Category Archives: People

The Brampton Connection

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Overheard on an S1 bus recently, as it passed the Wilson Hospital:

“Wilson Hospital?”
“Which Wilson was that then?”
“Harold Wilson?”

Named after Isaac Wilson, the Wilson Cottage Hospital in Cranmer Road, was opened in 1928. He paid £60,000 for the land and its construction. In 1933, he donated a further £10,000 for an extension to the hospital.

The Cumberland Hospital, built in the grounds of his house Birches, was named after his home county.

Eric Montague, in his Mitcham Histories book “The Cricket Green”, tells us that Isaac Wilson was born in 1862 in Milton, near Carlisle, one of four sons of a Cumbrian farmer. His brothers persuaded him to join them in London, where their building business was flourishing.

For a time Isaac and his wife Sarah lived at Fulham and then, in the early 1900s, they moved to Gorringe Park Avenue in Mitcham. Whilst living there the Wilsons became active members of St. Barnabas church and many of the houses in the vicinity were built by them.

He lived at ‘The Hut’, later numbered 185 Commonside East, on the western corner of Cedars Avenue, until 1928. He then lived at The Birches, built by his firm in Lower Green East. This road was renamed to Cricket Green in 1944 after a suggestion by Lady Robertson.

An idea of the size of their enterprise can found in the local newspaper report on the Mitcham Military Service Tribunal in 1916, when Joseph Wilson asked that his last employee left be given exemption. Mr Wilson said that before the war he had a staff of 40, and there were around 1,000 houses to be kept in repair.

Isaac Wilson also funded the building of 56 houses for the elderly, the Mitcham Garden Village, which was opened in 1930.

A similar development of 24 homes in Brampton, near his home town of Milton, Cumbria, called the Wilson Memorial Homes, was built in 1930.

Back to Mitcham, and the house at the corner of Cold Blows, currently a nursery, was originally called Brampton. Montague says it was believed to have been built by the Wilson firm, which, given its name, is quite likely. See 1953 OS Map.

Mitcham Vestry Meetings

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Mitcham Vestry meetings as reported in local press. Most recent first.

Epsom Journal – Tuesday 30 March 1886

MITCHAM. VESTRY MEETING.—A vestry meeting was held on Friday evening. Dr. J. Ferrier Clarke in the chair, — Messrs. J. Nicholls, W. R. Harwood, and E. Mizen were elected as waywardness, and Messrs. Mizen, Howard, Francis, Thomas Lawrence, Henry Hodges, and William Mears, jun., were the persons chosen to be presented to her Majesty’s justices of the peace for appointment as overseers.

Croydon Express – Saturday 06 March 1886

MITCHAM. VESTRY MEETING. —A vestry meeting was held at the Vestry-room adjoining Merton Church, on Thursday evening, for the purpose of submitting the basis of the proposed county rate. Mr. D. Keighwin occupied the chair. The Overseers submitted a copy of the proposed basis £25,752, being an increase of £2,236 on the last return. It was stated that any parishioner wishing to make objection to the proposed basis must give notice in writing to the Clerk of the Peace, at Newington, on or before the 20th inst., and attend personally in support of the objection. The proceedings, which were of a formal character..then closed.

Croydon Express – Saturday 28 August 1880

MITCHAM. VESTRY MEETING. —The annual vestry was held on Wednesday evening, for receiving the report and accounts of the lighting inspectors, to elect two inspectors in place of those retiring by rotation, and to fix the amount of money that the inspectors should have power to call for during the ensuing year. Mr. W. R. Harwood was voted to the chair. he accounts of the inspectors were duly presented and passed. Mr. J. Harwood proposed the re-election of Mr. Summerfield, which, loving seconded, was carried unanimously. Mr. Heyward, the other gentleman retiring, and not seeking re-election, Mr. T. Allen proposed Mr. Lewis to fill the vacancy, and Mr. Riley proposed Mr. Raven. On the Chairman putting the names six votes were recorded for Mr. Lewis and seventeen for Mr. Raven. The Chairman declared that Mr. Raven was duly elected. The next business being the amount of money to be granted for the ensuing year, the sum of £850 was, after some discussion, proposed and carried.

Croydon Advertiser and East Surrey Reporter – Saturday 03 April 1875

MITCHAM.
Easter Vestry Meeting.

The annual Easter Vestry was held in the Vestry Room on Tuesday evening. The Rev. D. F. Wilson, vicar of the parish, occupied the chair, and among others present were E. Mills and J. Bridger, Esqrs. (churchwardens), F. Gale, Esq., Messrs W. Blakeney, W. R. Harwood, J. Harwood, J. Summerfield, J. Paxton, T. Batchelor, W. Smith, C. B. Hallward, &c. Messrs. E. Mills and J. Bridger having declined to serve churchwardens again this year, the vicar nominated as his churchwarden C. B. Hallward, Esq. On the motion of Mr. Bridger, seconded by Mr. Mills, Jermain Nobes, Esq., was elected parish churchwarden. The Overseers were re-elected, being Messrs W. R. Harwood, Abrehart, and S. Love. The waywardens, Messrs. T. Allen, T. Bachelor, and H. Newman were also re-elected. After some discussion as to whether it was requisite to continue the office of assistant-overseer, it was resolved that Mr. R. M. Chart should be appointed at salary of £25. The auditors for the Lighting Rate Accounts and the Endowed Charities Accounts were re-elected, being Messrs. W. Smith, W. Field, and J. Harwood. Mr. W. Hills, jun., having been re-elected Inspector of places for slaughtering horses, the Vicar presented the Charity Accounts, and the proceedings were brought to a close a vote of thanks to the Chairman.