Tag Archives: Fortescue Road

Laburnum Road Estate

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Council housing estate built 1954+ on land south and west of the level crossing at Tamworth Lane.

The architects were Collcutt & Hamp, J. Liversedge & Co. were the consulting construction engineers, Mr. H.A. Sandford, M.A. was the consulting electrical engineer and E.C. Harris and Partners the quantity surveyors. Source: Borough Engineer’s Report, 8th September, 1952, as publsihed in Mitcham Borough Council minutes, page 223, volume 19.

Merton Memories Photos

c. 1954 Being built – as seen from railway line
c.1956 Block being built – roof section carried by crane
A completed block seen from railway line
A completed block front view
Two completed blocks
Old peoples’ cottages and a completed block

The land was bought by Mitcham Borough Council using a compulsory purchase order. These council minutes describe the land plots bought, and from whom.

From the minutes of the
Housing Committee
Thursday 2nd July 1953

Laburnum Road Site: Acquisition of Land

The Town Clerk submitted the District Valuer’s reports of the terms of compensation provisionally agreed, subject to the approval of the Council and the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, for the acquisition, under the terms of the Mitcham (Laburnum Road) Compulsory Purchase Order, 1952, of the freehold interest in the undermentioned land required for the development for housing purposes of the Laburnum Road site.

Land owned by Co-operative Wholesale Society Ltd.

5.030 acres approx. of land at Laburnum Road, together with the house known as “Nursery Cottage” and the derelict house adjoining, and also 0.105 acre of land at Laburnum Road, including the building and timber yard known as “The Garage.”

Land Owned by The Misses L.L. and N.A. Allen, as Executors and Trustees of Rebecca Allen, deceased.

0.084 acre approx. of land at Laburnum Road, including the four cottages known as 1,2,3 and 4, Railway Cottages.

Land Owned by Mizen Bros.

0.138 acre approx. of land at the rear of No.s 1-4, Railway Cottages, Laburnum Road, with a frontage to Eastfields Road.

Resolved, That the terms of compensation provisionally agreed be approved by the Council; that authority be given for the acquisition of the land in accordance with these terms; and that the Common Seal of the Corporation be affixed to any necessary documents.

Railway Cottages and Nursery Cottage can be seen on the 1952 OS Map:

The largest plot, roughly triangular, and owned by the Co-Op, had Nissen Huts on it at the time of the purchase. They can be seen in this aerial photo from 1952

Railway Cottages and Nursery Cottage can be seen top left of this photo

1952

1952

The names of the blocks of flats, and old peoples’ cottages, were suggested in January 1954.

From the minutes of the
Housing Committee
7th January 1954

Laburnum Road Estate

The following is a suggested name for the four blocks of flats on the Laburnum Road Estate: –

Laburnum Court
Hardcastle Court
Penfold Court
Guyatt Court

Addition, names are required for the four blocks of aged persons’ dwellings and it is recommended the following names be given to them: –

Lea Cottages
Ryves Cottages
Campbell Cottages
Overhill Cottages

Source: Proceedings of the Council and committees, Mitcham Borough Council, Volume 20 1953-54, page 535.

Resolved:

(i) That the following names be given to the four blocks of flats in the Laburnum Road Estate:

Laburnum Court
Penfold Court
Fitch Court
Beaumont Court

(ii) That the names recommended for the four blocks of aged persons’ dwellings be approved.

Source: Proceedings of the Council and committees, Mitcham Borough Council, Volume 20 1953-54, pages 538.

From Mitcham and Tooting Advertiser
8th July 1954

HOMES OF THEIR OWN AT LAST
First tenants move into town’s newest estate

166 NEW HOMES BY MARCH

THE first tenants moved to Mitcham’s newest estate — Laburnum Road — over the week-end. About a dozen families went into the top-floor flats and maisonnettes of Laburnum Court which is the first block to be completed.

Many had spent years in one and two-room flatlets. Then, after three years or more on the waiting list, they were told by Mitcham Council: ” We have a home for you.” Over the week-end they moved into their bright new flats and maisonnettes, where there are built-in cupboards, large rooms, water heaters, and other amenities they have not known during their married lives.

Eventually the estate, due to be completed by March, will consist of 54 three-bedroom, 84 two-bedroom, and 12 one bedroom flats and maisonnettes, as well as 18 two-storey cottages for old people.

This week the lifts operating from the yellow-tiled entrances to the block were not operating, but the new tenants did not mind climbing four flights of stairs to their homes.

One was Mrs M. L. Gaterall who, with her husband and three children aged from six years to 18 months, had been living in a two-room flat in Kennington, three storeys up. Their chance to move into a decent home came after three years on Mitcham Council’s housing list.

THREE YEAR WAIT

On Monday. Mr R. W. Hayward, a printer’s assistant, moved into one of the maisonnettes with his wife and baby. They had been living in one room in Colliers Wood and they too had been on the waiting list for three years.

Their new home has a living room, modern kitchen, bathroom and two bedrooms. From their back windows they can look out across the roofs of houses in Lammas Avenue and Barnard Road to Commonside East and the common.

Mrs. Hayward had one objection to her new home — in the maisonnettes there are no balconies on which children can be left to play in the open air. They will have to be taken by their mothers down to the lawns which will be laid between the blocks of flats when the estate is finished.

Her husband was pleased with the kitchen. “With all the built-in cupboards, there has been no need to buy any furniture for that room, at least,” he commented.

HAD TO MOVE

Another family who have moved into one of the three-bedroom flats are Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Came and their son and daughter. Another son is still in the Army. They lived in Fortescue Road, but the owner wanted the house. After a year on the waiting list they have been able to move. “It costs us a little more, but it is worth it,” declared Mrs. Came. “The rooms are much larger so that we can lay them out properly and make them look nice. And,” she added, “there is a bathroom.”

In the blue and cream kitchen there is a built-in dresser, larder, broom cupboard, airing cupboard, and an electric immersion heater. In the hall is a gas-heated drying cupboard.

All the new flats and malsonnettes have composition tiled floors width can be polished.

At present, about 180 men are working on the estate, building the remaining blocks of flats, maisonnettes, and old people’s cottages. Their work has not been easy.

While digging the drains, workmen found pieces of old cars, tins, bed-steads and dustbins deep below the surface. At one spot they had to cut a trench through a large area of broken glass. In another place they found a 15-ft. wide stretch of sleepers lying across the path of a deep trench, three feet below the surface. They had to saw, hack and tear their way through the tough wood.

From Mitcham and Tooting Advertiser
4th February 1954

Their names will not be forgotten

Names noted in national and local affairs are honoured by Mitcham Council in the names given to the new blocks of flats on the Laburnum Road Estate and the Baron House Estate in London Road, Lower Mitcham.

The late Mr. Sydney Gedge, of Mitcham Hall, a one-time Member of Parliament and constructor of Mitcham Park, is remembered in Gedge Court on the Baron House Estate opposite his old home. Mitcham’s first Mayor, then Ald. Jack Fitch, and Mr. J. R. Beaumont, also a former Mayor and alderman, are commemorated in Fitch and Beaumont Courts on the Laburnum Road Estate.

The other blocks of flats are named Laburnum Court and Penfold Court (on the Laburnum Estate), Fenning Court and Baron Court (on the Baron House Estate).

The Housing Committee and council also approved the names recommended for the four blocks of dwellings for old people on the Laburnum Road Estate. They will be called Lea Cottages, Ryves Cottages, Campbell Cottages and Overhill Cottages.

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

Abbey Terrace

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1895 OS Map

1895 OS Map

In the 1911 street directory, as described from north to south:

… Here is Bridge Road

ABBEY TERRACE:

Henden & Co. drapers (Bridge house)

1A, Henry Bryant, confectioner
1, Albert Edward Frost, dairy
2, David Stopher, butcher
3, A.W. Hanes, fried fish shop
4, Robert Peeling, grocer
5, David J, Hargood, confectioner
6, George Lawrence, carman
6, David J, Hargood, hairdresser

James Tutty (School house)
Mitcham School (infants)

… here is Prince’s Road

The 1930 commercial directory still refers to houses numbered 1 to 6 in Abbey Terrace, Christchurch Road, so they haven’t been renumbered to this point.

William Jones, greengrocer, 1 Abbey terrace
David Adlington, sheet metal worker, 3 Abbey terrace
Charles F. Corner, grocer, 4 Abbey terrace
David James Hargood, newsagent, 5 Abbey terrace
Wilfred Scarlett, hairdressr, 6 Abbey terrace

(the following aren’t numbered in the directory)
Charles Rockliffe, dining rooms, Abbey terrace
Miss Grace Thompson, ladies’ outfitter, Abbey terrace

The 1952 OS Map shows that the houses have been renumbered as part of Christchurch Road. Bridge House becomes 102 and 104, and 1 to 6 Abbey Terrace becomes 106 to 118.

1952 OS Map

1952 OS Map

The Tandem Shopping Centre now occupies this and where the Tandem Smelting works once were.

News Articles

Mitcham Advertiser – Thursday 21 February 1929

DEATH OF WELL KNOWN RESIDENT

—The death took place on Wednesday morn-ing of Mr. George Lawrence, of Abbey terrace, Christ Church-road, Mitcham, one of the best known residents of the Singlegate and Colliers Wood district. Mr, Lawrence, who was eighty-five, had had a varied career, For twenty years he worked at Mitcham Gas Works, he had also been a policeman – and a builder in a large way. He built a great number of houses in Fortescue-road, Claren- don-road, Courtney-road and Church road. Mrs. Lawrence died a few months ago.

Mitcham Advertiser – Thursday 17 May 1928

MERTON. LEFT THE PREMISES.

— At the Croydon County Court to-day (Thursday) Judge Harington gave judgment for the payment of £11 1s. 10d. said to be rent due from James Herbert Andrews, the late tenant of a flat in Fortescue-road, Merton, to the landlord, George Lawrence, of Abbey Terrace, Christchurch-road, Merton. Last month Mr. Lawrence sought an ejectment order against the defendant but the Judge held that the defendant’s mother, who had actually left the flat, was still the legal tenant — no order having been made against her — and that the defendant himself could not be regarded as a trespasser. Today, however, it was stated that the defendant had left the house the previous evening.

Mitcham Advertiser – Thursday 23 February 1928

SUGAR AND MARGARINE.
Prosecution of Old Tradesman.

Charles F. Corner, Abbey-terrace, Christchurch-road, Mitcham, was summoned before the Croydon County Bench on Wednesday for having sold prepacked sugar and margarine in quantities other than those prescribed by the Act. Mr. Ubsdell, for the Surrey County Council, said that it was not suggested that the defendant had wilfully offended. A number of packets weighed by the inspector were deficient in weight to the extent of a few drams in each case. The proceedings were taken for the protection of the public as the giving of short measure was becoming very prevalent. Defendant had been in a small way of business since 1864. The defendant was fined 20s. on each of two summonses.

Mitcham Advertiser – Thursday 13 March 1924

George Hargood (16), Abbey-terrace, Merton Abbey, had to pay 5s. at Croydon on Saturday, for having, while cycling, taken hold of the back of a motor vehicle without the driver’s consent.

Mitcham Advertiser – Friday 13 January 1922

CAROLS AND KICKS.

CHRISTMAS LIVELINESS AT MERTON.

According to his own story to the Croydon Magistrates on Saturday, George Lawrence, of Abbey-terrace, Christ Church-road, Merton, had a lively Christmastide. He accused Richard Driver, of Gray’s Cottages, near by, of threatening him, and of breaking the lock of his front door.

Complainant, an old man of feeble movements, said that there was trouble with defendant all through the week-end, chiefly after closing hours. On Boxing Day he kicked the front door open and threatened to kill witness.

Defendant, a strong, active man, said he married complainant’s niece five years ago. He had a few pounds when he came out of the Army. Complainant had done all he could to get this money to pay off a mortgage on his property. Moreover, he came every day of the week—including Sunday—to ask witness to do jobs for him. The lock of complainant’s door was broken eight months ago.

Mrs. Vince, a daughter of the complainant, said Driver threw stones down the back way, and persisted in sitting outside and singing Christmas carols. She heard him say he would put her father’s daylights out.

Mrs. Perry, another daughter, also heard the threat.

“He is always on at me to go and do jobs for him,” said defendant. “And they are not what you might call honest, straightforward jobs. I have told him scores of times to let me be. If he did not worry me I should say nothing to him.”

Defendant was fined 20s. and 8s. 6d. damage, and was bound over.

He left the court repeating that he would not annoy the complainant so long as he did not ask him to do jobs.

Mitcham Advertiser – Friday 28 November 1919

THE RAT CATCHER.

— Ten shillings was the fine imposed on William Addington, of Abbey-terrace, Christchurch-road, Mitcham, on Saturday for allowing his dog out unmuzzled.

— Defendant said they had to leave the terrier unmuzzled at night because they were surrounded by rats.

Mitcham Advertiser – Friday 12 October 1917

DEATH AT A PICTURE PALACE.

— On Wednesday at Newington Mr. G. P. Wyatt, Coroner, held an inquiry touching the death of Emily Fulcher aged 37 years, the wife of Frederick Suffield Fulcher, a sergeant-major in the Northants Regiment, living at 4, Abbey-terrace, Abbey-road, Merton. The husband, just arrived from the front, identified the body.— Letty Baker, of 3A, Abbey-terrace, stated that she was a friend of the deceased. Last Thursday afternoon they went to the picture palace in Balham High-road, and while there deceased complained of a great pain at her chest, and said she would like to go out.They went into the corridor, and as she seemed to make no improvement a medical man was sent for; but when he arrived she was dead.

— Dr. ?. C. Gummer, of Balham High-road, said death was due to syncope from aortic disease of the heart of old standing, and the jury returned a verdict to that effect.

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