Tag Archives: Cranmer

Cranmer Road

Road that is numbered as the A239 and runs south east from the junction with Madeira Road and Cricket Green, over the railway line at Cranmer Bridge and ends at the Carshalton Road.

It is named after the Cranmer family who lived in the area and the house called Cranmer.

All buildings are the south side of the road as the north side is part of Mitcham Common.

1932 OS map

From the junction with Madeira Road towards Carshalton Road, the properties are:

Saint Peter and Saint Paul Roman Catholic Church
Cranmer Cottages
Cranmer Farm Close housing estate
Cranmer Primary School
Wilson Hospital
Mitcham Garden Village


Saint Peter and Saint Paul Roman Catholic Church

This is locally listed by Merton Council who say:

This is a substantial church and an attached two and a half storey house in the same general style. The buildings date from 1889, and were designed by the architect Frederick A Walters. The materials used include a yellow brick, with blue brickwork detailing, and roof tiles. The design of the building does not relate to that of any others in the vicinity. The side elevations of the church have 5 bays with buttresses, inset windows with semi circular heads under a brick arch with a linking string course at springing level and a continuous string course at sill level. The street elevation has a central ceramic medallion over a semi circular headed entrance, and within the gable an arch, crossed keys and cross picked out in blue bricks. The bell tower has exposed bells within its arches. The Presbytery uses matching brick and roof tiles.

Cranmer Cottages

1953 OS map

Cranmer Cottages

Numbers 3/4/5 are described by Merton Council as

This is a terrace of 3 x 2 storey cottages. They appear to date from the 18th century
(possibly early 18th century). The buildings are a reminder of the old Cranmer Estate
now largely occupied by the Wilson Hospital. The architecture is very plain and
simple, with small 12 pane sliding sash windows with only a very shallow reveal
(suggesting a possible early date). The building materials are render with a plain tiles
roof. No substantial alterations are evident. The properties (together with nos 6/7
Cranmer Cottages) have a group value not so much from the point of their design but
more from their common history linked to the Cranmer Estate.

Numbers 6 and 7 are listed separately as:

This is a non symmetrical pair of semi detached cottages, partly 2 storey and partly
single storey. They are understood to date from 1902. The design is neo vernacular.
The materials used include red brick to the ground floor and pebbledash to the upper floor and gable. The main features of interest are the well detailed timberwork to the lintels of the ground floor window and 1st floor window at no 6, and the metal decorative motif within the gable of no 6. Number 7 is a very small scale house, single storey only, with 3 round headed window openings on the SE elevation and on the larger window on the front elevation. The 3 window frames on the SE elevation have unfortunately been replaced. The properties (together with nos 3/4/5 Cranmer Cottages) have a group value not so much from the point of their design but more from their common history linked to the Cranmer Estate.

Cranmer Farm Close

A housing development built on the former Cranmer Farm.

Cranmer Primary School

Wilson Hospital

Photo taken April 2020

This is locally listed:

This is a part two and part single storey building, which dates from 1928, and which
was designed by the architects Chart Son and Reading. It was endowed by the local
benefactor, Isaac Wilson. The design of the building is classically inspired with a
steeply pitched roof, twelve panel timber sash windows, and a stone central portico
supported on pillars and pilasters. Stone quoins define the corners of the central two
storey section of the building, and the eaves display strong modillion detailing. Above
the portico is a palladian window, with a modillioned pediment feature above that,
and a centrally placed copper cupola on the roof. The wings to each side are of lesser
interest.

After the railway line is the

Mitcham Garden Village

A ‘Tuck’ postcard, possibly 1950

This development consists of 10 terraces each containing 4 two storey houses,
together with 2 pairs of similar semi detached houses. The development dates from
between 1929 and 1932. The architectural style of the development is influenced by
the vernacular revival, based on the Tudor period. This development was originally
conceived by a local benefactor, in order to cater for the needs of local elderly people.
The materials used include brown brick, some laid in panels of herringbone, Tudor
style timber frame with pebbledash render between at the gables, dormer windows
and porches, and roof tiles. The development as a whole has a very strongly cohesive
feel that results from the uniform architecture, and the layout of the buildings around
varied communal open spaces. The main features of interest include the first floor
jetties projecting beyond the ground floor, the very pronounced gables (including
dormers and porches) with their steeply pitched roofs, and the massive chimneys. The
overall layout of the development is also of interest, including in particular the
grouping of the buildings around green spaces of various sizes. Changes have been kept to a minimum, and have not undermined the cohesive architectural character of
the buildings.

The descriptions quoted above are from the Merton Local List Descriptions, 2018 (pdf)


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

Hatton Gardens

A cul-de-sac road that is off of the east side of Caesars Walk, after Walsingham Road.

1954 OS map

The name refers to Christopher Hatton, Lord Chancellor to Elizabeth I. See wikipedia entry.

This road, and the other roads between the railway line and the Wilson Hospital were on the former estate of The Cranmers which was bought by Isaac Wilson in 1926. All these roads have names related to Elizabeth I.

As entered from Caesars Walk, the houses on the left, north side, are numbered odd from 1 to 35, with three terraces of six houses each. At the end of the road is a square, offset to the north, with a terrace of six houses, numbered 37 to 47, and then a smaller terrace of three houses, which is at right angles to the rest of the road, numbered 49 to 53. The houses on the south side of the road are numbered even from Caesars Walk end from 2 to 36, also in three terraces of six houses. This is followed by two terraces of three houses each, numbers 38 to 42, and 44 to 46. At the end of the square, at right angles, is a terrace of four houses, numbered 48 to 56.

All even house numbers have the postcode CR4 4LG, and odd houses have CR4 4LJ.

No. 37 was extended and 37A added to its side, as per planning application 18P0893.

Occupations from the 1939 Register
Duplicates have been removed.

Assistant Serving Manager United Dairies
Automobile Tester (One Man Business )
Bench Hand Fitter
Book-Keeper (Full Set of books)
Builders Labourer
Builders Labourer Heavy Worker
C O Accountant Generals Dept G P O London
Carpenter
Carpenter & Joiner
Carpenter & Joiner Incapacited
Certificated Teacher
Cinema Attendant
Clerical Officer Inland Revenue
Clerk Civil Engineering Public Works & Buildings
Clerk Incapacited
Clerk Shorth-hand Typist Secretary
Coach Painter
Coal Merchant
Coal Merchants Junior Clerk
Cook
Court Dressmaker
Currier Machine Leather Heavy Worker
Dealer in Meat (Manager ) 148-50 Rushey Green S E 6
Domestic Cook
Driver Cooked Meat Salesman
Electrician-Wireman Building Trade
Embosser (Soft Toys )
Engineers Tool & Jig Maker
Filler (Motor Work)
Foreman Paint Grinder Heavy Worker
Gas Service (Area Representative) Gas Co
General Clerk
Home Duties
Hotel Proprietress Retired
Household Duties
Household duties (unpaid)
Housekeeper
Housewife
Import Stock Clerk
In Partnership Also Clerical Painter, Paperhanger Decorator
Incapacitated
Incapacitated (T B )
Insurance Agent
Junr Draughtsman
Lift Engineer Fitter
Lift Engineers Mate
Lift Erector (Electrical Mechanical) Heavy Work
Literary Editor
Lorry Driver
Machine Shaver Leather Dresser Heavy Worker
Mechanic
Medical Student
Mess Room Attendant
Motor Driver
Motor Lorry Driver (Gas Stone) Delivery Heavy Worker
Motor Transport Garage Hand
Motor Transport Operation Clerical
Motor Vehicle Building & Repairing Senior Clerk Wages Dept
Museum Clerk & Supervisor (Medical )
Now Woodworking Min Foreman Carpenter & Joiner Setter As
Old Age Pension
Old Age Pensioner
Omnibus Conductor
Order Typist
Packer at Pains Fireworks Factory
Paint Manufacturer Manager
Plasterer
Pneumatic Driller & Driver Heavy Worker
Printers Estimating & Cost Clerk
Printers Reader
Printers Warehouseman Heavy Worker
Production Clerk
Rag Dealer
Railway Relief Clerk Qualified Stationmaster
Railway Ticket Inspector Travels Qualified Station Master
Record Clerk Manufacturing in Charge Chemists
Relief Foster-Mother County Council Childrens Homes
Retired Baker
Retired Pensioner NCO Royal Mariner
School Caretaker
Sheet Metal Worker
Sheet Metal Worker (General)
Shop Assistant (Shoes)
Shop Assistant Grocery
Shorthand Typist
Signalman Southern Railway
Sports Trade Wood Worker
Supervising Sorting Clerk & Telegraphist G P O
Synthetic resins & Varnish Maker
Telephone Operator
Tester of Valves
Unpaid Domestic Duties
Upholsteress
Wages Clerk Gas Co
Waitress
Wife
Wire Worker Lampshades etc. Manufacturing

1967 postcard addressed to Mr & Mrs Gower, 26 Hatton Gardens


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