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Memories of Laundry Lane by Penelope (Penny) Jackson
My Early Life living in Cherry Hinton Road & Laundry Lane
Family
Ruby Gladys Jackson (Mum) William (Bill) Ernest Jackson (Dad) Sisters Ellen Margaret, and me Penelope
*All photographs included here are Penny's, unless otherwise stated.
Laundry Lane, Cherry Hinton Road
I was born on 28.04.1948 at 141 Cherry Hinton Road where my family lived in a downstairs flat. I was the youngest of three girls, Ellen was the eldest, she was born in North London in 1940, Margaret followed in 1946 and I came along later in 1948. Margaret and I were both born at 141 Cherry Hinton Road. My parents decided after the 2nd World War to move away from London and make Cambridge their home.
I believe that my dad's first job in Cambridge was at the Swiss Laundry on Cherry Hinton Road, which was not far from our home. My dad was an engineer, and he eventually left his job at the Swiss Laundry and worked for the Cambridge Steam Laundry which was at the end of Laundry Lane off of Cherry Hinton Road in Cambridge.
The job came with a cottage which was located at Laundry Lane, our cottage was number 1 Laundry Lane which was the cottage nearest the Laundry, there were 5 other cottages and as far as I can recall, all were occupied by other laundry workers.
Tinker my dog with the laundry buildings in the background.
I recall that there was a family called Arnold who lived at number 3 Laundry Lane, Cecelia Arnold was the eldest and I think Len was her son, there was a young lady called Ella and I remember a young man called Ricki. At some point, there was a baby boy living in the Arnold household and I guessed he was Len's son, his name was Kevin.
My mum, holding Kevin Arnold, my uncle John (visiting from London) sisters Ellen, Margaret, & me Penny.
There was a family whose surname was Cramer. I think the dad was Polish. I cannot remember his wife's name, but I remember he had 2 daughters. I think one of the daughters was named Barbara, the other I think was Marisha but I am not sure.
Penny, Michael Inskip, Margaret back row, Christine Inskip and Freda Mauer in front.
There was a family called Inskip but I cannot remember what number they lived at, but they had two children Michael and Christine. At the end of the row of cottages was a couple who did not have any children, they were Tom and Ivy Cordon, and I can remember when Queen Elizabeth was Crowned (1953) they let us children watch the ceremony on their TV because none of the other residents had one! They were also the only ones who had a car.
Mrs Arnold, (Cecelia ) Mum, Ella, Margaret, Michael Inskip, Freda (Mauer) Christine Inskip, & myself, I think the dog belonged To Mrs Arnold.
There was another little cottage in Laundry Lane, it was nearer to Cherry Hinton Road. There was a little girl called Freda Mauer who lived there with her parents, her dad's name was Steve.
Our Mum with her 3 Girls. This picture was taken in Laundry Lane, you can see Kelvin Close houses in the background.
Post-war, money was tight, but as a child, it seemed to be a happy community. At the back of the row of cottages, we all had back gardens and to the side of the houses was a plot of land which was turned into allotments for growing vegetables. There was also a well on this piece of land.
Penny and Margaret in the back garden of No1, garden shed and cowslip field in the background.
Beyond our back gardens was a big field, where in the summer the children used to play during the school holidays. In early summer the field was covered with cowslips, which today are still my favourite flower. The boundary of the field had a row of trees and beyond the trees was Coe’s Farm. Mrs Coe ran a shop, the front of which was on Cherry Hinton Road. The shop was opposite where the TA is now.
(* You can read more about the Coe's by clicking here: Lime Tree Farm and the Coe Family, Cherry Hinton) 
Coe's Court which now stands on the Coe's shop & small holding.
Ellen went to Morley School and when she left there she went to Coleridge School. With all the building that was going on in this area two new schools were built, Queen Edith School and Netherhall Secondary School. Margaret went to Morley School but when Queen Edith was built, she moved there and then went on to Netherhall. I went to Queen Edith and then to Netherhall, but we both hated school.
Laundry Lane Children c.1953. This was taken at the back our house, the girl at the back was our eldest sister Ellen, I am front-left and Margaret is front right, I think the two girls in the middle of the front row are the Cramer sisters. The Laundry building is in the background.
In the Early 1960s, I am not sure of the date, but I know I was at Netherhall School at the time, we learned that the field that was playing field, at the back of the cottages had been sold and houses were to be built, and Derwent Close was born, building proceeded and we were surrounded by a building site. At the time it seemed like a huge number of houses were being built, but worse was to come, the houses that we lived in were to be demolished to be part of the new build, I think there are garages where our houses used to be. The workers from the Laundry were given new homes on Derwent Close, wonderful we thought, brand new houses with a bathroom! I can remember our old cottage being demolished, Margaret and I watched out of our new bedroom window, and we could see all the pictures of pop stars still clinging to the walls of our old bedroom as they demolished the cottages.
I was 14, Margaret had left school and had a job and Ellen had been married for a couple of years and they lived in a flat in Station Road. Dad came home from work one night and he had to tell us he had been made redundant from his job, so he had to find us somewhere else to live. Margaret and I were really upset, we did not want to move!
But Dad sorted it out, he got another job, at the Cambridge pumping station (now the Museum of Technology) , and the council rented us a house, but the house was on the other side of town, Arbury Estate, it seemed miles away from our friends, but there was no other option. It was winter 1962 when we moved, Dad and Margaret had to go to work, so Mum and I had to sort out the moving, we had a removal company move us, and when they had finished, I had to take the key to the house back to the manager of the Laundry, I think his name was Mr Dorsey. We then ordered a taxi and together with the cat and Tinker the dog we arrived at our new home. It was freezing cold, the house was brand new, and I think it was colder inside than out. Dad eventually ended up working for the University in the Engineering Department, being in charge of the boilers in the teaching lab.
So, our new life began. The next morning it was freezing cold, but my sister had to go to work and I had to go to school. But to go to Netherhall school involved 2 buses each way, nightmare!
Dad & me on holiday at Shanklin Isle Of Wight (1960/61)
Christmas came and went and School Easter Holidays in 1963 were on the horizon, I knew I did not want to stay at school any longer, so I went to talk to the Head Teacher of Netherhall at the time, Miss Wilkinson, I told her I wanted to leave school, but she said I was only 14 and could not leave. She looked at the calendar and said, you will be fifteen in the Easter holidays, if you find a job that you can start when you are fifteen you can leave. That is what I did! Murketts Motor Vehicle Company had a repair workshop in Histon Road and I became a receptionist, telephonist and general office worker. It was a bit of a shock as I was very shy, and most of the staff were men.
Looking back, I had a very happy childhood, we did not have much money, but we had a good time, and we made the most of what we had. Looking at the recent pictures that my husband Nick took the other day of Laundry Lane, it made me sad to see how neglected it is now. But that is progress for you! After my marriage to Nick in 1968, our first home was at Swann’s Terrace (off Mill Road) before moving to Shepherds Close Cherry Hinton where we resided for 45 years bringing up our two boys before moving to Church End in 2015.
Penny Nicholas (Jackson)
18.09.2023
The Laundry Lane / Arnold Layne Pink Floyd Connection.
Added by D J (Nick) Nicholas
The story of the Pink Floyd song Arnold Layne has never been fully explained, and probably never will, the Lane although called Laundry Lane had so many Arnolds living there in the very early days, it was called (unofficially) Arnold Lane. If you listen to the lyrics of Arnold Lane by the Floyd, you will gather that it is pertinent to an individual (known to the police) as an alcoholic, and a thief who stole items of clothing from the washing lines in the area, it is believed he was an Arnold (one of the many that lived in the Laundry Lane cottages) and as the nearby Homerton Colleges had lots of ladies lodging in the area, it was a like a child in a sweet factory, with an abundance of quality undergarments to pilfer. He also had an illegal still in a shed at the back of the cottages where he brewed illegal hooch and sold it on.
The connection here is that Kevin Arnold was a friend of Roger (Syd) Barret and it was one of Kevin's relatives that was the perpetrator of these acts. Obviously he not only stole ladies' clothes, but men's attire as well, as it is rumoured that Syd Barret was one of his customers, (Syd being totally unaware of where the booty came from) He was eventually caught and served time for his misdemeanours. Hence it can be assumed that Syd used this knowledge to pen the song, Arnold Layne. Below I have written down an abridged version of the lyrics. Arnold Layne had a strange hobby Collecting clothes Moonshine, washing line They suit him fine On the wall hung a tall mirror Distorted view See-through, baby blue He dug it Oh, Arnold Layne It's not the same Takes two to know Two to know Why can't you see? Now he's caught A nasty sort of person They gave him time Doors bang, chain gang He hates it Oh, Arnold Layne It's not the same Takes two to know Two to know Why can't you see? The song was Pink Floyd's 1st Single and was recorded on Feb 8th & was released on the 11th March 1967. DJN (Nick) 
Pink Floyd, Arnold Layne Album Cover - M. Bullivant
Michelle's Notes - A draft History of Cambridge Steam Laundry:
Laundry work was a traditional trade in Cherry Hinton, usually carried out by women of the village. The main clients were the colleges of Cambridge University, but the laundries also served local hotels, schools and families.
Cherry Hinton Village Sign which depicts laundry as part of its history.
Before motorised vehicles, the washing would have been delivered and picked up by horse and cart or donkey and cart.
With the rise of the steam-powered industry in the later Victorian period, the traditional manual laundries were overtaken by mechanised steam laundries. With the establishment of the Cambridge Steam Laundry in 1881, in the fields west of Cherry Hinton village, much of the trade soon diverted there.
1881
The Steam Laundry was built in Cherry Hinton parish on the site of an old brewery and was opened by 18th October 1881 for business. It included a large area of drying ground. Further research is needed to learn more about the brewery that is said to have once stood on this site. 
Manchester Courier - Saturday 12 March 1881 - British Newspaper Archive
Cambridge Steam Laundry was established in 1881 by Ginn, a Cambridge solicitor, who made Josiah Chater the secretary of the newly formed company. Newspapers reported on the formation of the new public company by March of 1881.
You can read more about Samuel Ginn here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginn_%26_Co_Solicitors
Capturing Cambridge are currently transcribing and publishing the diary of Josiah Chater - you can find out more about this on their website here:
https://www.museumofcambridge.org.uk/2022/07/josiah-chaters-diaries-a-glimpse-back-in-time/ They state that: "Josiah Chater records in his diary the establishment of the Steam Laundry Company. On 11 Feb 1881 he writes: "Had a pipe with Ginn the solicitor; he told me about a new project of a Laundry Company he had in view to which I am to be secretary if it comes off. He has the offer of an estate of 4 acres, with buildings on it, at Cherryhinton, opposite the waterworks, and he has a capital man in view as a manager." Josiah was appointed secretary and the first meeting of the directors was on 5th March. It was decided to demolish the brewery which had stood on the site; by 18th October the laundry opened for business. The first customers were Cavendish College and Mrs Todhunter, wife of Isaac Todhunter, honorary fellow of St John’s College. Josiah as secretary was paid £25 per year, the manager was paid £1 per week and the manageress £1 10s per week.
By February 1882 there were problems though. Josiah found the books in a bad state and did not think that the manager and his wife were competent. There had been many mistakes in sending linen back home. Eight cottages for workers had been built near the laundry and a Dr Cunningham, a graduate of Harvard then living in Cambridge, had been consulted on the problem of disposing of the soap suds without interfering with the sewage system." (Capturing Cambridge)
1882
In January 1882 we find evidence of the trouble referred to by Josiah above, in the form of an advert for a Forewoman for the Laundry who "must understand book-keeping": 
Cambridge Independent Press - Saturday 21 January 1882
By March 1882 we begin to see the first advertising for custom by the new Cambridge Steam Laundry Company. The advert below ran for several months in various publications.
Cambridge Independent Press - Saturday 11 March 1882 - British Newspaper Archive
The advert above states that full information may be obtained from No. 2 Alexandra Street, Cambridge. This was the office of the Cambridge Reform Building Company. This office was given up quickly because it was too small and moved to 5 Alexandra Street.
You can read more about Alexandra Street on Capturing Cambridge here: https://capturingcambridge.org/museum-of-cambridge/museum-exhibit-stories/7-alexandra-street/ 
OS 25" 1888 (surveyed 1885) Showing the site of the newly established Cambridge Steam Laundry with its drying field and lane leading to the workers houses (left side of the picture above - Cherry Hinton Hall is shown to the right side of the picture above with Coe's Market Garden Farm (Lime Tree Farm) in the centre with its orchards.
OS 25" 1888 (Surveyed 1886) Showing close up of the Cambridge Steam Laundry and workers houses, with Coe's farm and orchard bottom right.
In August 1882 a complaint was published in the Cambridge Newspaper (see below) about the contamination of water. This matter soon seems to be resolved and no further public reports are made. It does help us identify the water source being used for the works. The article refers to an open ditch which ran at the back of the Steam Laundry building and although not visible above ground there today. You will note on the map above that there are two long water-filled troughs which must have been made for use by the laundry.
Cambridge Independent Press - Saturday 26 August 1882
1883
The laundry continued with consistent, regular advertising for business in the newspapers. You'll see from the advert below that the offices have now moved from No. 2 Alexandra Street to No. 5 and that the manageress of the laundry is Miss Daniel. 
Cambridge Independent Press - Saturday 08 September 1883 - British Newspaper Archive.
1885
By December 1885 the manageress is Mrs Pratt. The advert below also describes the laundry site a little more by mentioning the "Spacious well ventilated sorting, washing and ironing rooms and an extensive meadow for drying ground" 
Cambridge Independent Press - Saturday 13 December 1884 - British Newspaper Archive.
1887 By May 1887 we start to see the first of many sponsorship adverts between the Steam Laundry and Reckitts Blue. You can read more about Reckitts Blue at the 'Old and Interesting' website here: http://www.oldandinteresting.com/laundry-blue.aspx These sponsored adverts linked between the manageress of the Steam Laundry and Reckitts continue for many years and appear in adverts all over the country, providing a great deal of coverage and promotion for both parties.  Richmond & Ripon Chronicle - Saturday 07 May 1887 - British Newspaper Archive.
1888 Kelly’s Directory:
Steam Laundry Co. Limited (Josiah Chater, sec.) 5 Alexandra Street; works, Cherry Hinton
1889
In 1889 we get the first look at the Cambridge Steam Laundry Company's logo in an advert placed in the Cambridge Independent Press. You'll also see that Mrs Pratt is still the manageress and Josiah Chater still the secretary. 
Cambridge Independent Press - Friday 26 April 1889 - British Newspaper Archive.
1890
In the financial papers and financial sections of general newspapers continuing information about the share prices of the company are given regularly over the years. 
Cambridge Chronicle and Journal - Friday 04 April 1890 - British Newspaper Archive.
OS 6" surveyed 1886 published 1888 - showing the Cambridge Steam Laundry and the Cambridge Water Works site opposite.
In the 1890s there were newspaper adverts for more workers needed at the laundry, which provided employment for local people.
Cambridge Daily News - Wednesday 01 October 1890 - British Newspaper Archive.
1891
The first full record of the people who worked and lived on-site at the new laundry is in 1891. The 1881 census was taken before the Steam Laundry was opened so there are no details for it for that year. The 1891 census shows 7 households living at the laundry site. James Pratt is listed as the manager along with his wife Annie Pratt who is the manageress. The remainder of the families appear to be housed due to the wives working at the company. On the OS Map (25" 1888-Surveyed 1886) you can see a terrace of 6 cottages down Laundry Lane and 2 separate semi-detached houses set back, facing Cambridge Road (Cherry Hinton Road) - it is not clear if these last 2 houses are part of the laundry houses. However, the 1901 Census lists two households (with the laundry manager & family living in one and the laundry Carman & family living in the other) as being on Cambridge Road and the rest are called Laundry Cottages Cambridge Road. It would make sense that the manager/s would have higher-grade houses, separate from the main workers.
1891 Census
Laundry – 1. James E Pratt Head M 35 Laundry Manager – Norfolk Old Catton Annie A Pratt wife M 31 Laundry Manageress – Loughton Essex Grace A Pratt daughter 6 Scholar – Cherry Hinton Daisy M Pratt daughter 4 – Cherry Hinton Fred Thomas Pratt son 10 months – Cherry Hinton Mary Ann Pratt mother widow 55 – Brook Norfolk Keziah Read servant single 14 Domestic Servant – Petersfield Hampshire Cambridge Road Laundry – (Cambridge Road is Cherry Hinton Road today) 2. John Osbourne Head M 67 Farm Labourer – Great Wilbraham Cambs Ann Osbourne wife M 64 Laundress – Little Wilbraham Cambs Annie McDonald Boarder 46 widow Laundress – Hanover Square St George London 3. Wilfred Freeman Head M 38 General Labourer – Royston Cambs Jane Freeman wife M 38 Laundress – Cherry Hinton John Henry Fuller step-son s 15 General Labourer – Cherry Hinton Sidney Fuller step-son 8 Scholar – Cherry Hinton 4. Isaac Read Head M 48 – Cherry Hinton - Buckworth Hants *Defective eyes* Elizabeth Read wife M 46 Laundress – Walworth Surrey Annie Read daughter s 18 Packer and Sorter in Laundry – Worcester Park Surrey Jessie Ann Read daughter s 16 Packer and Sorter in Laundry – Worcester Park Surrey Mary Elizabeth Read daughter 12 Scholar – Petersfield Hants May Read daughter 10 Scholar – Petersfield Hants 5. George Patten Head M 30 Carman – Cherry Hinton Jane Patten wife M 26 Laundress – Cherry Hinton Percy George Patten son 2 – Cherry Hinton 6. Arthur Nightingale Head M 34 General Labourer – St Andrew the Less Cambridge Sarah Anne Nightingale wife M 35 Laundress – Thriplow Cambs Julia L Nightingale daughter 6 Scholar – Cherry Hinton Arthur George Nightingale son 5 – Cherry Hinton Ernest H Nightingale son 2 – Cherry Hinton Emily Ann Benstead Servant s 12 Domestic Servant – Swaffham Prior Cambs 7. Margaret Daniels Head widow 53 Living on own means – Edinburgh Scotland *In 1891 the secretary of the Steam Laundry, Josiah Chater and his family - including Augustine Chater who would later take over the role from his father as secretary of the Steam Laundry - lived in Hartington Grove, off of Hills Road Cambridge*
1892 Kelly’s Directory
Steam Laundry Co. Lim. (Josiah Chater, sec.), 5 Alexandra st
In February 1892 the newspapers reported on the death of a well-known Cherry Hinton man, one of the Pamplin Brothers of the Steam Engine fame, who had a steam engine works in Cherry Hinton at the junction of Coldhams Lane and Cherry Hinton High Street.
Eliab Wright Pamplin died as a result of an accident, in which it was believed that he fell from the loft of his stable. The report notes that "Mr Pamplin was for some years Manager to the Cambridge Steam Laundry Company". We know that Mrs Pratt was still manageress in 1899, it is not clear when Mr Pamplin was manager but Mrs Pratt still continued to be manageress for some years. 
Cambridge Independent Press - Friday 19 February 1892 - British Newspaper Archive.
1893
 Cambridge Independent Press - Friday 14 April 1893 - British Newspaper Archive.
1894
There were many steam laundry businesses across the country by the 1890s and many books were written about the processes, equipment and running of these establishments. The newspaper article below discusses the wages of the Cambridge Steam Laundry Company as a comparison. 
Grantham Journal - Saturday 24 February 1894 - British Newspaper Archive.
The continuing adverts both for the business and for employees gives us useful pieces of information that we can use to build a picture of the machinery used, the jobs available and the workings of the Steam Laundry. Click on each below to expand them.
1896 Kelly’s Directory
Cambridge Steam Laundry Co. Limited (J. Chater, sec.) Cherry Hinton, Camb Steam Laundry Co. Limited (Josiah Chater, sec.) 5 Alexandra St. Cambridge
The following newspaper article from December 1899, gives a report on proprietors and employees of Steam Laundries and is extremely useful as it includes the Cambridge Steam Laundry in the listings, giving a list of names of people working there. - you'll see the error in the print calling Cherry Hinton 'Cherry Linton'!
Daily Telegraph & Courier (London) - Wednesday 13 December 1899 - British Newspaper Archive.
1901 Census
Cambridge Road – 1. James C Pratt Head M 45 Laundry Manager - worker – Norfolk Old Catton Annie A Pratt wife M 41 Laundry Manageress -worker – Loughton Essex Grace A Pratt daughter s 16 Pupil School – worker - Cherry Hinton Daisy M Pratt daughter 14 – Cherry Hinton – Typist Pupil – Own account at home Frederick T Pratt son– Cherry Hinton Annie A Pratt daughter 7 – Cherry Hinton Rose M Pratt daughter 7 – Cherry Hinton Mary A Pratt mother widow 68 – Brook Norfolk Margaret Daniel mother-in-law widow 63 – Scotland 2. Arthur H Wolfe Head M 32 – Laundry Carman – worker – Cambridge Alice Wolfe wife M 33 – Little Wilbraham Rose Wolfe daughter s 13 - Cambridge Harold Wolfe son 8 – Cambridge Laundry Cottages Cambridge Road Cherry Hinton – 3. Ann Osbourne Head Widow 73 – Little Wilbraham Cambs Agnes M W Maloney niece m 33 Laundress – worker – London 4. Henry J Frost Head M 37 – Steam Laundry – worker – Cambridge Jane Frost wife M 38 – Laundress – worker – Great Easton Essex Christopher W Frost son 12 – Cambridge Montague H Frost son 10 – Cherry Hinton William H Frost son 7 – Cherry Hinton Henry J Frost son 5 – Cherry Hinton Robert G Frost son 1 – Cherry Hinton 5. Arthur J Case Head M 28 – Asylum Attendent – worker - Cambridge Ann Case wife M 26 – Silverstone Northants 6. Frederick E Coe Head M 27 – Waterworks Stoker – worker – Cambridge Ellen Coe wife M 30 – Teversham Ellen E Coe daughter 6 months – Cherry Hinton 7. William Tingery Head 33 Foreman & Coal Porter – worker – Wheathampstead Herts Minnie Tingery wife M 32 – Cambridge Frances Tingery daughter 10 - Cambridge William E Tingery son 8 - Cambridge Dorothy Tingery daughter 1 – Cambridge 8. Arthur Nightingale Head M 44 – Brewers Labourer – worker - Cambridge Sarah A Nightingale wife M 45 – Laundry Worker – worker – Thriplow Cambs Julia L Nightingale daughter s 16 – Laundry Worker – worker – Cherry Hinton Arthur G Nightingale son 15 – Whitesmiths Assistant – worker – Cherry Hinton Ernest H Nightingale son 13 – Errand Boy – worker – Cherry Hinton William M Nightingale son 6 – Cherry Hinton 9. Frederick Bowles Head M 30 – Coal Carter – worker – Fulbourn Cambs Mary A Bowles wife M 28 – Whittlesford Cambs Frederick Bowles son 2 – Cherry Hinton Redvers Bowles son 6 months – Cherry Hinton Pretoria May Bowles daughter 6 months – Cherry Hinton *In 1901 the secretary of the Steam Laundry, Josiah Chater and his family - including Augustine Chater who would later take over the role from his father as secretary of the Steam Laundry - lived in Hartington Grove, off of Hills Road Cambridge*
Extensive regular advertising continues for the Steam Laundry in the local newspapers, again providing us with interesting clues and information about the business.
 Cambridge Independent Press - Friday 08 November 1901 - British Newspaper Archives.
1903
In 1903 the Cambridge Steam Laundry opened new Offices at 84 Regent Street Cambridge. 
Cambridge Independent Press - Friday 05 June 1903 - British Newspaper Archive.
1904
With continued drainage of the land and management of the various streams crossing the fields to the west of the Steam Laundry, development continued across the western parish of Cherry Hinton, along Cherry Hinton Road towards Hills Road, which was known as 'New Cherry Hinton'. With the growing number of new houses, streets and shops, a new laundry called The Swiss Laundry, was built on the higher ground further to the west. The Swiss Laundry was founded in 1904 by Mr Chapman and Mr Goundry on the former site of a tannery. It offered a Swiss finish to table linen. This new laundry was to be in direct competition with the Cambridge Steam Laundry. It is worth further research to see what effect this event had on the Cambridge Steam Laundry share prices. As a result, the advertising campaign for the Cambridge Steam Laundry went into overdrive with many repeated and varied advertisements being placed in many local publications and newspapers. Some are shown below - click on each to open them fully.
1907
By 1907 Cambridge Steam Laundry had progressed from donkeys/horses and carts to including tricycles for their collections and deliveries. 
Saffron Walden Weekly News - Friday 25 January 1907 - British Newspaper Archive.
In 1907 Cambridge Steam Laundry worker, 16-year-old Montague Frost, was involved in a serious cycling accident whilst riding a Steam Laundry carrier tricycle laden with linen.
Cambridge Independent Press - Friday 08 February 1907 - British Newspaper Archive.
1909
The advert below shows that things must have continued to go well for the Steam Laundry despite the competition further up the road, this was in part probably due to the sheer amount of new development leading to a decent number of customers going around. It's also worth noting that despite opening the new offices in Regent Street, the office at 5 Alexander Street was still in use. 
Cambridge Independent Press - Friday 15 January 1909 - British Newspaper Archive.
In February 1909 drama unfolds with a robbery at the Steam Laundry premises. This is then reported in several newspapers across the country as well as locally.
Cambridge Daily News - Wednesday 10 February 1909 - British Newspaper Archive.
Along with adverts seeking new staff the Steam Laundry continues with its regular advertising but is now able to include a phone number for the first time.
Cambridge Daily News - Thursday 18 March 1909 - British Newspaper Archive.
Cambridge Independent Press - Friday 19 March 1909
1911 Census - Cambridge Road now called Cherry Hinton Road
Mary Ann Oakman wife 23 – Laundry Hand Steam Laundry – worker - Cambridge Henry William Oakman son 6 – Scholar - Cambridge
Annie A Pratt wife 51 – “ “ “ “ – Laundry Manageress -worker – Loughton Essex Fredrick A Pratt son 20 s – Clerk Government Telegraph – worker – Cherry Hinton Annie A Pratt daughter 17 s – Cashier Café – Cherry Hinton Rose M Pratt daughter 17 s – Teacher (Pupil) School – Cherry Hinton Harrold G Daniel brother-in-law 45 s – Journalist – at home – Loughton Essex
Elizabeth Wolfe wife 38 M “ – Laundry Ironer Steam Laundry Company – Chesterton
Annie Coe wife 38 M – Dressmaking – own account, at home – Compton Devon Arthur Coe son 9 – School – Cherry Hinton Annie Coe daughter 6 – School – Cherry Hinton
Jane Frost wife 49 - “ “ “ - Essex Christopher Frost son 21 s – Labourer to Carter – Cherry Hinton Montague Frost son 20 s – Labourer to Carter – Cherry Hinton William Frost son 18 s – Farm Labourer on Land – Cherry Hinton Harry Frost son 16 s – Farm Labourere on Land – Cherry Hinton Robert Frost son 11 s – School – Cherry Hinton Sidney Frost son 8 s – School – Cherry Hinton
Emily Patten wife 28 M – Trumpington Rose Patten daughter 7 – School – Cherry Hinton Frederick Patten son 4 – Cherry Hinton Sidney Patten son 4 – Cherry Hinton Maude Patten daughter – 3 months – Cherry Hinton
Emily King 30 M – Laundry Maid Steam Laundry – worker – Arlesey Beds
Olive Harriet Miller wife 47 M “ “ “ “ – Forewoman Laundry – worker – St Pancras Islington William Frederick George Miller son 11 – School – Wood Green Middlesex Robert Rick Miller son 8 – School – Wood Green Middlesex
Sarah Ann Nightingale wife 55 M – “ “ “ “ – Laundry Ironer – worker – Thriplow Julia Louise Nightingale daughter 26 s – Laundry Ironer – worker – Cherry Hinton Arthur George Nightingale son 25 s – Whitesmith – worker – Cherry Hinton Ernest Henry Nightingale son 22 s – Wheelwright – worker – Cherry Hinton William Mark Nightingale son 16 s – Under Gardener – worker – Cherry Hinton
Mary Ann Bowles wife 38 M “ “ “ “ – Whittlesford Cambs Dorothy Bowles daughter 13 – School – Cherry Hinton Frederick George Bowles son 12 – Cherry Hinton Redvers Bowles son 10 – Cherry Hinton Pretoria May Bowles daughter 10 – Cherry Hinton *In 1908 Josiah Chater died, the role of secretary to the Steam Laundry Company most likely fell to his son Augustine Chater at this date. In 1911 Augustine was living in Hartington Grove, off of Hills Road Cambridge*
1912
In 1912 we find the first mention of the use of motorised vehicles for the Steam Laundry. 
Saffron Walden Weekly News - Friday 19 July 1912 - British Newspaper Archive.
1916
By May 1916 the effects of the First World War on businesses were being felt and a claim was placed by the Steam Laundry to hold on to their key worker, William Henry Wenham, rather than him go off to war, stating that if he were to go, they would probably have to shut down. We can see from the newspaper report below that the Steam Laundry was engaged in army work by the washing of army blankets. 
Saffron Walden Weekly News - Friday 26 May 1916 - British Newspaper Archive.
1918
Throughout 1917-1918 the Steam Laundry places less of its regular weekly newspaper adverts for business and instead, there is a constant stream of weekly adverts places requesting staff for various jobs. The advert below, for example, states that a war bonus is included. 
Cambridge Daily News - Friday 28 June 1918 - British Newspaper Archive.
In July 1918 we can see that William Henry Wenham was granted another 3 months' extension to continue working at the Steam Laundry rather than be sent of fighting. This must continually be requested.
Cambridge Independent Press - Friday 12 July 1918 - British Newspaper Archive.
1923
For a few years after the war there were quite a lot of newspaper adverts placed for job vacancies at the Steam Laundry but no real regular adverts for business like there had been before the war. In 1923 we find the following newspaper notice which discussed one of the Steam Laundry cottages. We can see that the office at 5 Alexandra Street was still in use and that the manageress was now Annie Wheeler. 
Saffron Walden Weekly News - Friday 26 January 1923 - British Newspaper Archive.
1925
In January 1925 Mr Rutter dies and the newspaper obituary states that he was a director of the Cambridge Steam Company. 
Suffolk and Essex Free Press - Thursday 08 January 1925 - British Newspaper Archive.
1933
In 1933 another break-in at the Steam Laundry occurred with an interesting tale of how the culprit was caught! 
Saffron Walden Weekly News - Friday 03 March 1933 - British Newspaper Archive.
The full tale unfolds in March 1933 in the trial report given in the newspaper, which you can read below - click on each picture in turn to see the full details!
In the report we discover that Edna Fisher, who gives evidence in the trial, is Chief Clerk of the Steam Laundry. Saffron Walden Weekly News - Friday 10 March 1933 - British Newspaper Archive.
In the end, at sentencing, Thomas Spriggs was found not guilty.
Saffron Walden Weekly News - Friday 14 April 1933 - British Newspaper Archive.
1935-36 Cambridgeshire County Directory
Cambridge Steam Laundry Co. Ltd. Receiving office 4738 Works 87548 Chater, A. B. A.C.A., F.C.I.S., secretary Cambridge Steam Laundry, Cherry Hinton road and 54 Regent Street *Augustine Barrett Chater was Josiah Chater's son*
1937
The following newspaper notice shows that the laundries are working together - how this worked in practice and affected the public ownership of the Cambridge Steam Laundry is not clear and would merit further research. 
Saffron Walden Weekly News - Friday 10 September 1937 - British Newspaper Archive.
In 1937 we find the first general business advert in many years for the Steam Laundry. It is much plainer than those that they used to publish before the war, and you'll note that there is now a new phone number for the Steam Laundry.
Saffron Walden Weekly News - Friday 05 November 1937 - British Newspaper Archive.
1938 The Blue Book Cambridge Directory
Cambridge Steam Laundry Co., Ltd. Cherry Hinton meadows. 87548 Cambridge Steam Laundry Co., Ltd. (Chater, A. B.), 54 Regent st. 4738
By 1938 Kelvin Close was laid out to the immediate west of the Steam Laundry and the houses were built just before the war.
 OS 6" surveyed 1935 published 1945.
1939
Chelmsford Chronicle - Friday 06 January 1939 - British Newspaper Archive.
A very sad tale appeared in the newspaper in August 1939 which tells of the suicide of Francis Cort Carpenter, Manager of Cambridge Steam Laundry. You can click on each of the pictures below to read more.
With the outbreak of World War Two the Steam Laundry business was once again affected.
Cambridge Daily News - Thursday 14 September 1939 - British Newspaper Archive.
1946
I visited the Cambridgeshire Archives at Ely to look at the records that they hold for the Steam Laundry at Laundry Lane. They hold a set of building bylaw plans which I was able to photograph. Cambridgeshire Archives Reference: KCB/2/SE/3/9/14843 Building byelaw plan and approval for alterations and additions to laundry, Cherry Hinton Road (Cambridge Steam Laundry) 11th Feb 1946.
Cambridgeshire Archives: KCB/2/SE/3/9/14843 Building byelaw plan and approval for alterations and additions to laundry, Cherry Hinton Road (Cambridge Steam Laundry) 11th Feb 1946.
I sent Penny the plan which showed the houses on the Steam Laundry site, and she kindly highlighted in yellow, which house used to be theirs - see below:
"I was pleased to see that the well was marked on the plan, it was practically in our back garden! It's a shame that the Lane is in such a mess now.....On the attached plan that you kindly submitted I have highlighted our cottage and we resided there circa 1952-1962."
Penny's house is marked yellow on the plan.
1948
Saffron Walden Weekly News - Friday 16 July 1948 - British Newspaper Archive.
The site of Cambridge Steam Laundry in February 1948, still with its drying meadow. Kelvin Close can be seen on the west of the site with Coe's orchard and farm on the east. - Air Photo Mosaic Sheet (1:10,560 scale) National Library of Scotland.
1962
 c.1962 Aerial view showing the newly built Derwent Close over the drying meadow with the Steam Laundry still reachable at the rear, via Laundry Lane - Fairley Surveys
1954
From around 1950 the Cambridge Steam Laundry had begun a new service of Dry Cleaning and had begun its advertising campaign by 1954 Perhaps this was in part because it had now lost its traditional drying ground to the new houses. For several months there were many newspaper adverts placed to call for new employees at the Steam Laundry, in the 'Dry Cleaning Department'. Mrs B Jackson & Co. 3 Regent Street, was one of the first businesses in Cambridge offering Dry Cleaning from 1900 onwards. The Swiss Laundry had also offered dry cleaning since its opening in the early 1900's. 
Cambridge Daily News - Monday 04 January 1954 - British Newspaper Archive.
Cambridge Daily News - Friday 29 January 1954 - British Newspaper Archive.
1962 In 1962, during the last years of the laundry, Mr H Dorcey of Cambridge Steam Laundry represented on the East Anglian Council section of the Institute of British Launderers.  Haverhill Echo - Saturday 24 February 1962 - British Newspaper Archive.
In the same month of February 1962 Cambridge Steam Laundry changed its name and became the Cambridge Laundry and Cleaners Ltd with Mr Dorcey identified as the general manager. The company then takes over another laundry - The Coldham Model Laundry - bringing along a few of its staff.
Saffron Walden Weekly News - Friday 02 February 1962 - British Newspaper Archive.
1969
In August of 1969, the end of the 88-year history of Cambridge Steam Laundry was coming to an end. The name had been changed in recent years, but the business did not last much longer. The remaining premises and land were listed for sale by direction of Lyndale Laundries Ltd. 
Cambridge Daily News - Wednesday 20 August 1969 - British Newspaper Archive.
By October 1969 the public auction sale of the site had been withdrawn, citing the reason that the site had been sold by private treaty.
Cambridge Daily News - Monday 06 October 1969 - British Newspaper Archive.
The mystery surrounding this sale was noted in a newspaper article the following year. It seems that after the private sale of the land in October 1969, the business had carried on for almost another year under its name of Cambridge Laundry and Cleaners Ltd, which had been owned by Mr W Shaw. It soon becomes apparent that the Swiss Laundry had taken over the Cambridge Laundry business. The Cambridge Steam Laundry, albeit with a new name change, finally closed for good on the site it had occupied for 89 years.
Cambridge Daily News - Friday 04 September 1970 - British Newspaper Archive.
Today the Cambridge Steam Laundry Buildings are all gone and in their place is a new housing development called Brothers Place. Laundry Lane remains as a rough road now leading to a dead end.
You can download a PDF copy of Michelle's History of Cambridge Steam Laundry Company and Penny & Nicks article for free, by clicking on the buttons below.
Please do feel free to get in touch if you would like to add anything to this story or if you have any further information on the Cambridge Steam Laundry.
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Suggested further reading and research:
Books that are worth reading on the subject: The Steam Laundry and its Methods - Charles A Royce How to Successfully Operate a Steam Laundry - Caleb David Patterson (Classic Reprint) The Steam Laundry. Its Construction, Equipment and Management - Taylor, John. (Consulting Laundry Engineer) LAUNDRY MANAGEMENT. A Handbook For Use In Private And Public Laundries - Editor of "The Laundry Journal" A Manual Of Modern Steam Laundry Work 1912 - Ellis Clayton Steam Laundries: Gender, Technology, and Work in the United States and Great Britain, 1880-1940 - By Arwen P.Mohun (Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999) Further Suggested Archives and Records to Consult: Cambridge University Library: Laundry books, 1956 - 1968 Reference Code: GBR/0265/UA/BG 18 Scope and Contents Record laundry taken in and money paid. Several of the books in this series were used concurrently. Dates: 1956 - 1968 Conditions Governing Access: From the Fonds: Among the archives of the Botanic Garden, personal records are closed to scholars for 80 years from the date of creation under data protection legislation. Restrictions are clearly indicated in catalogue entries. Found in: Cambridge University Library / GBR/0265/UA, Cambridge University Archives / Teaching, learning and research records / Archives of the Botanic Garden Personal diaries: Volume 39 (loose inserts), 1930 Reference Code: GBR/0271/GCPP Tillyard 1/1/39a Scope and Contents Photograph of AT with ? Agatha at St Anthony-in-Roseland in Cornwall; also press cutting re a carol concert given by the Perse School at the Cambridge Steam Laundry works. Dates: 1930 Found in: Girton College Archive / GBR/0271/GCPP, Personal Papers / Personal Papers of Aelfrida Tillyard / Personal and biographical records / Personal diaries, 1897-1959, together with documents formerly contained loose in the diaries, 1868-1959. Personal diaries: Volume 50, 1935-11-01 - 1936-06-08 Reference Code: GBR/0271/GCPP Tillyard 1/1/50 Scope and Contents Oxford. Still at St Benedict's. Alethea also living in Oxford - frequent visits. Brief visit to Cambridge - resigns directorship of the Cambridge Steam Laundry. Continued illness: goes to a nursing home in Torquay in Jan. 1936. March 1936 - has an operation then convalesces at the Convent of the Holy Trinity. Otherwise this volume contains largely description of the contemplative and religious life - occasional comment on the world, eg the situation in Germany. Discussions with Father Cary,... Dates: 1935-11-01 - 1936-06-08 Found in: Girton College Archive / GBR/0271/GCPP, Personal Papers / Personal Papers of Aelfrida Tillyard / Personal and biographical records / Personal diaries, 1897-1959, together with documents formerly contained loose in the diaries, 1868-1959. + taking on her father's role as a director of the Cambridge Steam Laundry Ltd. Writing: 'Concrete' and 'Can I be a Mystic?' both published by Tillyard, Aelfrida Cambridgeshire Collection: The laundry of perfection Author: Cambridge Steam Laundry Co. Ltd Imprint: n.d. Collation: 4 p. ; 19 cm. Dewey class: C.27.2 Local class: C.27.2 Language: English Subject: Cambridge Steam Laundry Co. Ltd BRN: 1144480 Cambridge steam laundry, 80 Regent St and adjoining shops Imprint: 1907-1911 (circa) Notes: Indexes: Yes Dewey class: P.Stea.K0 B.REG.K0 PC.Lan.K0 Local class: B.REG.K0 Language: English BRN: 1024081 The Cambridge Steam Laundry, Cherry Hinton Road, Cambridge Author: Sales Catalogue Imprint: Cambridge, 1969 Collation: p.7 ; 35 cm. Notes: With map enclosed Dewey class: C.06 CABINET Language: English Subject: Cherry Hinton Road
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2010 Diaries
I have been back down the cellers of Cherry Hinton Hall this morning to gather up and rescue more of the archives which were discovered there a couple of months ago. Oaks International School now rent the Hall building from the Council and the teachers and pupils there have been a fantastic inspiration. They have taken real care and interest in their school building along with the history of the site and local area. I went out to visit them a couple of months ago to take them some old maps, records and artefacts, relating to the building and site. Also to show the children around the parkland and point out all the lumps and bumps on the ground, telling them what we think is hidden beneath. While I took some of the children round the park one of the teachers did a history trail in the Hall building, which included a visit down the cellars The children came up from the celler clutching handfulls of interesting old documents from the mid 20th century and paper work which they had discovered down there. There were things like old Folk Festival programmes from the 1970's, Royal Ballet tickets, City Council amenities records and all sorts. I then went down into the cellars myself, to see where these had all come from. I found there was a very sizeable amount of these documents all piled up on a ledge and some in old decaying wooden crates. The cellars, were vey dark - no electricity - and very, very damp, with running water culverts in places. The documents were in need of being removed and examined as soon as possible. So it was agreed that I could go back sometime soon and take the archives out, remove them for examination and preservation. A couple of weeks ago, both myself and Jonathan Phillips, went down in the cellars to begin sorting this lost archive out but not having electricity and the sheer amount which was there, we decided to take a sample of the archive and come back another day with re-enforcements and better lighting! On Saturday the Oaks International School was awarded a CYPHA award (Cambridgeshire Young Persons History Award) at the CALH (Cambridgeshire Association for Local History) AGM & awards in Toft, Cambridge. I had put the school forward for this award, as I was so impressed by the work the children had produced on their local area, the interest they had shown in the history and how the teachers had been so encouraging. Today I have been back to the cellars, along with Jonathan & Nicola Phillips to retreive the remaining archives. This time we had much better lighting (it is very spooky down in those cellars!) and we spent a good couple of hours ferrying the archives out of the cellar to my car. There was so much! A lot had, sadly, been so badly damaged by water and had rotted but a huge amount was still fine - there was a lot of old council reocrds from the 1930's to late 1970's. Lots of interest, with things like parks and gardens records, items from the allotment society and records of the Cambridge Festival etc. My car was filled - literally! As so much of the material didn't actually relate to the Hall itself or just to Cherry Hinton village, I decided to give my friend Phillip Sauders a ring. Phillip is a well known Cambridgeshire archivist working at Cambridgeshire Archives (formally Cambrigeshire Records Office). I had a chat about what we had and asked him if I could pop up to Shire Hall to the Cambs Archives, so that he could have a look and see if he was interested. He agreed, so off I went, car nearly touching the floor with the weight! (good job I have an old banger). Phillip and one of the conservators came out to the car and had a good look and decided they would be able to take the archives in and sort them out, which was fantastic news :) Once they have had chance to go through them properly, Phillip will get back to me with an update and we'll see how it goes. So all in all, I'm very pleased that we were able to rescue these documents before they degraded any further. 
A nice example of one of the archives - such a wide range of things
The Cellars at Cherry Hinton Hall
Forgotten archives in the cellars of Cherry Hinton Hall
More lost archives in the cellars of Cherry Hinton Hall
Boxes of lost archives in the cellars of Cherry Hinton Hall
The Archives are saved! Off to the Cambridge Archives (formally the record office) with Phillip Saunders and the conservator
Shire Hall, Cambridge the new home for the lost archives from Cherry Hinton Hall
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A little exploration into one of the old farms of Cherry Hinton. Ventress Farm was one of the old farms that stood in Cherry Hinton village, positioned just off of, what is now, Cherry Hinton Road. There would appear to be nothing remaining of it to see today...or is there?...
So as you can see from the two little video clips above, it may be that there is something of the old farm buildings remaining, that we can see today, hidden away from sight and only there if you go exploring and have a look. The question is, is that older looking house, within the more modern Ventress Farm Court Flats, actually the old Ventress farm house? or even on the site of the Ventress Farm. Given the name of the site today as Ventress Farm Court, it seems a fairly obvious clue that this was at the least the site of the old farm. So let's take a look at the things I can tell you about Ventress Farm, that I know of already and then see if we can decide if that house is, in fact the old farm house. Firstly lets get our position clearer in the landscape.
This is the southern end of Cherry Hinton. You can see the grounds of Cherry Hinton Hall top left and the blue pool is Giant's Grave, which is at the crossroads at the start of Cherry Hinton High Street, with the Robin Hood pub opposite bottom right corner. The yellow X marks the entrance to Ventress Farm Court and the start of video clip 1, the yellow circle marks the potential old Ventress Farm building in video clip 2.
A good place to start is the old Enclosure map of Cherry Hinton, which is from 1806, when Enclosure took place in Cherry Hinton (more on that in another blog coming soon). This is one of the earliest maps that we have for the village in any detail and we can get to see what buildings were there at that time.
The Enclosure Map, 1806, of Cherry Hinton, showing the portion that we are examining. I have coloured in the Giant's Grave and the brook and marked two of the roads so that you might get your bearings. I have also put a red dot on the spot where Cherry Hinton Hall was to be built later, and a red X to mark where the Robin Hood pub now stands. I have circled in yellow the two sets of buildings on the road, around the area that Ventress Farm once stood.
Here's the map unmarked for you. (Cambridgeshire Archives, Cherry Hinton Enclosure Map. Photograph M. Bullivant)
So in 1806, we can see that there are two sets of buildings around the site. The ones, in the larger yellow circle, look more like a set of related buildings which make them a more likely candidate for a farm and then the second singular building in the smaller yellow circle further to the left. Let's have a go at overlaying the modern map with the Enclosure map to see if we can sort the position out better.
The modern map laid over the Enclosure map of 1806, to give you an approximation of the buildings that may be the building that we can still see today.
Hopefully you'll be able to make out a little of what is showing through the overlaid maps above. We can now rule out the building shown previously, in the smaller yellow circle, and turn our attention to the collection of buildings, within the plot of the larger yellow circle. As you can more or less make out in the overlaid maps above, the left hand L shaped building seems to lay beneath what is now a road way - (the second part of Ventress Farm Court roadway, which comes off of Greystoke Road). The building that is shown on the picture above, in the yellow circle above is the one to focus on. If it is not the building that remains today, it would have stood upon the same spot and may relate to those bricks that were reused to make the back wall, shown in video clip 2.
Close up of the buildings in our plot on the 1806 Enclosure map
As you can see there are two L shaped buildings within this one plot, numbered 113, and marked as owned by Caius College. In fact look a little closer within the plot and you'll see another small, square building, by the roadside. The dark line going across the picture is where Cherry Hinton Road now lays (this used to be called Long Drove). It does not name the site as Ventress Farm on this map. I need to do several things to make this information clearer at this stage but given the lockdown that we are in, some things will just have to wait until another day - one of which is a trip to Caius College to have a look in their archives, as it will be good to see what they have on Cherry Hinton in general but also to see what this site was called in previous years to the Enclosure. I also need to pop back up to Cambridge Archives, which is now in Ely, in its new building there, and go over both the Enclosure and accompanying pre-Enclosure maps of Cherry Hinton, getting some new and clearer pictures of them to share with you. I will then also be able to look through the Enclosure award book to see what and who else may be listed, for the plot that we are looking at. I do have all these records here but hidden in piles of archives, in boxes, so it's just as well to go and get some newer pictures with better camera. As I get more data I will keep adding to this post.
In the old medieval open field system within the parish of Cherry Hinton, the site lay in a large parcel of land called Fendon Field. The written survey, of parts of the village in 1592, by Christopher Saxton, describes many of the smaller parcels of land within Fendon Field, most of which are owned by Gilbert Wise and his family but it doesn’t mention any buildings, only the size of the land parcels. The same can be said for the survey of the land carried out in 1733 by John Tracey, some of the land within Fendon Field still being owned by the Wise family, descendants of Gilbert Wise.As we've just seen, on the Enclosure map of 1806 we can see that Gonville and Caius (Cambridge College) are marked as owning the site. Here's a little more information relating to that for now.
“In 1503 Thomas Willows granted c.45 acres to Gonville Hall (Cambridge), to which in 1708 W. Peters left 66 acres copyhold of Netherhall manor. After inclosure [1806] Caius College's main Hinton holdings were in Fendon field… Between 1830 and 1857 its land was leased out to William Ventris. Its lands were sold off piecemeal in the 20th century, and in 1998 it retained 20 acres....In account of Caius' building expenses between 1564 and 1573, amounting to £1,837, includes purchase of timber-trees from Warboys and Ramsey woods, freestone and rubble from Ramsey [Abbey] and Barnwell [Priory], freestone from King's Cliffe and Weldon, clunch from Haslingfield and Barrington and lime from Reach and Cherry Hinton.” “From the 16th century Caius College owned other lands in Teversham, called WILLOWES. In 1502 Thomas Willows, a Cambridge glover, had devised his purchased lands, c. 79 a., in Teversham, Fen Ditton, Fulbourn, and Cherry Hinton, to Gonville Hall, for 99 years, to help maintain a fellow and bible clerk. The Teversham portion, which, with other land in Fulbourn and Fen Ditton, became Willowes farm.” [in Teversham] (A History of the County of Cambridge and the Isle of Ely: Volume 10, Victoria County History, London, 2002.)
The next thing we can do is to take a quick look at the site from the air.
Can you see our current building?
Zoomed in. Can you see it now? The older looking roof top in the middle of the modern roof tops of the flats in Ventress Farm Court.
Last zoom in and now hopefully you can make out how old this building looks when seen from above - just look at that sitting there, right in the middle of the modern flats! Cool isn't it :)
So one last little thing to try before I start telling you about the tragic and interesting history from what I already know about Ventress Farm... let's overlay the Enclosure map with the aerial view to see just where that building lands, more or less ;)
Here is the modern aerial overlaid onto the Enclosure map - not to clear to see really, is it? - here watch this next little video clip and then you'll be able to get your eye in better :)
Mr & Mrs Ventris lived and ran the farm on our site in the early 19th century, and it was called Ventris Farm - later, by the end of the 19th century the spelling had changed to Ventress. You can read more about the tragic incident that occurred, in 1813, to Mrs Ventris and her young child below:
The following is gleaned from old newspaper records about the Ventress (Ventris) family in Cherry Hinton and Ventress Farm:
Mrs Ventris, Relief of poor, May 1801 (Cherry Hinton Chronicle, E.Filby)
Relief of the poor in Cambridge and the neighbouring villages. Second subscription. Mrs Ventris, Cherry Hinton paid 10s 6d
Melancholy Event, September 24th 1813 (Cherry Hinton Chronicle, E.Filby)
We are much concerned in stating, that on Monday morning last, Mrs. Ventris, wife of Mr. Ventris of this place was found drowned in a ditch in the Parish of Cherry Hinton. She had left Cambridge on the preceding day, and took one of her children with her, a girl about 16 months old, who we regret to say, was also drowned, being found within a few feet of her mother. The Coroner's jury returned a verdict "found drowned".
This terrible thing happened and the verdict just seems so plain... 'Found drowned'. Perhaps it was as simple and as tragic as that. I presume that the ditch in question was most likely a point somewhere along the Hinton Brook, only across the road from Ventris Farm, which flows from Giant's Grave at the High Street crossroads, through the grounds of Cherry Hinton Hall and on towards Coldham's Common, before joining the River Cam at Stourbridge Common. You have to bear in mind that the Hinton Brook had far more depth and the area was covered in marshy boggy places, with natural springs and their little ditches cropping out in various places. This was before the drainage of the parish took place and before the water reservoirs were built on top of Lime Kiln Hill in the late 19th century, which in turn lessened the flow of water in the Hinton Brook. So perhaps it was just that, a tragic accident. It is natural to wonder if there was more to it such as foul play or even suicide, perhaps due to something like postnatal illness or such like but we can not presume or surmise anything like that because we do not have the full facts and can only give our respectful thoughts and prayers to the memory of Mrs Ventris, her young child and her family, acknowledging the sad incident, now part of our Cherry Hinton history.
I have started a family tree for the Ventris family, on Ancestry, so that I can get further records and information about them, which I'll add here as I discover facts.
Mrs Ventris was called Mary and she was buried, at Cherry Hinton, 23rd September 1813 (FHL Film No. 2149251)
The child, who died with her, was called Elizabeth Ventris, as she is shown as also being buried in Cherry Hinton on 23rd September 1813. (FHL Film no. 214251).
The gravestone of Thomas Ventris (possibly William's father) and the only Ventris gravestone I could find on my social distancing walk this afternoon, in St Andrew's Churchyard, Cherry Hinton. This little patch would have been the Ventris family grave area though. Back in around 2005, I, along with Graeme Clarke, surveyed the entire graveyard here and reproduced the grave plan and written grave records for the vicar at the time. I will dig that file out and check for more info on the Ventris family and put here later.
The main and only village burial site from the medieval period onwards was St Andrew's Church at the top end of the village in Church End - There was a large Saxon burial site further down Church End, pre-dating the main church today, which was discovered and excavated about 2009. Before that we've got isolated burials all over the place, from the skeletons of those massacred in long gone battles, found up on top of Lime Kiln Hill, at the War Ditches - to the boundary marker, bronze age burials around the parish and more besides. I'm not sure if the Baptist Chapel on Fisher Lane ever allowed any burials there but on the whole everyone was buried in St Andrew's Church yard - before the creation of the Cambridge Cemetery on Newmarket Road. I have long thought that there may have been some earlier, collective burial site, down the south end of the village (Mill End) somewhere, because Church End (in the north) and Mill End (south) were quite separate from one another before drainage took place in the late 1800's. Perhaps there is still a Saxon burial site to be discovered in Mill End somewhere - the only indication of something religious down that end at the moment, is an odd reference to "God's House" which keeps cropping up on old surveys and documents - it seems to lay somewhere off of the High Street, opposite the Post Office, in that area. So much to explore and discover still...:)
You can visit the tree that I have now started on Ancestry, to learn more about the Ventris family by clicking this link: www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/pt/RSVP.aspx?dat=MTY5MDQ0MzkwOzswMWU5NDJkNS0wMDA2LTAwMDAtMDAwMC0wMDAwMDAwMDAwMDA7MjAyMDA1MTIwNzE3MDI7MQ==&mac=KJIo8AoL8hQtxxf6g8vMBA==
The basics are: Mr Ventris was William Richmond Ventris and he married Mrs Ventris - Mary Lawrence in Cambridge on 28th December 1796 at Saint Andrew the Great Church. Mr Ventris was born around 1765 and his parents were from Teversham. He was married first to Martha Plume (born 1764 - died 1788) and they had 2 or 3 children together. He then married Mary and they had 4 or 5 children together. William and Mary had a baby called Sarah in June 1812 and who was then buried in Cherry Hinton in June 1812. Mary and her daughter Elizabeth died the in September 1813 - the newspaper article saying that Elizabeth was about 16 months old - I wonder if Sarah and Elizabeth had been twins? - a quick check of the records confirms this to be the case, as both Elizabeth and Sarah are baptised together in Cherry Hinton on 6th June 1812. William and Mary's son, Edward Ventris (b.1802 -d.1886) went on to live in Cambridge (3, Bateman Street, Cambridge) and was the Vicar of the parish church in Stow-Cum-Quy. William Ventris died in 1827.
More newspaper clips and information regarding Ventris Farm:
27th September and 4th October 1816 (Cherry Hinton Chronicle, E.Filby)
Parish of Cherry Hinton in the County of Cambridge Whereas the GAME within this Parish has been much destroyed by poachers and unqualified persons, and considerable damage done by persons sporting amongst standing crops and other acts of unsportsmanlike conduct, obliges us to adopt this mode of proceeding. We the undersigned being owners and occupiers of Lands within the said parish, do hereby give notice, that such persons found trespassing will be prosecuted, and qualified persons are requested not to sport. T.S. Headly, R. Johnson, R.Rickard, R.Emson, W.Capp, J.Barrance, R.Granger sen., R. Granger jun., J.Truslove, John Headly, John Green, W.R. Ventris, William Tagg, Thomas Hart, J.Clements, William Coe.
October 15th 1819 (Cherry Hinton Chronicle, E.Filby)
Furniture - Cherry Hinton To be sold by auction by Elliot Smith on the premises of Mrs Ventris, deceased, on Tuesday next the 19th October at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Consisting of bedsteads and furnishings, beds and bedding, 8 day clock, a bureau, corner cupboard, kitchen utensils, hooks and various other articles. May be viewed morning of sale. Catelogues to be had at the Coach and Horses, Fulbourn, Red Lion, Cherry Hinton, and Elliot Smith.
January 1st 1822 (Cherry Hinton Chronicle, E.Filby)
Inquest On Friday last, an inquest was held before John Ingle Esq., one of the coroners for this County, on view of the body of Thomas Lane, servant at Mr. Ventris's farm, at Cherry Hinton. It appeared that the deceased, who had been unwell for some time, but not so much so as to prevent his going about his usual avocations, retired to bed after eating a hearty supper. In the night a person in the adjoining room was awoke by the cries of a lad, who slept with the deceased. He immediately got up and only arrived in time to see the poor fellow expire. Verdict, died by the visitation of God.
September 14th 1832 (Cherry Hinton Chronicle, E.Filby)
Theft On Sunday night last or early on the following morning, a post chaise was stolen from the premises of Mrs. Ventris of Cherry Hinton.
October 21st 1882 (Cherry Hinton Chronicle, E.Filby)
MILK! MILK! J.Barton will supply Daily pure MILK from the cow 8 pints for 1 shilling. Deliveries to all part of the Town. All orders received at Ventris Farm, Cherry Hinton.
Owners and occupiers of Ventris (Ventress) farm over the years:
The 1888 Os Map (https://cherry-hinton.ccan.co.uk/content/catalogue_item/map-of-1888) showing Ventress Farm, as a collection of buildings in a square layout. P. indicates a pump and our building that stands today is upon the spot along the southside of this complex. Notice how the little building on the far left, which was shown on the 1806 Enclosure map, still stands.
Both the 1851 and 1861 Census do not record Ventris Farm by name but records a John Spencer as a farmer in the vicinity of where Ventris Farm would have been, on Cambridge Road (called Fulbourn Road 1861) - but we can not say for certainty that this is the same site, so for now we'll just note that, rather that say for definite.
In the news, which may relate to Ventris Farm, if Mr Spencer did indeed farm and live there, the following entry in the Cambridge Chronicle appears:
November 17th 1849 FIRE! On the night of Tuesday last, about 12 o'clock, a fire broke out in a wheat stack situate in a field on the farm of Mr. Spencer, of this parish. The flames speedily communicated to a contiguous wheat stack and a barley cob, and the three were reduced to ashes. The stacks were at some distance from the Homestead and there is no doubt that they were maliciously fired. The conflagration, from the solidity of the Stacks, lasted for a considerable period, and created a great deal of alarm in Cambridge. Mr Spencer is insured, but we have not heard an estimate of the loss, which must be considerable. (Cherry Hinton Chronicle, E.Filby)
Both the 1871 and 1881 Census do not record Ventris Farm by name but records a Remmington Pratt as a farmer in the vicinity of where Ventris Farm would have been, on Cambridge Road - but we can not say for certainty that this is the same site, so as with 1851 and 1861 previously, for now we'll just note that, rather that say for definite.
OS Map, 1950 (https://cherry-hinton.ccan.co.uk/content/catalogue_item/map-of-cherry-hinton-1950) - showing Ventress Farm buildings and still the other small building to the left, remains standing.
OS map 1885 shows the name spelt Ventress rather than Ventris.
On the 1891 Census, Ventris Farm isn't named but approximately where it would be expected a farm is listed but called Barton's Farm - perhaps a temporary change? this needs more investigation. As it corresponds to the site, it is worth mentioning the details here:
Barton's Farm - James Bass, Head, married, aged 60, Farm Bailiff, employed, born in Oxford Emma Bass, wife, aged 61, born Bucks William Bass, son, single, aged 37, Book Cavasser, born Bucks Louisa Bass, daughter, single, aged 23, born Trumpington Walter Bass, son, single, aged 19, Stationary Engine Driver, employed, born Trumpington *note how the son, Walter is a stationary engine driver - this suggests that he was working for the Pamplin family of Cherry Hinton who ran the steam plough works (where there were stationary engines working the plough) in the village and are recorded as owning the Ventris Farm site in 1913 - perhaps they owned it from this date, 1891
The 1901 Census doesn't name Ventris Farm, just the road, but we can presume with some degree of certainty that Daniel Coe who is shown as Farm Baliff and is on the 1911 Census (see below) as a Farm Steward, living at Ventris Farm, is at the same place in 1901.
So for 1901 it is likely that the following applies: Cambridge Road, Cherry Hinton - Daniel Coe, Head, married, aged 48, Farm Baliff, worker, born in Cherry Hinton Emma Coe (Emily on 1911 Census), wife, aged 47 years, born Cherry Hinton and Lizzie Coe (Lucy on 1911 Census), daughter, aged 20, Dressmaker, born in Cherry Hinton Ada F Coe, daughter, aged 16, born Cherry Hinton Any other the families shown either side of the Coe's on this Census could also be living on the site but without a link we can not presume to add them at this point.
In 1909 a sad incident took place at the farm:
Cambridge Independent Press, May 14, 1909 (British Newspaper Archive)
On the 1911 Census for Cherry Hinton, there are three people listed as living at Ventris (spelt the original way) Farm, as follows:
Obdiah John Malting, head of the household, aged 52, married for 30 years, 3 children born alive, 2 living, one died. Horse keeper, worker. born in Suffolk. Caroline Malting, wife, aged 51, born in Suffolk and Harry Joseph Malting, son, aged 20, single. Born in Suffolk. The house is listed as having 4 rooms (not inc. any scullery, landing, lobby, closet, bathroom nor warehouse, office or shop)
Also on the 1911 Census, shown living as separate family (and most likely building with in complex) at Ventris Farm were:
Daniel Coe, Head, aged 59, married for 40 years, Farm Steward, Farmer, Worker, born in Cherry Hinton. Emily Coe, wife, aged 59, 5 children born alive and 5 children living, born in Cherry Hinton. and Lucy Coe, daughter, aged 30, single, dressmaker, born in Cherry Hinton
c. 1913 - The two farms at Cherry Hinton owned by Pamplins were Ventris Farm and Sidney Farm. Ventris Farm stood on the left of Cherry Hinton Road as you left the Robin Hood public house and made your way towards Cambridge, the farmhouse stood on the site that is now a brand new housing complex of flats called Ventress Farm Court. (M. Bullivant, Cherry Hinton Community Archives (CCAN). You can read more about the Pamplin Bros. here - https://cherry-hinton.ccan.co.uk/wp-search/ventris)
Harold Ridgeon and his family are living at Ventress Farm in the 1960's - a well known Cambridge family, involved with the Sindalls Company, which had a site further down Cherry Hinton Road, opposite Wulfstan Way.
City of Cambridge Poll Book, 1960, (Cambridge Libraries and Archives)
The record on the Cambridgeshire Historic Environment Record database is as follows:
Which we now know isn't quite correct, the farm isn't completely demolished. So I have written to them to request the record now be updated with the new information provided by this post. You'd never know it was there, unless you live in Ventris Farm Court and saw that odd building in the middle as different, or if you didn't just come off road and explore because it can not been seen from the road side at all.
Addendum.
This welcome comment was posted to this article by Ivan who said the following: "Not sure if you found it already but if you search for planning reference C/75/0116 on the greater Cambridge planning portal, you find : "Address: Ventress Farm House Cherry Hinton Road Cambridge Cambridgeshire. Proposal: Erection of two-storey extention to existing dwelling to from flats.Change of use of existing dwelling to flats". Dated 02 Apr 1975. The application was granted - maybe this is as straightforward as it sounds - the house was there at that time and was converted to flats then?" If you go onto the planning portal yourself, you will find the information he is referring to and you'll see that it does indeed give the date for which the flats we see today at Ventress Farm were approved for construction in 1975 and that it also says they are to be extended from the farmhouse that stood on the site. It also suggests that the house itself is converted to flats. Here's a screen shot of part of the original application: 
Many thanks to Ivan for this information - and remember, if you have any information you'd like to add or ideas you want to suggest please do get in touch. In addition, you are more than welcome to share you memories of Ventress Farm and the site, living in the flats and so on, to this site - just drop me a line :)
If you'd like to support the work that I do, why not buy me a coffee, I'd be really grateful and it will help keep me going :)
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