Cambridge People Profiles - Miss Mabel Fell
Mabel Fell
Miss Mabel Fell, 1937 Cambridge Year Book (courtesy of Antony Carpen)
Mabel Fell was a schoolteacher and a councillor for the Cherry Hinton Ward, she lived in Vinery Road, Cambridge, until she moved away in 1939 for a new job. Her parents and husband were also involved in Cambridge politics.
On 23rd March 1939 at a Town Council meeting held at Shirehall in Cambridge, the Cherry Hinton Park Scheme was being discussed.
The scheme was looking at the use and lay-out of the grounds of Cherry Hinton Hall which the council had acquired in 1937. Miss Fell asked if the committee visualised something in the nature of a park, perhaps with a paddling pool, bowling greens and tennis courts. Mrs Rackham seconded this resolution and when Miss Fell agreed to accept a suggestion from Alderman Wing that the word “consider” be substituted for “prepare” it was carried without further discussion.
This meeting helped shape Cherry Hinton Hall becoming the public park it is today.
Further Notes on Mabel Fell
September 1907
Mabel Anne Pamela Fell was born on 10th September 1907 in Cambridge, to James Arthur Fell and Minnie Violet Fell (nee Webb).
Mabel’s father, James Fell, was born in 1808, Clifton Yorkshire and died 1954 at the family home, 2 Vinery Road, Cambridge. He was a Cambridge Police Constable. He and his wife, Mabel’s mother, Minnie, were active in local politics.
Mabel’s mother, Minnie, was born in 1883 Marylebone, London and died 1965 in Newmarket (she was living at 24, The Avenue Newmarket).
1911
On the 1911 census the family are living at 303 Mill Road, Cambridge (6 rooms). James is 31 years old and a police constable. Minnie is 29 years old. Living with them, their children (each born in Cambridge)
Violet Minnie Fell age 7
Mabel Annie Fell aged 3
Arthur Albert Fell aged 2
1921
By the 1921 census the family have moved around the corner to 2 Vinery Road, Cambridge (6 rooms).
James is now 41 years old and a police constable for Cambridge Borough Police, St Andrew’s Street Cambridge.
Minnie is 38 years old, home duties. Living with them, their children.
Violet Minnie Fell age 17, a clerk typist for the food department of the Board of Trade at 2 Salisbury Villas, Station Road Cambridge.
Mabel Annie Fell aged 13 (attending school)
Arthur Albert Fell aged 12 (attending school)
1936
Cherry Hinton became a ward of Cambridge on April 1st 1934, when the parish was abolished and merged with the city. This then allowed for ward councillors. Although she lived in Vinery Road, Cambridge just outside the Cherry Hinton boundary, Mabel was Cherry Hinton ward councillor in 1936 and 1939.
1937
Miss Mabel Fell Labour - Cherry Hinton, from a 1937 year book for Cambridge. (Courtesy of Antony Carpen)
January 1939
Mabel provided some singing at the annual New Year’s party arranged by the Cambs Trades Council and Divisional Labour Party.
Cambridge Daily News - Monday 09 January 1939
(Courtesy of British Newspaper Archive)
1939
In the 1939 England and Wales Register for Cambridge, Mable is listed as being a school teacher, still living at 2 Vinery Road, Cambridge with her parent James and Minnie (James is now listed as being a retired police constable).
Feb 1939
At a Cambridge Town Council meeting on 2nd February 1939, Mabel, being the councillor for the Cherry Hinton ward, wanted to know what the plans for Cherry Hinton Hall were to be. The City Council had acquired the Hall and grounds in 1937.
Cambridge Daily News - Friday 03 February 1939
(Courtesy of British Newspaper Archive)
9th March 1939
An annual meeting of the Cherry Hinton ward (Borough section) Labour Party was held at Coleridge Senior School on 9th March 1939. Mabel and her parents were appointed to the committee. At this time there was still a distinction between the Cherry Hinton county and Cherry Hinton borough, both having their own party. The County one being defined more by the village and the borough being defined more by ‘New Cherry Hinton’ - that is the development and growth which extended outside of the village along Cherry Hinton Road, up towards Hills Road (the areas now known as Rock, and Coleridge)
Cambridge Daily News - Friday 10 March 1939
(Courtesy of British Newspaper Archive)
24th March 1939
There was a bit of a to-do when an order for wireless receiving sets for two schools (the Central and Coleridge) had happened without the Council having been asked to sanction the expenditure. Councillor Doggett of Cherry Hinton said that “he did not consider the sum mentioned was justified for receiving sets”. Several views on the matter of whether wireless broadcasts were beneficial or needed were given. Alderman Conder suggested that the Council should hear the Education Officer on the matter. Along with others Mabel voted for the minute of this discussion. The vote was won by one vote.
Cambridge Daily News - Friday 24 March 1939
(Courtesy of British Newspaper Archive)
25th March 1939
At a Town Council meeting held at Shire Hall in Cambridge, one of the matters being discussed was the Cherry Hinton Park Scheme.
The scheme was looking at the use and lay-out of the grounds of Cherry Hinton Hall which the council had acquired in 1937. Mabel asked if the “committee visualised something in the nature of a park, perhaps with a paddling pool, bowling greens and tennis courts.”
Mrs Rackham seconded this resolution and when Miss Fell agreed to accept a suggestion from Alderman Wing that the word “consider” be substituted for “prepare” it was carried without further discussion.
This meeting helped shape Cherry Hinton Hall becoming the public park it is today.
Cambridge Daily News - Saturday 25 March 1939
(Courtesy of British Newspaper Archive)
11th May 1939
After a debate lasting two hours the Cambridge Town Council agreed to process with their scheme to dig air raid trenches, providing a grant from the Home Office was given. A resolution to refer the scheme back was defeated by only three votes, but the council decided to wait for a reply from the Home Office before carrying on with the scheme without a grant. Discussion and debate about whether trenches were needed and if people would be able to gather quickly enough and get to the shelter of them in an emergency was argued. Councillor Doggett had a pamphlet given an alternative, which gave details of steel shelters which were designed to hold 6 people, and another design which would hold 25 people. Mabel was one of those who voted against.
Cambridge Daily News - Thursday 11 May 1939
(Courtesy of British Newspaper Archive)
12th May 1939
Cambridge Daily News - Friday 12 May 1939
(Courtesy of British Newspaper Archive)
12th May 1939
Cambridge Independent Press - Friday 12 May 1939
(Courtesy of British Newspaper Archive)
2nd November 1939
Cambridge Daily News - Thursday 02 November 1939
(Courtesy of British Newspaper Archive)
4th November 1939
Cambridge Daily News - Saturday 04 November 1939
(Courtesy of British Newspaper Archive)
10th November 1939
In the autumn of 1939 Mabel resigned her position from the council, she wrote “resigning as she had secured an appointment away from Cambridge” Being a school teacher, Mabel went on to teach outside of Cambridge.
Cambridge Daily News - Friday 10 November 1939
(Courtesy of British Newspaper Archive)
1949-1956
Although Mabel moved on from the Council and got a position elsewhere, she remained living at (or at least listed at) 2 Vinery Road Cambridge, with her parents for many years after. In 1956 she is shown as still being there with her mother Minnie, after her father had passed away.
Cambridge Electoral Registers, Burgess Rolls and Poll Books.