Category Archives: Buildings

260 Church Road

Single storey factory on east side of Church Road on north side of corner with Hawthorn Avenue.

From comments on the Mitcham History Group on Facebook, it was originally part of a paint and varnish factory and later was occupied by Ashbourne Surgical during the 1980s, Adroit engineering, Catlin engineering, joiners and printers.

Planning permission 16/P2971 submitted 31st August 2016 to demolish it and build a block of flats.

On this 1952 OS map, the building is shown as Scientific Instrument Works.

1952 OS map

1952 OS map

aerial view of factory

aerial view of factory


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

Elmwood Road

Road off east side of London Road, next to the telephone exchange. It leads to Langdale Avenue.

Named after Elmwood, an 18th century house, as shown in this 1894 map:

1894 OS map

1894 OS map

Montague, in his Mitcham Histories : 12 Church Street and Whitford Lane, page 107, said that Elmwood was demolished in 1905. The Parade of shops was then built in London Road.

Elmwood Road is presumed to have been built some time after this.

From the minutes of the Croydon Rural District council, Volume XII 1906 to 1907
Highways and New Streets and Buildings, Page 33, application no. 3869 by W.F. Bubb was approved for a house and stable in Elmwood Road

Initially there were 3 villas built on the north side of the road, named
Glenholme, Great Tey and St. Agnes. The occupants from the 1918 census were:

Glenholme
Mary Ann RICHMAN
Robert RICHMAN

Great Tey

Emily BUBB
Selina Louise BUBB

St. Agnes

Agnes Clarissa HALE
Arthur George SIMMONS
Lillie Ann SIMMONS

1910 OS map

1910 OS map

This 1953 map names Glenholme and there are houses numbered even, 8, 6, 4 and 2. Great Tey could be number 8, with St Agnes number 6. The semi-detached houses are 4 and 2.

1953 OS map

1953 OS map

Glenholme and Great Tey have since been demolished.


Google Streetview from 2009.


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.