Author Archives: Wade

Eagles at Eagle House get new heads in 1928

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Mitcham Advertiser – Thursday 26 July 1928

EAGLE HOUSE

Beheaded Birds Recover Their Heads.

Century Old Mitcham Mystery.

After being headless for longer than the oldest inhabitant can remember the twin stone eagles on the tops of the pillars of the famous wrought iron gateway to Eagle House, London-road, Mitcham have been furnished with new heads by a local tradesman.

As pieces of sculpture the eagles are not important, and the eagles at the Zoo might have some difficulty in recognising the birds; but for years they have been objects of great curiosity, especially to travellers on the tops of passing omnibuses who are in a position to notice such things. Nobody official, or unofficial, appears to know how the eagles lost their heads, or when. That they did have heads at some time, separate heads, is certain because plug holes in the base of the neck testify as much. The birds are poised with half-spread wings on lambs that might be rabbits!

Eagle House is the handsomest house in Mitcham architecturally, and one of the best built houses. The date on the moulded lead rain-water heads is 1705, There is a tradition. that Sir Christopher Wren designed it, but it is more likely that it was built to designs made fashionable by him, as most “Chippendale” chairs were made long after Chippendale was dead. The restoration of the house and gateway is being carried out at the instance of the Holborn Board of Guardians by Messrs. C. Sayers and Son, of Mitcham. “There are tons of lead on the roof, cupola, chimneys and other parts,” Mr. Sayers, senior, told the “ Advertiser,” “ and the basement walls are 30 inches thick.”

In a book published in 1789 Eagle House is thus described: “A large house built in red brick, pretty lofty, and has a cupola at the top. . . .”. On the piers of the entrance gates are the figures of two eagles in stone. (No mention of loss of heads). This seat is in the occupation of John Bond, Esq.”

Mr. Bond, whose name is perpetuated in Bond’s-rond, was a London banker, and the grounds of Eagle House extended from where Holborn Schools now stand to Holborn Workhouse (now factories) in Western-road. The late Mr. John R. Chart used to say that Dr. Pusey, the famous Tractarian, was educated at Eagle House when it was a school. A Dr. Roberts conducted a superior school there, in the early part of the Nineteenth Century and had a large number of pupils. The gateway has been painted by famous artists a number of times. The house is now a hostel for girls and is leased to the Surrey County Council.

The Last Beadle

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William Hills, the last beadle of Mitcham, was the father of builder Mr G. Hills, according to this newspaper article in 1949.

Mitcham Advertiser – Thursday 20 January 1949

Golden wedding in Canada

MR. AND MRS. GEORGE EADY, of 41st Street, Long Branch, Toronto, Canada. who recently celebrated their golden wedding there, have very old and intimate associations with Mitcham. Mrs. Eady will be remembered by old residents as Miss Eva Hills, a daughter of Mr. G. Hills, a Mitcham builder, who lived in the Elizabethan house on the Lower Green, opposite The Hall Place, the seat of the Worsfold family. The house, of which a water colour painting by the late Mrs. Moberly hangs in the Town Hall, was demolished many years ago. Mr. Hills was the builder of Glebe Villas in the London Road., mentioned at the borough council’s last meeting.

He also built the church in London at which his daughter was married to Mr. Eady. In the picture painted by Mrs. Moberly, “Beadle Billy Hills,” is a conspicuous figure. He was the parish beadle of that day and the father of Mr. G. Hills the builder, who later lived on the Cricket Green. A Toronto paper, reporting the golden wedding, says a congratulatory message was received from the Hon. Dana Porter, provincial secretary. A hundred guests were at the dinner at the Eastwood Park Hotel. Among them were Mr. Rodney Adamson, M.P. Mr. and Mrs. Eady left Mitcham for Canada in 1902. In 1927 they established their home at Long Branch. They have 17 grandchildren. Last Spring they spent six weeks in England, including Mitcham. Miss M. Harwood, of 11, The Cricket Green, is Mrs, Eady’s cousin. She reminded “The Advertiser ” representative that “Hills’s Pond,” which used to be part of the village scene in front of what is now Preshaw Crescent, on the Lower Green, was named after the family that had lived by it for generations.

A photo of William Hills, the last beadle, us on Merton Memories of William Hills is dated c. 1875.

1866 OS map showing “Hill’s Pond”:

The social housing “Beadle Court” is named after the post of beadle, and “Vine Cottages” are named after Vine House, the ‘Elizabethan’ house referred to in the newspaper article.

1972 OS map

Since 1991, 28 Harwood Avenue, Flats 1 to 12 Beadle Court and 1, 2, 3A, 4 and 5 Vine Cottages, are owned by the Wandle Housing association.

Ordnance Survey maps are reproduced by permission of the National Library of Scotland, reuse CC-BY.