Opened in 1887, the Vestry Hall, at 336 London Road, Mitcham CR4 3UD, was originally intended to serve three purposes: meeting rooms for the civil parish, a public hall and the Mitcham fire service with its horse-drawn fire engine, and call bell.

The 16th July 1887 issue of the weekly journal The Builder, page 121, has the following article.

A New Public Hall at Mitcham.
A new Vestry-hall, which is also intended to serve the purposes of a public hall for meetings and
general entertainments, has just been erected and opened at Mitcham. The land upon which
it has been erected is on an open and central situation overlooking Mitcham Green, and the
principal frontage of the building to the high road from Mitcham to Sutton. The building is
in the “Queen Anne” style, the materials used being red brick, with patent red-brick window
heads and bands, and Shawk stone dressings, entrances, and cornice. The principal frontage,
facing Mitcham Green, is 80 ft. in length, the height of the cornice being 40 ft., and to the
ridge of the high-pitched roof 60 ft. At the north-east corner a clock tower, in which there-
is an illuminated clock and a peal of bells, rises to a height of 80 ft., and in a central position,
above the summit of the roof, there is a ventilating fléche rising to the same height as the
tower. The building is isolated, the north and south return frontages being 35 ft. in length,
and the west frontage of the same length as the principal elevation to the east. The
ground-floor contains a committee-room and three offices, one of which forms the general
office for the business of tho parish of Mitcham, the other two offices being let to the Croydon
Sanitary Anthority. The upper floor contains a public-hall, 58 ft. in length and 31 ft. in
width, and is 32 ft. in height to the apex of an open timber roof, in which there are three
central outlets connected with the ventilating flêche. In the walls are also inserted Benham’s
ventilating inlets. The hall will seat an audience of about 400 persons. At the south end there is
a moveable platform or stage. In connexion with the hall there are retiring and cloak rooms:
The architect of the building, which has cost about £3,500, is Mr. R. M. Chart, and the con-
tractor was Mr. E. J. Burnand, of Wallington. It may be added that the building has been
erected on the site of the old stocks and “cage,” which were removed for the purpose.
which were removed for the purpose.

This issue of The Builder can be downloaded from archive.org as a pdf.

Locally listed in February 1991 by Merton Council who notes:

This is a part two storey, part two and a half storey, and part three storey detached building. It dates from 1887, and the architect was Robert Masters Chart. The materials used include red brick and mansfield stone, and a slate roof. For many years it served as the offices for the Mitcham Local Authority, at first for the Mitcham Vestry, then for the Urban District and finally for the Borough of Mitcham. The main features of interest include the steeply pitched roof with its cupola and weathervane, the asymmetrical clock tower, the moulded brickwork at the first floor level, above the ground floor windows and doors and below the eaves. Also of note at the projecting corbels supporting the eaves and the classical architraves and pediments on the doors and one of the windows. No adverse alterations appear to have been carried out.

 

The architect was Robert Master Chart, and the builder was Edward J. Burnand of Clifton Road, Wallington. His was the lowest price in the tenders submitted at £3,545. The list of tenders was published in Building News – Friday 09 July 1886.

In 1929 the Urban District Council proposed an extension to the Hall, as noted in the minutes of the Finance and General Purpose Committee, dated Tuesday July 16th 1929, page 207, Volume XV:

8. OFFICES AND COUNCIL CHAMBER.-The Clerk reported the receipt of notice of the intention of the Minister of Health to hold a public inquiry into the proposal of the Council to borrow the sum of £15,000 for the purpose of providing additional office accommodation at the Vestry Hall.

Which was followed by

4. EXTENSION OF OFFICES.-The Clerk reported that a Public Inquiry had been held by Lieut.-Col. Wells (Ministry of Health Inspector) into the application of the Council for sanction to a Ican for the extension of the Vestry Hall, and that a notification had been received from the Ministry stating that the Minister had approved the proposals subject to a few minor amendments, and would be prepared to issue sanction to a loan on receipt of an estimate bused upon a tender. The Clerk reported that he had instructed the Architects to invite tenders for submission to the Ministry.

Volume XVI for 1930 to 1931 has these pages relating to the extension:

Vestry Hall Extension:-Architect’s Report, 350
Caretaker’s Quarters, 884
Charges, 805
Council Meeting, 736
Cubison, A. E., 221, 319
Fittings, 403, 736, 884
Flooring, New Hall, 491, 576
Heating, 350, 356
Letting of Hall, 736, 802
Loan, 141, 212
Music and Dancing Licence, 799, 887
Opening, 736
Piano, 802
Removal of Tree, 56
Tenancy of Offices, 575
Use of Chairs, 575