Category Archives: Shops

Walter Rock bakery in Gorringe Park Parade

This 1920 ad has W Rock & Sons bakery at number 6 Gorringe Park Parade. After renumbering, no. 6 Gorringe Park Parade became number 41 London Road. As it has a SW17 postcode, this address may be listed as Tooting, but this is in Mitcham, being south of the River Graveney, which was the boundary of the urban district of Mitcham.

1920 ad

1920 ad

In the 1914 directory, he is listed as Walter Rock.

In the 1938 directory, W. Rock & Sons, bakery, at 41 London Road, also has shops at 156 London Road and 211 Manor Road.

In this 1954 telephone directory listing, the Manor Road bakery is shown, but no longer the London Road shops. In addition the bakery is in Hackbridge:

1954-phone-book-w-rock

In 2016, the occupant of 41 London Road is the Mulino bakery and sandwich shop.

Gorringe Park Parade

Parade of 14 shops, with flats above, on the east side of London Road from Grenfell Road to Inglemere Road.

From north to south, the shops are currently numbered from 31 to 59 London Road, and were originally numbered sequentially from 1 to 14 Gorringe Park Parade. Curiously, one shop was numbered 13/13A (now 55/57).

1951 OS map showing numbers 31 to 41

1951 OS map no. 43 to 59

The flats above the shops all have 3 windows on the first floor, and 2 on the second. The parade is topped by gables, which are all plain triangles, which may have had ball finials, as one remaining one can be seen on no. 45 in the Google StreetView.

The shopfronts are separated by pilasters, with a capital and a corbel above which supports a rectangle and triangle. Most shops have signs covering the fascia and hence hiding the cornice, except no.s 51 to 57 where it can be seen, with its small dentils.

between shops numbered 51 and 53 London Road

Occupants from directories

1914 Kelly Directory

Number Name Business
1 Arthur John EACOTT grocer
2 George Henry CATTON butcher
3 Stephen GAGE greengrocer
4 Robert GEORGE oilman
5 William Ellis draper
6 Walter Rock baker
7 Albert Wilkins confectioner & post office
8 Chas. O. GAMBLE corn dealer
9 William James SUTTON miller
11 David DAVIES dairy
13 Harry F. TAPPING hairdresser
13A J. WILLIAMSON clothier
14 George URIDGE dining rooms

1925 Kelly Directory

Number Name Business
1 Robert WEBSTER grocer
2 George Henry CATTON butcher
3 Mrs BARKER shopkeeper
4 Raphael SHIREWITZ & Son tailor
5 William Ellis draper
6 Walter Rock baker
7 Mrs ALWOOD confectioner & post office
8 Edwin A. DAVENPORT corn dealer
9 William James SUTTON milliner
11 David DAVIES dairyman
12 Mrs Alice BANFORD antique dealer
13 A.E. FRISBY hardware dealer
13A Arthur EASTWAY boot repairer
14 George H. URIDGE dining room

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