Road off east side of Streatham Road, possibly built in 1903, see council minutes below.
1920s postcard of Caithness Road
The 1925 street directory showed the North Mitcham Accumulator Charging Station on the north side of the road at the junction with Streatham Road, followed by odd numbers 1 to 123, and on the south side even numbers 2 to 118.
1934 OS map
1911 OS map
From the minutes of the
Croydon Rural District Council
Roads and Buildings Committee
Volume VIII 1902 – 1903
18th December 1902
page 636
2. Deposited Plans. – The Buildings Sub-Committee reported that they had carefully examined al the plans of new streets and buildings deposited since the last meeting, and on their recommendation, it was Resolved:-
(a) That the undermentioned be approved:No. 2312, Keen & Co., houses, Caithness Road, Mitcham
A letter from a resident complaining about the state of the road, from the Norwood News, Friday 27 July 1928, said that he bought his home in 1904:
NOW THEY KNOW.
MITCHAM COUNCIL GET A STRAIGHT TIP.Mitcham Council had it straight from the shoulder from one of the residents at Monday’s meeting.
Signed C. L. Wise, of 89, Caithness-road, Mitcham, a letter was read as follows:
“We bought this house 24 years ago, thinking we should live in a respectable neighbourhood, but instead of improving, it gets worse every day. Our road is in a disgraceful state, especially Streatham-road end. One cannot walk across the road without stumbling over big stones, and our pavements are not fit to walk upon, especially in wet weather. They have been picked up about a dozen times, and put down anyhow. I and others dread the winter coming, for we simply walk In puddles of water. I am ashamed to ask my relatives and friends to visit us, because the place is so bad. We are asked to keep our houses painted and repaired, which we do, but it is money wasted. Why cannot we have Victorian stone, like Hill-road and others, and the roadway made smooth? Money has been wasted patching it up. Anything seems good enough for us. We always pay our rates and taxes up-to-date, so think we ought to have a little consideration. Trusting you will look into this for us.”
Amid considerable laughter, the letter was referred to the highways Committee.
Newspaper Articles
Croydon Guardian and Surrey County Gazette – Saturday 04 February 1905
A MITCHAM APPLICATION.
This was an application for a provisional full license for premises to be erected. Mr. G. J. Porter was for the applicant, while Mr. George Elliott opposed for the Streatham Hotel, and Mr. Cudby for the “Swan.” Mr. Porter said it was an application for a license for a house to be erected at the corner of Caithness-road and Mitcham-lane. It was the fourth application made to the Bench. Since the last application 86 new houses had been erected, and 60 had been let. The nearest house to the proposed one was the “Gorringe Park” Hotel, which was half a mile away, the “Streatham” Hotel was 1000 yards away, and the “Swan,” at Mitcham, was half a mile distant. The rental value of the houses was from £28 to £30 a year. Daniel South, the applicant, said he had held licensee previously without complaint. The rent of the premises would be £200 per annum if the license was obtained.
By Mr. Elliott — He had been offered £1,000 if he obtained the license, but he could not say who made the offer.
By Mr. Cudby — The last license he held was in Church-road, Croydon. He had held other licenses, including one at South Norwood.
A resident in the neighbourhood presented a petition which had been signed in opposition to the granting of the license.
Refused.
World War 1 Connections
Private Albert Edward Aldred
Private William Henry Beaumont
WW2 Civilian Casualties
16th April 1941
117 Caithness Road
Ronald Edward BOWMAN, aged 8
119 Caithness Road
Charles Henry MEPSTEAD, aged 78
Audrey Joyce WOODCOCK, aged 13
Janey WOODCOCK, aged 46
Weldon Roy WOODCOCK, aged 9
Maps are reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.
Minutes of meetings held by the Croydon Rural District Council are available on request from the Merton Heritage and Local Studies Centre at Morden Library.
Mitcham History Notes 