This history has been researched and written by Rachel Aucott and Jim Smith, neighbours who live on the Hurst Park Estate. It is still work in progress and we will be happy to hear from anybody who has information to contribute, especially if you have house deeds that will tell us who built individual houses. The website went live in May 2020. Follow the section headings in the menu or the links below (and look out for the other topics as more links go live) as it will tell the story of:
- a farm
- a laundry
- an orchard
- a windmill
- a slaughterhouse
- a coprolite bed
- the loss of Clayton Way
- a railway that never was
- a Victorian house (and the house next door)
- a brickworks
- several millers
- a dynasty of dentists
- a dentist’s daughter
- several farmers
- a nurseryman
- clay, gravel, and chalky marl
- a dairyman
- a butcher, his wife, and son
- a church missionary from Kent
- the missionary’s husband (a grocer, candle-maker, and local politician)
- a brewer
- a tailor
- a bankrupt confectioner
- an accountant/agent
- numerous builders
- Cambridge Estates Limited
Rachel Aucott and Jim Smith, May 2020
Since the launch of this website in May 2020 we have continued to glean information from neighbours’ document bundles and from the Cambridgeshire Collection. We’re gradually expanding our research to cover the whole of the area bounded by Milton and Arbury Roads, from Dalegarth via Cherry’s Corner to Arbury Court. Public talks and our table at the Hurst Park Estate street party always bring new contacts.
Our collaboration with HPERA continues to be productive: the Association hosted our online talk in the time of Covid in February 2021 and promoted the History trail (now to be found here) in 2021 and 2022.
Finally, in the autumn of 2021, we were very pleased when Curator Pam Halls asked us to provide a display for Cambridge Museum of Technology, focusing on the industry of Hurst Park and with a particular remit to describe how we went about our research. The panels were on display until June 2022 and then enhanced our stand at the street party on June 25. They may be seen here.
Rachel Aucott and Jim Smith, July 2022
Hurst Park 