These information and map comes from The Cambridge 1904 Street Directory by W.P.Spalding. If you live in Gwydir Street, you can see who lived in your house 100 years ago.

There may be some errors in the original directory. Dale's Brewery was described as 182, when it is in the east side of Gwydir Street, which has odd numbers. There is another 182 on the west side. The full description was: 182 Dale's Brewery, Dale, Frederick, brewer, wine and spirit merchant (wholesale and retail), wine and spirit stores, Alexandra Street, Petty Cury

There are three pubs, two of which have gone and the Alexandra Arms remains. The Cambridge Blue (at 85 Gwydir Street) is not mentioned, even under its previous name of the Dewdrop Inn. But a publican lives at 87. Possibly there was a mistake, or a house renumbering, or someone lived in a flat over the pub while the publican lived next door.

Upper Gwydir Street is not marked on the map, but is in the street directory. In fact, there has been remarkably little change in the last hundred years.

Many gaps in the modern Gwydir Street must have always been there as yards, since there are no corresponding gaps in the house numbers. Number 62 has been demolished though.

118 people gave their occupations in the 1904 street directory. I don't know if the rest were unemployed, refused to give their occupation, had private means or were retired (this was before old age state pensions). Here is a summary of the occupations.

Food and Drink 2 baker 1 brewer 1 brewer's labourer 3 butchers 1 confectioner 1 cook 2 fishmongers 1 fish merchant 3 grocers 2 greengrocers 2 milkmen 1 poulterer 4 publicans Total = 24 Authority 1 custodian of Beaconsfield Club 1 custodian of Parker's Piece 1 police constable 1 Infant Life Protection Act inspector Total = 4

Railway 7 railway engine driver 1 (railway?) firelighter 1 railway fireman 1 railway guard 1 railway inspector of police 1 railway platelayer 8 railway servant 1 railway timekeeper Total = 21 Non-railway Transport 1 coachman 1 coach-body maker Total = 2 Books & Printing 1 bookseller 1 compositor 4 printers Total = 6

Clothing & Appearance 1 boot salesman 2 dressmakers 1 hairdresser 1 laundress 1 shoemaker 7 tailors 1 tailor's cutter Total = 14 White collar 1 agent 1 certified monthly nurse 3 clerks 1 telegraphist Total = 6 Other Retail 1 hardware stores 1 marine store dealer 1 coal & coke merchant Total = 3

Construction 5 bricklayers 3 builders 10 carpenters 2 joiners 5 labourers 8 painters 1 plasterer 2 plumbers 1 slater 1 stonemason Total = 38 Non-construction craft 1 basket maker 1 blacksmith 1 cabinet maker 1 whitesmith Total = 4 Other 1 evangelist 2 porters 2 pensioners Total = 5

The most popular trade was in construction. There were over 200 carpenters for the whole of Cambridge, not counting joiners or cabinet makers! However, there were a lot of railway workers, who seem proud to work for Great Eastern Railways (G.E.R). This photo of the station is around 1900, and it looks very similar to today apart from the traffic! Great Eastern Railway was advertised in the 1904 Street Directory as follows:

The direct and express route from Cambridge to London, Ipswich, Harwich, Norwich, Cromer, Yarmouth, Lowestoft, Lynn, Hunstanton, Peterborough, Spalding, Lincoln, Gainsborough, Doncaster, York, etc.

In connection at Peterborough with the G.N., Midland and L. & N.W. Co's Trains; at Lincoln with the G.N. and G.C.Co's Train; at Doncaster with the G.N.L.Y., and N.R.Co's Trains and at York with the N.E.Co's Trains. Through tickets are issued to all principal towns in England, Scotland and Wales.

While we're on transport, here is a splendid photograph of the last horse drawn tram, in East Road, in 1914. I hope it wasn't always this full! I'm sure that the inhabitants of Gwydir Street would have used it. The routes ran between the station and the Post Office via Regent Street and Hills Road, and between East Road and Market Hill via Lensfield Road and Trumpington Street.

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This information and pictures came from The Cambridge Explorer CD-ROM. This is an excellent resource for Cambridge local history. If you live elsewhere in Cambridge, you can find similar information about your street there. The pictures on the CD-ROM are bigger and far better quality than the versions on this webpage.

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