In the 1911 street directory, as described from north to south:

… Here is Bridge Road

ABBEY TERRACE:

Henden & Co. drapers (Bridge house)

1A, Henry Bryant, confectioner
1, Albert Edward Frost, dairy
2, David Stopher, butcher
3, A.W. Hanes, fried fish shop
4, Robert Peeling, grocer
5, David J, Hargood, confectioner
6, George Lawrence, carman
6, David J, Hargood, hairdresser

James Tutty (School house)
Mitcham School (infants)

… here is Prince’s Road

The 1930 commercial directory still refers to houses numbered 1 to 6 in Abbey Terrace, Christchurch Road, so they haven’t been renumbered to this point.

William Jones, greengrocer, 1 Abbey terrace
David Adlington, sheet metal worker, 3 Abbey terrace
Charles F. Corner, grocer, 4 Abbey terrace
David James Hargood, newsagent, 5 Abbey terrace
Wilfred Scarlett, hairdressr, 6 Abbey terrace

(the following aren’t numbered in the directory)
Charles Rockliffe, dining rooms, Abbey terrace
Miss Grace Thompson, ladies’ outfitter, Abbey terrace

The 1952 OS Map shows that the houses have been renumbered as part of Christchurch Road. Bridge House becomes 102 and 104, and 1 to 6 Abbey Terrace becomes 106 to 118.

The Tandem Shopping Centre now occupies this and where the Tandem Smelting works once were.

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News Articles

Mitcham Advertiser – Thursday 21 February 1929

DEATH OF WELL KNOWN RESIDENT

—The death took place on Wednesday morn-ing of Mr. George Lawrence, of Abbey terrace, Christ Church-road, Mitcham, one of the best known residents of the Singlegate and Colliers Wood district. Mr, Lawrence, who was eighty-five, had had a varied career, For twenty years he worked at Mitcham Gas Works, he had also been a policeman – and a builder in a large way. He built a great number of houses in Fortescue-road, Claren- don-road, Courtney-road and Church road. Mrs. Lawrence died a few months ago.

Mitcham Advertiser – Thursday 17 May 1928

MERTON. LEFT THE PREMISES.

— At the Croydon County Court to-day (Thursday) Judge Harington gave judgment for the payment of £11 1s. 10d. said to be rent due from James Herbert Andrews, the late tenant of a flat in Fortescue-road, Merton, to the landlord, George Lawrence, of Abbey Terrace, Christchurch-road, Merton. Last month Mr. Lawrence sought an ejectment order against the defendant but the Judge held that the defendant’s mother, who had actually left the flat, was still the legal tenant — no order having been made against her — and that the defendant himself could not be regarded as a trespasser. Today, however, it was stated that the defendant had left the house the previous evening.

Mitcham Advertiser – Thursday 23 February 1928

SUGAR AND MARGARINE.
Prosecution of Old Tradesman.

Charles F. Corner, Abbey-terrace, Christchurch-road, Mitcham, was summoned before the Croydon County Bench on Wednesday for having sold prepacked sugar and margarine in quantities other than those prescribed by the Act. Mr. Ubsdell, for the Surrey County Council, said that it was not suggested that the defendant had wilfully offended. A number of packets weighed by the inspector were deficient in weight to the extent of a few drams in each case. The proceedings were taken for the protection of the public as the giving of short measure was becoming very prevalent. Defendant had been in a small way of business since 1864. The defendant was fined 20s. on each of two summonses.

Mitcham Advertiser – Thursday 13 March 1924

George Hargood (16), Abbey-terrace, Merton Abbey, had to pay 5s. at Croydon on Saturday, for having, while cycling, taken hold of the back of a motor vehicle without the driver’s consent.

Mitcham Advertiser – Friday 13 January 1922

CAROLS AND KICKS.

CHRISTMAS LIVELINESS AT MERTON.

According to his own story to the Croydon Magistrates on Saturday, George Lawrence, of Abbey-terrace, Christ Church-road, Merton, had a lively Christmastide. He accused Richard Driver, of Gray’s Cottages, near by, of threatening him, and of breaking the lock of his front door.

Complainant, an old man of feeble movements, said that there was trouble with defendant all through the week-end, chiefly after closing hours. On Boxing Day he kicked the front door open and threatened to kill witness.

Defendant, a strong, active man, said he married complainant’s niece five years ago. He had a few pounds when he came out of the Army. Complainant had done all he could to get this money to pay off a mortgage on his property. Moreover, he came every day of the week—including Sunday—to ask witness to do jobs for him. The lock of complainant’s door was broken eight months ago.

Mrs. Vince, a daughter of the complainant, said Driver threw stones down the back way, and persisted in sitting outside and singing Christmas carols. She heard him say he would put her father’s daylights out.

Mrs. Perry, another daughter, also heard the threat.

“He is always on at me to go and do jobs for him,” said defendant. “And they are not what you might call honest, straightforward jobs. I have told him scores of times to let me be. If he did not worry me I should say nothing to him.”

Defendant was fined 20s. and 8s. 6d. damage, and was bound over.

He left the court repeating that he would not annoy the complainant so long as he did not ask him to do jobs.

Mitcham Advertiser – Friday 28 November 1919

THE RAT CATCHER.

— Ten shillings was the fine imposed on William Addington, of Abbey-terrace, Christchurch-road, Mitcham, on Saturday for allowing his dog out unmuzzled.

— Defendant said they had to leave the terrier unmuzzled at night because they were surrounded by rats.

Mitcham Advertiser – Friday 12 October 1917

DEATH AT A PICTURE PALACE.

— On Wednesday at Newington Mr. G. P. Wyatt, Coroner, held an inquiry touching the death of Emily Fulcher aged 37 years, the wife of Frederick Suffield Fulcher, a sergeant-major in the Northants Regiment, living at 4, Abbey-terrace, Abbey-road, Merton. The husband, just arrived from the front, identified the body.— Letty Baker, of 3A, Abbey-terrace, stated that she was a friend of the deceased. Last Thursday afternoon they went to the picture palace in Balham High-road, and while there deceased complained of a great pain at her chest, and said she would like to go out.They went into the corridor, and as she seemed to make no improvement a medical man was sent for; but when he arrived she was dead.

— Dr. ?. C. Gummer, of Balham High-road, said death was due to syncope from aortic disease of the heart of old standing, and the jury returned a verdict to that effect.

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