Monday, July 14, 2014

Duxford Estate - the pick of Glenmore Rd.


Above is a copy of the original subdivision of the Duxford Estate into Cambridge.  The sale took place in March 1885.  I think its a great interesting piece and I would love to locate an original to get a better image (this is a photo of a b&w photocopy that was in an old title search).

The highlights for me are:
- Duxford House is shown to the south of Gurner St (this was the house of John Gurner and gave the its name to the 'estate'.  We've covered John before here). Interesting to see that the main house stayed going for a few more years occupying what would become Norfolk Street and Suffolk Street.  It'd be a pretty amazing place if they'd kept it!
- Cambridge lane runs all the way down to Glenmore Road, and the lots at what is now 71 to 81 Cambridge Street actually face Glenmore Road.  These were the last houses built on the street (in 1895) so I assume the person who bought all those lots decided to squeeze more houses on the Cambridge Street side and also put a terrace (Hartley - the one that is all by itself) on Glenmore Road instead of where the lane should've gone.
- Similarly, the east side of the street shows far fewer lots than there are houses now, hinting at more developer subdivision.  I'll have to come back to this map later.
- I also like that this is when the Glenmore Road lots were subdivided as I have wondered about that house that has an 1875 on it.  Probably an exaggeration!
- Glenmore Road School is there.  As everyone knows with the 130th celebrations in 2013 that the school was established in 1883 and so pre-dated Cambridge Street (which I guess is why it is called Glenmore Road School rather than Cambridge Street School despite the fact most of the entrances front Cambridge Street!).
- The Anglican Church at 5 Ways isn't there yet, the Anglican Church obviously fronting up to the auction to get their lots.



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