C.U. or Catlin and Usher, Engineering

Listed in the 1963 Borough of Mitcham List of Factories as Light Engineering at 4 Benedict Road and 30,32 Homewood Road, (A.E. Catlin, E.L. Catlin, H.F. Usher trading as).

According to an article from the 1967 Mitcham Cricket Club yearbook about their treasurer, Arthur Edward CATLIN, he started the structural and ornamental steel business in his back garden in 1948. His sons Derek, Dennis and Roy played for the club. They erected the pavilion balcony in their spare time.

Arthur Catlin, from the 1967 Mitcham Cricket Club Yearbook

Dennis Catlin from 1962 Mitcham Cricket Club Yearbook

This ad from 1963 lists only the Homewood Road address:

1963 ad

Text of ad:

C.U. ENGINEERING

30-32 HOMEWOOD ROAD.
MITCHAM
SURREY

MIT 1032

ARCHITECTURAL IRONWORK

PERIOD & MODERN

WELDED STRUCTURES

OIL STORAGE TANKS

ORNAMENTAL, BALUSTRADES

FIRE PROOF DOORS

BALCONIES, FIRE ESCAPES

Comments from the Mitcham History Group on Facebook – November 2016:

Nick: I worked for Catlin Bros Engineering in Homewood Road in 1972.
Cliff: I Remember the Catlins, wasn’t the steel firm called Catlin and Usher?
Nick: I only knew it as Catlin Bros Engineering.
Cliff: most likely that the name changed when the Dad retired, there were a few brothers, and they played cricket for Mitcham. Usher was the brother in law. That’s what I was led to believe.
Nick: It was Derek Catlin I mostly worked with back then, welding, grinding etc.
Catlin’s also had a lockup at the very end of Century road.
Cliff: I believe that the yard in Century Road was accessed from the Catlins garden in Benedict Road.
Nick: That’s right Cliff, it be came a carpet warehouse when they packed up!

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