Cambridge - Its Railways and Station

[Source: Darren Kitson]

As mentioned elsewhere in this Cambridge Feature, Messrs. Hallack & Bond were grocers involved with not just domestic produce but also imports and exports. They were also involved with the local coprolite industry and had premises for this purpose accessed via a spur from Cambridge L&NW Goods Junction. Long before the L&NWR reached Cambridge, Hallack & Bond reached an agreement with the Eastern Counties Railway for transportation of goods between London and Cambridge. At this time the goods would have been handled by the existing Eastern Counties facilities, with Hallack & Bond later having their own warehouse for the purpose located, it is thought, what became the site of the L&NWR's own, separate, goods station which was originally intended as a passenger station. Hand written, which was normal for the time, the agreement between Hallack & Bond and the Eastern Counties Railway is reproduced herewith. It is dated "May 19th 1851" and the agreement was to last for twelve months. This document, a rare survivor, was discovered in early 2019 in a Cambridgeshire village and about to be trashed along with a large quantity of other papers. The text of the document is reproduced below. The apparent shortage of punctuation is as per the original.

"We the undersigned Messrs Hallack and Bond Grocer Cambridge hereby agree for the space of twelve months ending May the nineteenth one thousand eight hundred and fifty two to give to the Eastern Counties Railway Company the entire carriage of all our goods from London to Cambridge and vice versa in consideration of the said Railway Company undertaking for the said period to convey from the various docks and warehouses situated in the City of London to the door of our premises situated in Cambridge all our goods at a round rate of twelve shillings and six pence per ton. The foregoing agreement in all respects we hold ourselves liable and binding upon and from this date up to May the nineteenth one thousand eight hundred and fifty two in proof of which [unreadable] witness our signatures."

Below this section, to the left, is the date May 19th 1851 with below it Witness and signature L Morris. To the right and very faded are signatures of both Hallack and Bond (or possibly initials on the company's behalf). The document thereafter continues as below:

"The Directors of the Eastern Counties Railway Company hereby agree and faithfully promise to carry out all that is above drawn up for the space of twelve months ending May the nineteenth 1852"

Below this latter section and to the left is "London May 19th 1851 Witness [signature unreadable]" and to the right "For the Eastern Counties Railway Company [initial unreadable] Moseley"

Hallack & Bond, of 1 - 2 Market Hill, Cambridge, were a highly respected and, to some, rather upmarket company being importers of, among numerous other commodities, tea which was not, then, the easily available and affordable item it is today. Their store in the centre of Cambridge was, by the end of the 19th century, located at 36 - 41 Petty Cury which premises, from 1901, also and somewhat curiously incorporated the White Swan public house which was run by Patrick Beale & Co, who happened to also be corn merchants. In 1926 or 1927 Hallack & Bond were taken over by International Tea Co. and thereafter the Hallack & Bond name ceased to exist. International Tea Co. became better known as International Stores with branches in most towns and cities until 'International', as many shoppers referred to them, itself became defunct in 1994.


 

 

 

[Source: Darren Kitson]




Last updated:
© 1998-2015 Disused Stations