Wadeson Street was originally called Martha Street.
William Ditchman built houses in 1805 in new roads at the northern end of Cambridge Road: Norfolk Street, Martha Street and John Street.
On Martha Street, a row of Victorian workshops were later built. This became very overcrowded with 572 inhabitants living in 125 houses by the 1930s. The stretch was then redeveloped with warehouses and factories by 1937.
Martha Street became Wadeson Street in 1884.
