Cambridge Street Gets Individual “Blue Plaques” For The Annual Street Party

Blue plaques with a difference appeared on all the houses in Covent Street, Cambridge in time for the annual street party. As you will know, the iconic Blue Plaque scheme that is now run by English Heritage, seeks to link properties with notable figures who would have lived there at some time in their lives. It has been organised since 1865, and is the longest running such scheme in the world.

The Blue Plaques erected outside each house in Covent Street however, were as a result of research undertaken by retired professor of music history and resident, Ian Bent who garnered information about the everyday lives of people who lived in the street over the years. The replica laminated plaques were created by Mr Bent's wife Caroline.

Mr. Bent gained access to census data and historical documents to research past occupants of all 44 houses in Covent Garden, and discovered amongst other things, connections to a prostitute's murderer and a barber who cut hair in the corner of a bakery.

Frederick Scriven, who had resided at number nine for almost 50 years from 1872, was a tailor whose assistant ended up being hanged for the murder of a 16-year-old prostitute in the city in 1876. Emma Rolfe was killed by former soldier Robert Browning, aged 25, on Midsummer Common. Her throat had been cut. Browning was tried on 29 November 1876 at the Norwich Assizes, and having been found guilty, a plea of insanity was rejected.

He was hanged in the Cambridge Borough jail on the south-east corner of Parkers Piece, and Emma Rolfe was buried locally.

Five other houses on the street were purchased as tied cottages and used by officers from the Borough police force during the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, including Moses Free, who rose to the rank of inspector, and whose grandson still lives in the city.

Also resident was Archibald Frost, who set up his own hairdressing business in the corner room of a baker's shop at the top of the street.

"He had his own entrance, but it was still basically part of the bakery," Mr Bent said. "He ran that business until 1955, and someone who used his services told me Archie was 'more like a sheep shearer than a hairdresser’!"

Mr Bent said: "Every year I like to do something for the party, and this year the blue plaque scheme seemed like a good idea. I basically looked at past residents and picked on one who had the most interesting story."