Category Archives: People

1973 Life is hell for the forgotten residents of Chapel Road

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The view from the houses in Chapel Road

The view from the houses in Chapel Road


From the Mitcham and Collier’s Wood Gazette, January 1973

Life is hell for the `forgotten’ residents

PEOPLE living under the shadow of redevelopment in Chapel-road, Mitcham, claimed this week that the area was being over-run with rats. And they protested that empty houses in the area were a target for vandals.

“We all had a letter last September telling us that the council were buying the houses under a compulsory purchase order and that we were to be rehoused” said 59-years-old Mrs Beatrice Tee.

“But since then—nothing. Just rumours. We live on rumours while the road and our homes go to rack and ruin.” She said several tenants had moved out leaving a row of empty homes which were making life hell for the people who were left.

“The children play in them and break the windows. In one, they dislodged a pipe and water was pouring out of it for nine weeks.”

Her neighbour Mrs Daisy Reeve, aged 51, has lived in Chapel-road for 31 years. “We wonder whats going to happen to us. The council seem to have forgotten this road—even the dustman neglect us and we are lucky if we get our rubbish collected once a fortnight.” she said.

Pensioner Mrs Annie Blackburn, aged 83, has lived in Chapel-road for 50 years. “We had loads of rats running along the road last week. This street seems to have become a dump for everyone to leave their rubbish.” she said.

Agents for the houses are Fair Bedford of Southall, “we appreciate that the tenants are in a difficult situation and we would like the council to take the houses over as soon as possible. The owner is in the same state of uncertainty as the tenants” said a spokesman.

Chapel-road lies within an area due to be developed by the Greater London Council ex-plained Merton’s Deputy Town Clerk Mr Geoffrey Norris.

“We are acquiring the property on behalf of the GLC and at the moment are waiting for a date for a public inquiry from the Department of the Environment” he said.

“We expect this be to in April and it is likely that a decision will be made in the autumn Redevelopment will then start.”

He said he would look into the complaints.

Graham Road

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Road off east side of Streatham Road, north of Lock’s Lane and south of Graham Avenue.

Built in the late 19th century on land previously occupied by The Willows, described by Eric Montague in his book Mitcham Histories : 2 North Mitcham, page 74, as having extensive stabling, farmery, meadows and gardens. The roads Graham Avenue, Elmfield Avenue and Fernlea Road were also built in this land. The address “Graham Road, Willows Estate” was used in this ad from 1900:

Mitcham (best part). – Pretty and conveniently arranged 6 – roomed houses; bath (h. and c.); good garden; within 10 minutes’ walk of Tooting Junction Station; good service of trains to Ludgate-hill and London-bridge; rent £24 per annum, or price (freehold) £350; £300 could remain on mortgage, repayable by easy instalments, which would amount to the same thing as paying rent.

Apply to Nott, Cartwright, and Etches, 13, The Parade, Tooting; 1, Bank Buildings, Balham; or to 39, Graham-road, Willows Estate, Mitcham.

1894 OS Map

1894 OS Map

1911-os-map-graham-road

1911 OS Map

In 1902, the road was made up, and charges to owners was based on the length of the frontage of their properties. This list is from the minutes of the Croydon Rural District Council:

Volume 8
1902 to 1903
Mitcham Parochial
19th June 1902
page 200

The ‘number on plan’ isn’t a house number. The plan referred to isn’t available.

No. on plan Property Owner Frontage
1 House Sydney Moses 18 ft.
2 Three houses Charles Bell 54 ft.
3 Three houses Nott, Cartwright & Etches 54 ft.
4 Two houses Charles Bell 36 ft.
5 House Arthur Mansfield 18 ft.
6 House Charles Bell 18 ft.
7 House Charles Wheeler 18 ft.
8 House Alfred Edger 22 ft.
9 House Miss Annie Fawcett 18 ft.
10 House John Edwin Branch 18 ft.
11 Three houses Charles Bell 54 ft.
12 House Charles Remington 18 ft.
13 House Edward Duncan 18 ft.
14 Two houses Edward Charles 36 ft.
15 Eight houses Edward Cheeseman 134 ft. 6 ins.
16 Seven houses James Willers 121 ft. 6 ins.
17 House and land T.L. Laver 34 ft.
18 Land J. Mounter 24 ft.
19 Land Trustees of Lansbury 296 ft.
20 House and land F.L. Mizen 150 ft.
21 Land H.A. Chappell 188 ft.

The contract for making up the road went to tender, as listed in the council minutes of 18th September 1902, page 394:

Graham Road Tenders

The Council opened and considered the undermentioned tenders received for the making up, forming, kerbing, and metalling of Graham Road, Mitcham:-

Stockwell & Co., Bromley ……… £812 14s.
Adams, T., Wood Green, London …. £621
Free & Sons, Maidenhead ………. £540
Iles, E., Mitcham ……………. £495
Wheeler, W.H., Southwark, S.E. … £441 13s.

Resolved, That the tender of Mr. E. Iles, of Mitcham, be accepted, and that the necessary bond be entered into in accordance of conduct.

From the minutes of the Croydon Rural District Council
Volume IX 1903 – 1904
7th May 1903
page 71

No. 2481, Bennington, J.A., 3 houses, Graham Road, Mitcham

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.

The street directories of 1891 and 1915 list the occupants in the order encountered when walking from Figgs Marsh to Fernlea Road. The house names are in brackets.

1915

SOUTH SIDE

from Figg’s marsh

2 William James Dickisson (Trent House)
William Frederick Laing, auctioneer & estate agent (Trezamble)
James Dalton (Rose Bank)
George R. Waters (Sydmouth)
Andrew George Jones (Jessima)
James Knight (1 Graham villas)
Philip Musk (Rothesay)
John Davey (3 Graham villas)
Alfred Charles Firth (Dulmeney)
Samuel Weldon Myles (The Cottage)
Arthur E. Cooper (Lyndhurst)
12 Rev. Sydney Jackson [chaplain to Holborn Union workhouse & schools] (White Heather)
James Glover (Selby lodge)
Rowland Macbeth (Homeleigh)
Charles Stratton (Mayfair)
James Alfred Bennington (Eversley)
Edward E. Kelly glove cleaner (Melrose)
Alfred Thomas Green (Brambletye)
Thomas Harper (Stalheim)
Harry Wilson (Merok)
Henry Keen (Sundial)
Thomas Brandon (Viva villa)

NORTH SIDE

Alex. Cordier (Rosenheath)
Charles Jordan (Linacre)
Mrs Bishop (Bellefontaine)
Alexander Notman (Essen)
George H. Day (Aldwark)
Jesse Ray (Kimberley)
James Arthur Martin (Ivydeane)
Arthur Lewis Peake (Belmont)
Herbert Geogre Littleton (Claremont)
Joseph Geaney (Inisfail)
Frederick V. Whicher (Sherwood)
John Howard Feesey (Elmwood villa)
Walter Hudson Douglas (Roselea)
John Lewis Rooke (Thorstone)
Mrs Scales (St. Arvans)
William Luker (The Glen)
26 Richard James Glyde (Glenmore)
27 William Vickers (Crohamhurst)
28 William Driver (The Nest)
Edward Gurr (Sunnymeade)
Arthur Edward Hayne (St. Cross)
Mitcham Conservative & Unionist Association (Arthur Edward Hayne sec.) (St. Cross)
Henry Ailes Chappell (Oxwycke)

…. here is Fernlea Road ….

1891

NORTH SIDE

Miss Wilson (Montrose)
E. Hitchings (Trezamble)
H.S. Coldicott (The Cottage)
William Baker (Lyndhurst)
W.H. Wood (Oakleigh)
V. Roberts (Selby lodge)
Philip Marshal (Homeleigh)
John Forge (Brambletye)

SOUTH SIDE

50 Joseph Harbord
Dr. W.V. Kemshead (Avondale)
26 Hamilton Lawrence

First World War combatants 2nd Lt. Arthur Gordon Jackson, and his brother Lt Henry Stewart Jackson lived at White Heather, in Graham Road.

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.