Category Archives: People

Mrs G.E. Armfield

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From the Mitcham Advertiser, 28th November, 1947

Lavender Days Recalled

DEATH OF MRS. G. E. ARMFIELD

The funeral took place at Mitcham of Mrs. Gertrude Elizabeth Armfield, aged 82, formerly a prominent resident of Mitcham, who died at Dartford.

She was a daughter of one of the best known Lords of the Manor of Mitcham, Mr. James Bridger, celebrated in Victorian times as a lavender grower and the owner of one of the “physic gardens” by which the village of Mitcham aided the medical faculty of those days. His farm spread from behind the “Swan” public house in London Road to Tooting Junction.

Lavender Avenue and Lavender Grove on the Borough Council housing estate keep the public in mind of the rural glories and industries of the past.

The late County Councillor J. D. Drewett wrote in “Old Mitcham”: “Mitcham lavender and peppermint oils had a world-wide reputation. The largest was at Messrs. Bridger’s, next to the Swan Inn, which remained in operation till the revolution in cultivation occurred in Mitcham. Smaller distilleries were at Tamworth Farm, at Beddington Corner and Sutton . . . The Manor House (near the ‘Swan’) occupied by Mr. Bridger stood well back from the road, and was always redolent of peppermint and lavender essences emanating from the still-rooms actually inside the house. It was the stopping place for coaches to Epsom races and horses were changed there.”

LOVE AND LAVENDER

Opposite the Manor House was “The Chestnuts”, the residence of the Armfield family, one of the many well-to-do families that found pleasure in living in the Mitcham of half a century and more ago. “The Chestnuts,” now a block of flats at the corner of Locks Lane, was then a mansion of Georgian type completely isolated in its own extensive grounds, and Locks Lane, a real lane, bounded the southern side of the grounds. Graham Road and all about there was a part of the estate.

Miss Bridger and Mr. Frederick Armfield fell in love and soon after their marriage they left this district. In June, 1908. Mr. Armfield died at the age of 47. He was buried in Mitcham Parish churchyard.

GIFT TO PARISH CHURCH

In 1937 Mrs. Armfield visited Mitcham to present to the vicar (then the Rev. C. Aubrey Finch) a silver communion cup and paten for use in the church. It was inscribed, “In memory of the Bridger and Armfield families, June, 1937.” Both families were ardent supporters of the Parish Church. Mr. Bridger was one of the wardens for many years. The funeral service for Mrs. Armfield was conducted by the Rev. G. Lubbock, Vicar of Mitcham.

The Chestnuts is at what became known as Renshaws Corner.

In the Index of Wills and Administrations of 26th March 1947, she left £1,905 9s. 2d. to Dorothy Kathleen Atlee, spinster. In 2015 values, this amount is around £75,000.

Source: Ancestry

Athel Russell Harwood

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Born in January 1863, died 25th March 1943. He left £17,723 6s. 5d. in his will (around £750,000 today).

He built two houses on the glebe lands, opposite the post office (which became the telephone exchange), and called them Athelstan and Thrushcross. He sold Athelstan and lived in Thrushcross until his death.

He gave £100 to the local Horticultural Society and another £100 to the Mitcham Cricket Club.

In the 1911 census, he was listed as being a collector to the gas company, and lived with his wife Caroline, aged 43 and daughter Kathleen, 22. In addition they had a live-in domestic servant, Nellie Howe, aged 16.

From 1926, his address in the electoral registers is 308 London Road.

He was the first annual subscriber to the Wilson Hospital. In the Mitcham Tooting Advertiser of 29th March 1943, Colonel Stephen Chart, the chairman of the hospital said that Mr Harwood had left £2,000 to the hospital subject to the payment of 10 shillings per week for life to one of his wife’s relatives.

A photograph of 1887 shows him as captain of the fire brigade.

He also suggested the planting of trees for the coronation of King George VI in 1936 and gave £50 towards the cost. The road King George VI Avenue, leading from the Blue House Bridge to the entrance of the Wilson Hospital, was completed in 1937.

Thrushcross auction on 25th August 1943

W. LEWIS
By Order of the Executors re A. R. Harwood, deceased.
“THRUSHCROSS,” 308, LONDON ROAD, MITCHAM.

Bus Service: 77, 80a, 88, 115, 118, 152.
Trolley buses: 612, 630.

E. REEVES
(WM. A. REEVES, F.A.L.P.A.) in conjunction with
Messrs. LEONARD DAVEY & HART

Have been favoured with instructions
to Sell by Public Auction, upon the
premises, on WEDNESDAY, 25th
AUGUST, 1943, at Two p.m.,
THE REMAINING CONTENTS OF
THE RESIDENCE, comprising 2 walnut BEDROOM SUITES,
3-ft. 6-in. old English mahogany CHEST OF DRAWERS,
2 3-ft. oak BEDSTEADS and spiral springs, LIGHT OAK SIDEBOARD, EXTENDING DINING TABLE,
set of 8 FINE QUALITY RUSH-SEAT DINING ROOM CHAIRS,
fine carved oak HALL SEAT,
“MARCONI” 3-VALVE ALL-MAINS WIRELESS RECEIVING SET,
walnut inlaid CHINA DISPLAY CABINET on shaped supports,
well made light oak roll-top DESK,
light oak revolving OFFICE CHAIR on castors,
THE FIVE SECTIONAL “GLOBE WERNICKE”-STYLE POLISHED BOOKCASE,
set of 8 “VICHAND” LIGNUM VITAE LAWN BOWLS and 2 jacks in wood case,
“Frister & Rossman” HAND SEWING MACHINE & COVER,
iron safe by “COTTERILL & Co.,” LONDON,
EXCEPTIONALLY FINE CARVED JAPANESE LACQUER DISPLAY CABINET ON SHAPED SUPPORTS,
Axminster and other rugs, various sizes,
a blue and gilt FRENCH HAND-PAINTED BOUCHER TRINKET SET,
pair of old French HAUFFMAN JUG VASES with hand-painted panels, 8-in. high,
pair of blue and gilt DOULTON decorated vases,
Chinese lacquer PLAQUE,
fine quality blue and red ground bordered AXMINSTER STAIR CARPET,
pair of Japanese carved ornamental stools,
21-in. double-cylinder garden roller,
patent extending ladder,
also a 12.8 h.p (1930) AUSTIN BURNHAM 4-DOOR SALOON CAR, etc., etc.

On view day prior to sale, Tuesday,
24th August 1943, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Catalogues (3d. each) from the Joint
Auctioneers, Messrs. Leonard Davey
and Hart, Upper Green, Mitcham (Tel.
Mitcham 0808) and from E. Reeves,
Auction and Survey Offices, Church
Street, Croydon. Tel: CRO 3136-7-8 (3
lines).

Sources:

1. Ancestry.com. England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010.
Original data: Principal Probate Registry. Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration made in the Probate Registries of the High Court of Justice in England. London, England © Crown copyright.

2. Ancestry.com. Surrey, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1945 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.
Original data: Surrey Electoral Registers. Surrey History Centre, Woking, Surrey, England.

3. Source: Mitcham Histories 12 : Church Street and Whitford Lane, page 108
NB: Montague has the spelling Thrushcroft for his house instead of Thrushcross as in the electoral registers etc.

4. Mitcham and Tooting Advertiser, 29th March 1943 page 1