Building Alpha Terrace

Shirley Brown

This history of the building of Alpha Terrace is based on a contribution given at the On the Street Where You Live meeting of the Local History Group on 31 March 2011. The talk was prepared by Shirley Brown with contributions by Peter Dawson and Sheila Glasswell.

Alpha Terrace. Source: Cambridgeshire Collection, Cambridge Central Library, included in Trumpington Past & Present, p. 100.
Alpha Terrace. Source: Cambridgeshire Collection, Cambridge Central Library, included in Trumpington Past & Present, p. 100.
Trumpington High Street showing the Mr Cummings School. Richard Baker's map of Cambridge, 1830. Source: Cambridgeshire Collection, Cambridge Central Library.
Trumpington High Street showing the Mr Cummings School. Richard Baker’s map of Cambridge, 1830. Source: Cambridgeshire Collection, Cambridge Central Library.
1903 map showing first houses in Alpha Terrace and Free Church. Source: Cambridgeshire Collection, Cambridge Central Library.
1903 map showing first houses in Alpha Terrace and Free Church. Source: Cambridgeshire Collection, Cambridge Central Library.

1903 Ordnance Survey map showing first houses in Alpha Terrace and Free Church (built by Nathan Scott and opened on last day of 1899, debt free). Source: Cambridgeshire Collection, Cambridge Central Library.

Trumpington High Street showing the Mr Cummings School. Richard Baker’s map of Cambridge, 1830. Source: Cambridgeshire Collection, Cambridge Central Library.

Sheldrick’s Saw Mill, set back from Alpha Terrace. Source: Cambridgeshire Collection, Cambridge Central Library.
Sheldrick’s Saw Mill, set back from Alpha Terrace. Source: Cambridgeshire Collection, Cambridge Central Library.
Hammerton, AlphaTerrace. Photo: Stephen Brown.
Hammerton, AlphaTerrace. Photo: Stephen Brown.

Sheldrick’s Saw Mill, set back from Alpha Terrace. Saw Mill demolished after noise annoyed Mr Todd who lived in St. Mary’s (built about 1880 on site of Cumming’s School). Source: Cambridgeshire Collection, Cambridge Central Library, included in Trumpington Past & Present , p. 103.

Hammerton: this house was in place, facing the back of Alpha Terrace before the terrace was built. Large room in house has been used by boys from school, by Dissenters and Band of Hope and finally as a reading room. Originally detached it now is attached to the next house. Photo: Stephen Brown.

Scotts’ builders yard next to Free Church. Photo: Stephen Brown.
Scotts’ builders yard next to Free Church. Photo: Stephen Brown.
Scotts’ builders yard next to Free Church. Photo: Stephen Brown.
Scotts’ builders yard next to Free Church. Photo: Stephen Brown.

Scotts’ builders yard next to Free Church. Photos: Stephen Brown.

Aboyne Cottage and next two houses, Alpha Terrace. Photo: Stephen Brown.
Aboyne Cottage and next two houses, Alpha Terrace. Photo: Stephen Brown.

Aboyne Cottage and next two houses. Originally four cottages. Built in 1908 by (or for) Charles Forbes who was Head Gardener at Anstey Hall. Photo: Stephen Brown.

Aboyne Cottage, Alpha Terrace. Photo: Stephen Brown.
Aboyne Cottage, Alpha Terrace. Photo: Stephen Brown.

Aboyne Cottage. Photo: Stephen Brown.

Four Council Houses. Probably built in 1924. Photo: Stephen Brown.
Four Council Houses. Probably built in 1924. Photo: Stephen Brown.
Number 82 built for Louisa Edwards in 1907. Photo: Stephen Brown.
Number 82 built for Louisa Edwards in 1907. Photo: Stephen Brown.

Four Council Houses. Probably built in 1924. Also in 1924 the Free Church Schoolroom was added. Photo: Stephen Brown.

Many houses have plaques with useful information, eg no 82 built for Louisa Edwards in 1907. Photo: Stephen Brown.

Re-numbering after Trumpington became part of city in 1934. Source: Cambridge City Council.
Re-numbering after Trumpington became part of city in 1934. Source: Cambridge City Council.

House Numbering – original numbers on house shape. Hammerton not numbered. Re-numbering after Trumpington became part of city in 1934. Source: Cambridge City Council.

Example of stained glass in doors and fanlights. Photo: Stephen Brown.
Example of stained glass in doors and fanlights. Photo: Stephen Brown.
Example of stained glass in doors and fanlights. Photo: Stephen Brown.
Example of stained glass in doors and fanlights. Photo: Stephen Brown.

Example of stained glass in doors and fanlights. Photos: Stephen Brown.

Careless Wedding Party outside no 52 in 1903, May 30th. Source: Howard Slatter.
Careless Wedding Party outside no 52 in 1903, May 30th. Source: Howard Slatter.
Charlie Seekings delivering milk in the 1930s. Source: Martin Seekings.
Charlie Seekings delivering milk in the 1930s. Source: Martin Seekings.

Careless Wedding Party outside no 52 in 1903, May 30th. Source: Howard Slatter.

Charlie Seekings delivering milk in the 1930s. Source: Martin Seekings.

Cecil Galley and children, Ann and John. Source: John Galley.
Cecil Galley and children, Ann and John. Source: John Galley.

Cecil Galley and children, Ann and John, building an air-raid shelter at the beginning of World War Two. Source: John Galley.

Aerial view of Alpha Terrace and allotments. Source: Shirley Brown.
Aerial view of Alpha Terrace and allotments. Source: Shirley Brown.

Aerial view of Alpha Terrace and allotments. Source: Shirley Brown.

Plan of allotments showing area where Monkswell was built and smaller area taken for Ely and Salisbury Places. Source: Cambridge City Council.
Plan of allotments showing area where Monkswell was built and smaller area taken for Ely and Salisbury Places. Source: Cambridge City Council.

Plan of allotments showing area where Monkswell was built and smaller area taken for Ely and Salisbury Places. Source: Cambridge City Council.

Last house to be built (48 Alpha Terrace). Photo: Stephen Brown.
Last house to be built (48 Alpha Terrace). Photo: Stephen Brown.
Horrors of parking in Alpha Terrace. Photo: Stephen Brown.
Horrors of parking in Alpha Terrace. Photo: Stephen Brown.

Horrors of parking in Alpha Terrace. Photo: Stephen Brown.

Last house to be built (48 Alpha Terrace). Photo: Stephen Brown.