Tag Archives: 1954

79 Commonside East

Currently residential, but was a newsagents shop. In the 1954 phone book, the occupant was A.G. HENDRA, listed as confectioner & tobacconist.

This property is the left hand one of three, as shown in this photo, taken from the Beehive Bridge. To the left of number 79 is the footpath Lavender Walk.

clip from Merton Memories photo reference Mit_Transport_2-3

1955 OS map

Next door at number 85 was S. BARTON, grocers, in the 1954 phone book. In the above photo, was it called Mitcham Stores to avoid confusion with Barton’s Stores in 1, Kings Parade, Wrythe Lane, Carshalton? (Also in the 1954 phone book)

In this clip from a 1974 photo, the shop is owned by D.G. BAKEWELL

Image courtesy of Collage - The London Picture Library - http://collage.cityoflondon.gov.uk

1974 Image courtesy of Collage – The London Picture Library – http://collage.cityoflondon.gov.uk

No. 79 on right of Lavender Walk – photo taken 22nd August 2020


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

Pig Bins and Tottenham Pudding

Food waste was collected in pig bins, metal dustbins in the street. The waste, such as potato peelings and plate scrapings, were sent to a plant for boiling into a feed for pigs, called Tottenham Pudding.

From the Mitcham & Tooting Advertiser, 4th February, 1954

Pig bins to be abolished

Waste food is now ‘unprofitable’

Kitchen waste is no longer to be collected in Mitcham, and the council’s
street pig bins are to be removed.

Commenting on this at Thursday’s meeting of Mitcham Council, Aid. C.A. Norris (Ind.) congratulated the Public Health Committee on their decision to abolish what he described as “the pig-bin nuisance, and the now unprofitable collection of kitchen waste generally.”

VOLUNTARY COLLECTION

The committee made their decision after receiving a letter from the
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries stating that the Government had decided that the salvage of waste food by local authorities would in future be on a voluntary basis.

The Minister, the letter continued, was prepared to revoke individual
directions for the salvage of kitchen waste should local authorities wish
him to do so. although he hoped they would give the matter careful consideration before deciding to disband their waste food services.