Author Archives: Wade

Mitcham (Electrical) Spares

Electrical spares shop that dealt with part for vacuum cleaners, and washing machines etc., at 169 London Road, between the library and Downe Road.

Clip of photo on Merton Memories from around 1987. Photo reference Mitcham_7_1-94, copyright London Borough of Merton

1989 receipt for vacuum cleaner bought from Mitcham (Electrical) Spares

Rural Way

Road off the eastern side of Streatham Road that runs towards the south east. It is next to the river Graveney, just within Mitcham, and its entrance is before Roe Bridge.

1949 OS map

The Royal Mail website shows 39 properties, all with the postcode of SW16 6PF. Even numbered houses are on the north side, with odd numbers on the south.

Possibly built in early 1920s.

Occupants shown in the 1925 street directory:-

Note that named houses are in brackets

NORTH SIDE

1, George SHORE
3, Robert MUDDLE
5, Reuben MUDDLE
(Fealdan), Mrs J. NISBET
(Pendennis), Henry DRAISEY
(Ivydene), Edward H. MURRAY
(The Nook), George SCAMMELL
(Eversdene), Arthur John G. BURTON
(Carrick), George C. PULLEN
(Wickham), Russell LUCY (timber agent)
(Rosedene), Henry William BEECHENER
(Avonhurst), Leslie MILLER

SOUTH SIDE

(The Snuggery), Mrs FEARON
4, William Fraser REYNOLDS
6, George C. COURTNEY
8, Eric P. RAY
(Camelot), Thomas F. CHAMBERS
(Padua), Francis GOBBI
14, Henry William HERRON
(Porlock), William MALLETT
(Newlyn), William John SALTER
(River Bank), Frank S. LANGHAM
(Lynton), Alfred MATTHEWS
(Brookside), Edgar YOUNG
(Burnside), John A. BAKER

Mortgages obtained from the Mitcham Urban District Council were available under the Small Dwellings Acquisition Act. In 1924, three houses, Ivydene, The Nook and Carrick had loans on them for £565 against the market value of £630.

clip from Merton Memories phot, reference Mit_Streets_P_Will_56-1, possibly when road was first built as the road hasnt been made up and the pavements haven’t been cleared.