Tag Archives: Fair Green

York Place

Terrace of 7 shops, on the north side of the Fair Green, west of the London Road. It became part of St Marks Road, until demolished to make way for Majestic Way in the late 1980s.

york-place

early 1900s

Eric Montague’s Mitcham Histories : 7 The Upper or Fair Green, Mitcham, page 108 said that in 1828 at number 4 lived William HILLS, a local builder who the last parish beadle. Montague suggested that York Place was built in the first two decades of the 19th century.

1921

1921

1964

1964

From the Dentists Registry entries from 1879 to 1893, William James Jones was in practice as a dentist with the pharmacy at 1, York Place before 22nd July 1878.

From the 1891 street directory:

from High Street to Killick’s Lane

NORTH SIDE

1 W.J. Jones, chemist & stationer
2 Post Office
3 William Saynes, beer retailer
4 Joseph Shepherd, corn dealer
5 G.B. Bennett, tobacconist

7 William Shepherd, machine agent

Number 3 was the Lord Napier pub, before becoming George York’s funeral business.

In the 1915 street directory, these retain the numbers as above, but are part of St. Marks Road:

NORTH SIDE

1 John K. Harvey, chemist
2 Mrs L.C. Williams, dining rooms
3 George York, undertaker
4 H. Tedder, hair dresser
5 William Whittington, tobacconist
6 William Augustus Martin, butcher
7 S. & E. Rimmel, grocers

In the 1925 street directory, the shops have been renumbered odd:

1 John K. Harvey M.P.S., chemist
3 William Scratchley, dining rooms
5 George York, undertaker
7 H. Tedder, hair dresser
9 William Whittington, tobacconist
11 A. Bacon, hosier
13 S. & E. Rimmel, grocers

From the 1954 telephone directory:

1 J.K. Harvey, chemist & druggist, MIT 0892
3 Thorpes Radio, MIT 3964
5 George York, undertaker, MIT 2926
7
9
11
13

(Scratchley’s Dining Rooms is in the 1954 phone book at 310 High Street, Sutton VIG 4125)

The Parade

Parade of shops on east side of London Road, south of the Upper or Fair Green, consisting of 12 shops to Langdale Avenue, then a further 6 shops south of there. Historic England defines a ‘parade’ as

‘planned developments incorporating rows of shops (facing onto an outdoor space), with a strong degree of architectural uniformity…. (which) includes at least three shops’.

aerial view of The Parade

aerial view of The Parade

Built around 1905 according to Montague, in his Mitcham Histories : 12 Church Street and Whitford Lane, page 107.

Could the builder have been J. Harding? This planning application was approved at the same time as another for 12 houses in Langdale Avenue:
From the minutes of the Croydon Rural District Council
Volume IX 1903 – 1904
7th May 1903
page 72

No. 2505, Harding, J., 12 houses and shops, London Road, Mitcham

From a Tuck postcard dated 1950

From a Tuck postcard dated 1950

1913 map (1:2500 scale):

1913 OS Map courtesy of Merton Heritage Service

1913 OS Map courtesy of Merton Heritage Service.

This 1953 map shows it with the shops renumbered. (The map has been rotated.)


Occupants from Commercial Directories

1911

 

Number Occupier Trade
1 Milton IRELAND grocer
2 Wm. Geo. EVANS customs & excise officer
2 Mrs. Annie Brooking MARTIN ladies’ tailor
3 Mitcham Liberal Association
3 The World’s Stores Limited provision dealers
4 Alfred Thomas JENKINS confectioner
5 Leonard Thomas DAVEY auctioneer
6 B. H. CRAIG & Co photographers
6 Gordon WILLIAMS artificial teeth maker
7 National Telephone Co. Limited
7 James WHITE oil and color dealer
8 John DOOLEY stationer
9 Charles BREESE chemist
10 Jean Baptiste ROMPEL watch maker
11 Clement CARLTON greengrocer
11 Cyril MARRIOTT printer
12 Frederick George PEARCE baker
13 Wraight, Dumbriil & Co. Ltd dairymen
15 Jas. NELSON & Sons Ltd. butchers

The Parade – Brookman, baker, at number 12 on the corner, is listed in the 1915 directory, but not the 1911

No. 13 The Parade, occupied by Wraight Dumbrill Ltd. dairymen.

From the London Gazette : “Wraight & Dumbrill Ltd. was registered in 1899, changed name to Curtis Brothers & Dumbrill Ltd. in 1917, which went into voluntary liquidation in 1931.”

1915

Number Occupier Trade
1 Milton IRELAND grocer
2 George OAKES tailor
3 The Worlds Stores provision dealers
3 Mitcham Liberal Association political
5 Leonard Thomas DAVEY estate agent
6 Miss Ethel DIXON milliner
7 James WHITE oil & color dealer
9 Charles BREESE chemist
10 Gregory WILLIAM boot repairer
10 Harry HARDING builder
12 A.W. BROOKMAN & Co. bakers
13 Wraight Dumbrill & Co. Ltd. dairymen
14 Hawkins & Desmond laundry
14 Herbert SPENCER upholsterer
17 Cyril MARRIOTT printer

After renumbering
1 -> 225
2 -> 227
3 -> 229
4 -> 231
5 -> 233
6 -> 235
7 -> 237
8 -> 239
9 -> 241
10 -> 243/5
11 -> 247
12 -> 249

13 -> 251
14 -> 253
15 -> 255
16 -> 257
17 -> 259
18 -> 261

From the 1930 commercial directory

Number Occupier Trade
225 James REYNOLDS grocer
227 George OAKES tailor
229 The Worlds Stores Ltd provision dealer
231 Percy MAYHEW confectioner
233 Pearks Dairies Ltd provision dealer
235 Walter HUNT greengrocer
237 James WHITE oil and colour dealer
239 Percy MAYHEW stationer
241 Edward WAVELL chemist
243 Harry HARDING builder
247 Russell and Son watch makers
249 Leonard T WELTEN confectioner
251 United Dairies dairy
253 Peckham Steam Laundry Ltd laundry
255 Stanley Philip BLOGG greengrocer
259 The Mitcham Printing Works printers engravers and account book makers

Shops in 1989



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