Category Archives: Agriculture

Rose Nursery

A weatherboarded cottage that was in Tramway Path.

From the 1911 commercial directory:

Arthur George & Ephraim SIMMONS, florists, Tramway path, Lower Mitcham

The 1915 street directory names the cottage:

Tramway Path, from London Road, Lower Mitcham

George THOMPSON, florist (Station Nursery)
Ephraim SIMMONS, florist (Rose Nursery)

The cottage is shown on this 1953 OS map:

1953 OS map

1953 OS map

An area in the south ward called Simmons’ Land was recorded in UDC minutes of 1917 as being of 13 acres. This land was used for allotments during the war. From the minutes of the Mitcham Urban District council, volume III, 1917 to 1918, 19th June, 1917, page 52.

Agnes Clarrissa Simmons, the daughter of Arthur George Simmons, married Private Percy John Hale in February 1916. She lived with her parents in Elmwood Road.


Maps are reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.


Minutes of meetings held by the Mitcham Urban District Council are available on request from the Merton Heritage and Local Studies Centre at Morden Library.

1902 photos of lavender harvest

The lavender harvest. From photographs taken at Mitcham, Surrey, during the latter part of August.

Source: The Sketch – Wednesday 10 September 1902 from the British Newspaper Archive (subscription required)

Cutters at work. This lavender is growing on four-year-old roots.

Cutters at work. This lavender is growing on four-year-old roots.

In the track of the reapers

In the track of the reapers

Collecting and placing the lavender in mats

Collecting and placing the lavender in mats

Pegging up the mats full of lavender

Pegging up the mats full of lavender

Carrying the mats of lavender to the waggon

Carrying the mats of lavender to the waggon

Loading the waggon with lavender for the distillery, where the essential oil is extracted

Loading the waggon with lavender for the distillery, where the essential oil is extracted