Tag Archives: Blue Houses

Firemen’s Call Bells

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From the minutes of the Mitcham Parish Council
Volume 12
April 1914 to March 1915
Fire Call Bells
1st December, 1914

Page 121

An agreement from the General Post Office was submitted for removal of Circuit Wire from Cavendish Road to 29, Courtney Road, and it was proposed by Mr. Bland, seconded by Mr. Blaker, and resolved –
That the Chairman be authorised to sign same on behalf of the council.

From the minutes of the Mitcham Parish Council
Volume 11 April 1913 to March 1914
Report of the No. 1 Fire Brigade Committee
24th February, 1914

Page 177

Driver Stevens having removed from The Parade, London Road, to Edmund Road, the call bell recently fixed by the General Post Office has been rendered useless, and the Committee therefore directed the Clerk to ascertain the cost of removal to the new address. The Clerk reported that a wire was already connected in Edmund Road, and that a bell could be attached to this at a small cost and that the General Post Office were willing to remove the existing bell at The Parade to the house occupied by Fireman Jordan at the Blue Houses for an additional rental of £1 5s. The Committee are of opinion that as the Council are already under an agreement for five years for the bell at The Parade it would be advisable to accept this proposal and recommends –

That the Council cancel the existing agreement with the General Post Office and enter into a new agreement upon the terms quoted, and that the Chairman be authorised to execute the same.

From the minutes of the Mitcham Parish Council
Volume 11 April 1913 to March 1914
Report of the No. 1 Fire Brigade Committee
3rd February, 1914

Page 164

A letter has been received from Mr Brooks, one of the fireman, giving notice of his removal from 75, High Street, to No. 4, West Gardens.

The committee recommends

That an order be given to the General Post Office for the removal of the call bell to the new address.

Minutes of meetings held by the Mitcham Parish Council are available on request from the Merton Heritage and Local Studies Centre at Morden Library.

Blue Houses

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Cottages, originally painted blue, near the Ravensbury Arms pub, on land between Croydon and Carshalton roads.

From a Percy Mayhew postcard. The Ravensbury Arms is on the left.

From a Percy Mayhew postcard. The Ravensbury Arms is on the left.

History

Eric Montague, in his book Mitcham Common, says, on page 63, that this area was called Sheldon’s Corner, the earliest mention of which was in 1738. Montague also said that the theory the cottages were painted blue was to match the stables of the Surrey Iron Railway. He agrees though with early railway history expert, the late Charles E. Lee, who dismissed it.

Merton Memories photos

1870
1890
1910 colourised

6 buildings can be seen on this 1866 OS map.

9 houses according to this 1874 auction.

In the booklet 50 Years at Grove Mills, Mitcham by Mr E.B. Hedger, fireman Charlie JORDAN, employed by John S Deed & Sons, lived in one of these cottages in 1907. See page 87 of Mitcham Histories : 6.

Occupants in Electoral Registers
1910
James HOOKER
John JORDAN

4 houses on this 1910 OS map and 1952 OS map.

The Land

Although surrounded by Mitcham Common, Land Registry title SGL704178, it is not part of it.

Mitcham Common - registered land map

Mitcham Common – registered land map

London Borough of Merton own two plots of land, shown on this map in red:

LBM Owned land

LBM Owned land

Part of this land, title number SY258367, showing houses numbered 3 and 4 on the 1952 map, was bought by T.R. City of London Trust PLC (company registration number 34871) in 1984 and sold at Savills auction in February 2015 for £36,000 and again in June 2015 for £96,000.

Plan showing title SY2583677

Plan showing title SY2583677

The houses are presumed to have been demolished in 1963, as they are mentioned as a Clearance Area in these Mitcham Borough Council minutes:

From the Public Health Committee
27th June 1963

6. Housing Act, 1957: Blue House Cottages, Croydon Road, Clearance Area

Further to paragraph 5 of the report of this Committee of 28th February, 1963 (Volume 29, page 747), the Town Clerk reported that the Minister of Housing and Local Government had confirmed the Blue House Cottages, Croydon Road, Clearance Order, 1963, without modification.

Source: Proceedings of the Council and committees, Mitcham Borough Council, Volume 30 1963-4, page 111

Minutes of meetings held by the Mitcham Borough Council are available on request from the Merton Heritage and Local Studies Centre at Morden Library.