Dating from the second half of the nineteenth century and surrounded as it is by other names with royal connections suggests that Cambridge Road, Keyham, unlike its erstwhile Plymouth counterpart, was named directly after a person and nota place. The proximity of the old Cambridge Street to Oxford Street and Eton Street indicates a academic and geographic link whereas the neighbours of Cambridge Road include Kent, Sussex, Alfred and Alexandra and conjure a different kind of peer group.The Duke of Cambridge is a title frequently conferred upon junior members of the Royal family, James Stuart was the first, back in 1664 and there were a few others before the man most likely to have inspired this particular Plymouth street name, Prince George.
Son of Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge and born in Cambridge House, Hanover, in 1819, he was styled Prince George of Cambridge until he succeeded to his father’s dukedom in July 1850 just a year or two the development of Keyham Stream Yard, which in turn was the impetus for the creation of the new housing estate at Ford, including Cambridge Road.
Present at the Crimean War battles of Balaklava, Inkerman and the siege of Sevastopol, the Duke was appointed general commander-in-chief of the British Army in1856. He went on to become the longest serving head of the British Army (39 years). George chose to marry, privately, outside of royalty and his wife was never known as the Duchess of Cambridge and was instead dubbed, Mrs Fitzgeorge.
