Category Archives: Roads

Benninga Margarine Factory

Margarine factory that was in Mortimer Road from 1932 to 1965.

1952 OS map showing outline of Benninga factory

According to Eric Montague’s Mitcham Histories : 14 Upper Mitcham and Western Road, page 93, the factory was built on the site of the Holborn Union Workhouse Gas Works.

From the Daily News (London) – Saturday 23 April 1932

NEW BRITISH FACTORY

AMSTERDAM.

— A factory and 175 acres of ground near Mitcham, Surrey, has been bought by the Dutch margarine firm of Benninga. A British company will he founded with a capital of £50,000, and It is expected that production will begin in the autumn. The factory will have a producing capacity of 200 to 300 tons a week.

— Reuter.

Benninga was a Dutch company that set up factories in Hull and Mitcham to avoid import tariffs.

1965 Winding Up

BENNINGA (MITCHAM) LIMITED
At an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Members of the above-named Company, duly convened and held at 20 Cannon Street, London E.C.4, on the 12th day of August 1965, the following Special Resolution was duly passed ; ” That the Company be wound up voluntarily, and that Mr. Peter Ewen, of 17 St. Helen’s Place, London E.C.3, and Mr. Stanley Shaw, of 13 Wood-cote Close, Kingston, Surrey, be and they are hereby appointed Liquidators of the Company for the purposes of such winding-up.”
(364)
A. J. Penfold, Secretary.

Merton Memories Photos
1938 delivery of equipment from Amsterdam via Hull
Undated, possibly of offices
Staff photo
Home Guard drilling at factory


This ad from 1938 introduces the brands VITSU and LARDEX:

Norwood News – Friday 4th February 1938
Image © Reach PLC. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

It also refers to the works as the BENNINGA SUNSHINE FACTORY.

1962 ad

Text of ad:

Ask your Grocer for
BENNINGA’S
PRODUCTS
THE BEST THAT MONEY CAN BUY

B.B.M. & WAYSIDE
MARGARINES
BENNINGA’S LARD
COOKING OILS
GREEN CIRCLE DRIPPING
VITSU SHREDDED SUET

Are manufactured by:
BENNINGA (MITCHAM) LTD.
(Incorporating Juvit Ltd.)
MITCHAM — SURREY
MITcham 3061 (7 lines)

Established 29 years — good for a century

BBM was Butter Blended Margarine


Aerial photos of whole site before demolition

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and of the ‘tunnel’
Benninga Tunnel 01

Benninga Tunnel 02

Benninga Tunnel 03

Benninga Tunnel 04

The Cedars

House that stood on Commonside East that Eric Montague thought dated to the 18th century.

1867 OS map

Auctioned in 1857:-

20th October 1857 South Eastern Gazette

20th October 1857 South Eastern Gazette

Text of ad:

“THE CEDARS,”
MITCHAM COMMON, SURREY.

ROBT. W. FULLER HAS received instructions from the proprietor (who is leaving the neighbourhood,) to SELL by AUCTION, at “The CEDARS,” Mitcham-common, on This Day and To-morrow, OCTOBER 20th and 21st, at Twelve for One o’clock each day part of the excellent well-made HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE, comprising mahogany and japanned four-post and French bedsteads and hangings, goose feather beds and bedding, marble top and other washstands and fittings dressing tables and glasses, carpets, chests of drawers the usual chamber appendages, mahogany and rosewood dining, loo, card, and occasional tables, cheffoniers, sets of chairs, easy chairs, window curtains, chimney glasses, Brussels and Kidderminster floor and stairs carpets, steel fenders and fire-irons, fine-toned pianoforte in rosewood ease, kitchen items, garden tools, greenhouse plants, dairy utensils, Oxford dog cart, harness, etc.

The Live and Dead Farming Stock, Implements of Agriculture, etc., comprise two useful cart horses, 26 well-bred sows and pigs, 100 head of poultry, carts, ploughs, harrows, patent chaff and turnip cutters, hey-making, winnowing, and corn crushing machines, land roller, home hoe, liquid manure and shop pumps, deals, battens, feather-edged and other boards, 9 stacks of, hay, stack of barley and pea draw, stack of oats, and ditto, about 60 bushels of potatoes, and miscellaneous effects.

The Furniture, etc., will be sold on the first day.

May be viewed, and catalogues obtained at Garraway’s Coffee-house, Change-alley, Cornhill; the inns in the neighbourhood ; and at the Auctioneer’s office, 101, High-street, Croydon.

See photo on Merton Memories.

The Surrey History Centre has this deed of covenant dated 30th September 1879

Deed of covenant for production of title deeds

1) Alfred Essex and George Thrupp both of London
2) Richard Henry Stainbank of Sussex.

Recites that 1) are mortgagees of a mansion house called The Cedars, Mitcham Common on the north side of the Mitcham/Croydon road lately occupied by Mrs Martha Urmson. Stainbank is the owner of The Cedars and Cedars Cottages (two) occupied by Mrs Bullock and Edward Satchell. He also owns Cedars Lodge or The Hut, Mitcham Common late occupied by William Hooper. The deeds of The Cedars relate to part of the site of Cedars Cottage and to Cedars Lodge.

Schedule:

Conveyance, covenant to surrender and mortgage, 29 Jan 1853

1) Robert Stafford
2) Stainbank
3) Edward Ellerton, William and Thomas Essex.

Steward’s copy of surrender of Richard Stafford, 13 Jul 1853, and admission of Stainbank, 24 Jan 1855.
17 July 1879, as in -/7/1.
27 Sep 1879, reconveyance of mortgage of 1853.

[A covering wrapper, now destroyed, recorded that the portions enfranchised relate as follows No. 1 to Lots 1 (The Cedars), 2 Tamworth Lane. Fields sold to Mr Paxton, 3 Gardens of Cedars Cottages 4 Cedars Lodge 5 Outlying piece, sold to Mr Paxton No. 2 to Lots 3 & 4]