambridge Daily News 06 August 1902, Cambridge Independent Press 04 January 1918, Cambridge Independent Press 17 January 1919,

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