Tag Archives: 1899

Century Road

Leave a reply

So named as it was built at the turn of the 19th to 20th century.
From Council minutes, on 12th October 1899 building approved by Geo. Pitt for a new road called Century Road with 22 cottages.

This road no longer exists and the site now has flats on the Belgrave Walk estate.

Contents
Photos
Occupants
Maps
Stories
War Connections

Photos

These photos were taken by Eric Montague in 1973, and are reproduced by kind permission of the Merton Historical Society.

Maps

These Ordnance Survey maps are reproduced by permission of the National Library of Scotland, reuse CC-BY.

1953 OS map

1953 OS map

1910 OS Map

1910 OS Map

Occupants from street directories

1911

1, James Thomas PEPPER shopkeeper
2, Mrs CRESSWELL
3, Walter COOMBER
5, Mrs BROADBRIDGE
6, James PAYN
7, George PALMER
8, Anthony CROSSLEY
9, Mrs M. F. CHOULER
10, William WILKS
11, John PROCTOR
12, Mrs REEVES
13, Henry BRYANT
14, George W. CLARE

1925

1, James KIDDELL, grocer
2, Edward KENNETT
3, John Samuel HORNEGOLD
4, George KNIGHT
5, Richard ABREHART
6, John Edward HILLIARD
7, George C. PALMER
8, Fred WOLTON
9, Francis PENDERGAST
10, Cornelius PARKER
11, James B. WOODS
12, Charles WELLER
13, James BRYANT
14, Edward FIELD

Stories

Mitcham Advertiser – Thursday 08 April 1926

MITCHAM DOG OWNERS FINED
Sarah KNIGHT, Century-road, Mitcham, and Doris SANDS, Whyteleafe Hill-road, Mitcham, were fined 5s. each at Croydon on Wednesday for keeping dogs without licenses,

Dog licences were 7s 6d., and were for all dogs except for dogs under six months old, dogs kept solely for tending sheep or cattle on a farm or kept by shepherds, or for those kept for guiding blind persons. Certificates of exemption may be obtained from a petty sessional court for dogs kept solely for these purposes.

Daily Herald – Thursday 28 November 1929

TWO INJURED IN EXPLOSION

Two men were hurt when explosion occurred at experimental kiln on piece of waste ground facing Century-road, Mitcham, yesterday. Fire broke out following the explosion, and firemen were engaged all the afternoon and part the evening in putting out the blaze. The kiln was established a few month ago by the Coal Pulverising Company for experimenting in producing a new smokeless fuel.

From the Mitcham News & mercury, 14th April 1950

Mitcham Will Have Two May Queens Again

THERE will again be two Mitcham May Queens.

Sixteen-years-old Betty CURTIS, Century-road, hopes to-morrow (Saturday) will bring a cloudless, windless, bright and shining morn. Deidre Claydon wants the good weather on May 6.

Betty has been chosen by the Mitcham Merrie England Society as their queen. She was elected in July last year in Beddington Park, by the London organiser of Merrie England, Mrs. L. Atkins. Deidre is candidate-elect of the Mitcham May Festival Society. She was chosen by ballot at the A.G.M. of the Society. Both girls were the Prince Charmings of 1949.

A procession round the Cricket-green begins at 2 p.m. to-morrow. Coronation (Betty’s) takes place at 3 p.m. on the Green. Daphne Duke, sixteen-years-old London May Queen does the crowning and fifty Mitcham children will take part. Band of the 4th East Surrey (Mitcham Methodist) Company, the Boys’ Brigade will supply the music.

While rival Deidre is being crowned by the Mayor of Mitcham on the same Green on May 6, Betty will represent Mitcham under the “Merrie England Festival” scheme in a procession of London May Queens on Hayes Common.

Helen Murphy (aged 15), Hatfield-gardens (Merrie England), and Lorna Tilley (May Festival Society), will be the respective Prince Charmings.

Earlier this week Mrs. Kathleen Williams and last year’s Merrie England Queen, Dorothy Smith, put finishing touches to eighteen new lavender dresses and hats for the children. Some children will wear last year’s dresses.

After Betty’s crowning, Mitcham children taking part will entertain seventy children from the London groups of Merrie England to tea at the British Legion Hall.

A letter to the Evening News (London) – Tuesday 06 May 1952

SLEEPLESS NIGHTS

I HAVE completed more than thirty years’ service as a night worker. Between 1907 and 1920 I spent six-and-a-half years on night duty as a police constable, then I did sixteen years in a factory (with a break of two years), working ten hours a night, seven nights a week. I have spent the last eight years as a night watchman — twelve hours a night — and am still at the job.

F. WOLTON,
Century-road, Mitcham.

From the Mitcham News & Mercury, 6th July 1962
‘NEW’ ROAD HAS BROKEN FLAGSTONES

FOR three years tenants of Century Road, Mitcham, the road known for being “unwanted,” have been campaigning for better conditions. Now they are wondering if they have benefited from the new road recently laid by Mitcham Council.

At the beginning of last year tenants were complaining of “giant slugs and prehistoric beetles” climbing up the walls. The road was full of puddles like swamps and a breeding ground for germs, claimed one tenant at the time.

A spokesman for Leonard Davey and Hart, Fair Green, agents for the landlord of Century Road, said then that there were no plans for making up the road or for the Council to take it over.

The feeling amongst tenants was that neither the landlord nor Mitcham Council wanted the road.

But a fortnight ago Mitcham Council completed laying a proper road with a pavement. The fourteen houses in the road, which were built in 1900, were also given a coat of paint.

Now one of the tenants, Mr. Henry HORNEGOLD, says that already 18 flagstones have been broken. He suspects heavy vehicles are responsible and has complained to the Council about it.

War Connections

Lance Sergeant Frederick PARKER

Unit: 1st Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment.
Death: Killed in action on 26 January 1915, aged 25.
He is recorded in the 1911 Census as living at 9 Century Road with his mother, Ellen, and his stepfather, Police Sergeant Herbert Bowles. Although he was already serving in the army and stationed at the Isle of Wight Barracks at times, this was his family’s home address during that period.
Memorial Status: His name appears on the Mitcham War Memorial. He is also commemorated on a specific brass plaque within Mitcham Parish Church.

World War II casualty:

Thomas Gordon Palmer (Civilian)
Death: Died on 3 August 1944, aged 45.
He was a resident of 7 Century Road
Details: He was a Fire Guard and died at 123 Pendle Road during the war. As a civilian casualty of WWII, his name is recorded in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission registers.

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.

Taylor and Kensett

Leave a reply

Estates services according to this ghost sign, at the corner of Finborough Road and London Road:

Photo from Apple Maps June 2021

The firm of Taylor & Kensett were listed as builders in local street directories at the beginning of the 20th century, and from council minutes, building applications show:

1899 for 38 houses in Pitcairn Road
1903 for 12 houses in Crusoe Road
1904 for 16 houses in Crusoe Road

Also from Streatham News – Saturday 18 January 1908:-

1908 for houses numbered 67 to 87 in Kenlor Road, Tooting.

The street directories also give their full names, as they are listed separately with ‘see Taylor & Kensett’.

In a court case reported in the Sutton & Epsom Advertiser – Friday 03 September 1909, the accused said that he had worked for Taylor & Kensett for 18 years, which would be from 1891.

Kensett the builder

Percy Frank Kensett is listed in the 1900 commercial directory as a builder, with the note ‘see Taylor & Kensett’.

The following was obtained from ancestry and newspaper articles.

Percy Frank Kensett was born in Bibury, near Cirencester, Gloucestershire in 1869.
In the 1901 census he was living in Mitcham, as a builder and an employer, with his unmarried sister Constance M. Kensett, aged 31.

His WW1 pension records shows he served with the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, from 3rd September 1914 until 15th October 1915. His address given on enlistment was Broad Meadow, Coombe Lane, Wimbledon. His age on enlisting was 46 years 120 days. Physically he was 5ft 5 and a half inches tall, 133 lbs in weight with dark hair and hazel eyes. His religion was Church of England. He had previously served in the London Rifle Brigade Lodge of Freemasons from 1900 to 1907. His rank on joining the KRR was of Sergeant.

In 1939 he is listed as a retired architect, living in Northleach, Gloucestershire at The Close, with his sister Constance. He died at 72 in The Close on 18th December, 1940, and left £25,000 (£1,000,000 in 2023 values) to his sister Constance Mary Kensett, who was a spinster.

Kensett the Cold Storage Expert

A patent in 1901 was filed by Percy Frank Kensett and Thomas Taylor for Improvements in and connected with Fastening Devices for the Doors of Cold Stores. See Google Patents.

In the January issue of The Engineer, P.F. Kensett is mentioned on page 192:

In the 1911 census, Percy Frank Kensett, aged 42, is listed as a Cold Storage Expert, and living at 336 Coombe Lane, Wimbledon.

In the 1912 street directory, Taylor & Kensett Limited is listed as insulation contractors.

The 1915 Electoral Register for Wimbledon has Percy Frank Kensett as a qualifying owner to be able to vote in Mitcham West Ward, due to his owning freehold and leasehold houses in 1 to 5 London Road and 2 to 20 Pitcairn Road.

Newspaper Articles

EXCITING FIRE SCENES Whole Street in Danger. There were remarkable scenes at Mitcham yesterday — a portion of a street being in flames. Fire broke out at the timber yard of Messrs. Taylor and Kensett in Crusoe road, and burned fiercely that adjoining houses caught fire, and the whole street seemed in danger. Householders in considerable alarm carried their furniture and valuables out into the street, and there was scene of great confusion. The combined efforts of the brigades, however, succeeded in preventing the spread of the flames, but not before four houses adjacent to the timber yard had been considerably burned.

Source: Hartlepool Mail – Friday 02 September 1921 from the British Newspaper Archive

Council Minutes
From the minutes of the Croydon Rural District Council
Volume VIII
1902 to 1903
Highways
17th April 1902
page 45

20. FIGGS MARSH DRAINAGE.—Read letter from Messrs. Taylor & Kensett, the owner of building land on the west side of London Road, Figg’s Marsh, near Tooting Junction Railway Bridge. The road was, at present, drained by pipes laid under the footway discharging on to the land belonging to the applicants, where a ditch formerly existed ; to carry out what was suggested would necessitate the construction of four new gullies and a length of 6in. drain to take the water to the other side. It would improve the drainage of the highway and at the same time relieve the landowner of a liability to get rid of the water now discharging on to the land ; the cost would be approximately £20, and he suggested that Messrs. Taylor & Kensett should be asked to contribute one-half the cost.

—The Committee Resolved, That they be required to pay the whole of the cost of the work.

From the minutes of the
Croydon Rural District Council
Roads and Buildings Committee
Volume VIII 1902 – 1903
15th May 1902
page 111

2. Deposited Plans. – The Buildings Sub-Committee reported that they had carefully examined al the plans of new streets and buildings deposited since the last meeting, and on their recommendation, it was Resolved:-
(a) That the undermentioned be approved:

No. 2127, Taylor & Kensett, house, London 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.