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65 Sturton Street
The Andrews Family
1881 – 1926
Head of household on the 1881 census (and every other census between now and 1911) is Jacob John Andrews. In 1881 he is aged 30 and working as a railway guard for the Great Eastern Railway. Jacob was born in Bury St Edmunds and is married to Emma (nee Ruffles), aged 41 from Bardwell in Suffolk.
The couple have three children. Charles is 8 and was born in Ixworth Thorpe, Kate is 5 and was born in Ely, Alice is 2 and was born in Cambridge.
In 1889 Charles, aged 17, goes missing from his home. A body is found in the Cam, but is assumed to be that of an older man. When the body is finally identified, it is found to be Charles. The Saffron Walden Weekly News on the 22nd June 1889 reports “Deceased was a messenger at the station and lived with his father and mother at 65 Sturton Street. Andrews had been missing since Wednesday week, when he left home on account of a quarrel with his mother.”
Jacon and Emma objected to this report, which had obviously been repeated in other publications, and wrote to the Editor of the Cambridge Daily News.
“To The Editor. Sir, – As parents of the deceased Charles Andrews, who was found drowned on the 18th inst., we beg to state that he did not leave home on account of a quarrel with his mother, as was stated in your paper last week. That statement is untrue and most grievous. Will you please publish this, contradict the statement, and oblige yours truly, in sorrow for their beloved son. J. and E. Andrews, 65 Sturton Street, Cambridge June 26th 1889.”
On the 1891 Census Jacob is recorded as a “retired railway goods guard” and it is noted that he lost his legs. Kate and Alice are both recorded as scholars.
In 1901 Jacob and Emma are living alone at number 65. Kate is living in Norwich and a working as a domestic servant for a civil engineer and his family. Alice was working as a cook for the Pryor family at 1 Gresham Road.
Alice married John Ruffles in 1904. The couple are on the 1911 census living in Bramford, Suffolk with three children. John works in a manure factory.
Kate is living with her parents in 1911, giving her occupation as general servant. She married widowed fitter’s labourer Harry Mason in 1917. The couple lived in London.
The electoral rolls show that the family lived here until at least 1926.
Jacob and Emma are buried in Mill Road Cemetery, as are Alice and her husband John Ruffles.
Source – 1881, 1891, 1901, 1911 UK Census, Cambridgeshire, England, Electoral Registers, Burgess Rolls and Poll Books (1722-1966), Saffron Walden Weekly News 22nd June 1889, Cambridge Daily News 26 June 1889, Mill Road Cemetery,
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