Road that was off the north side of Western Road, opposite Field Gate Lane. It linked to the north west end of Sibthorp Road, and was parallel to, and west of, Fountain Road. The Sadler Close housing estate was built over it, the name being kept for one of the blocks, Gladstone House.

The Mission Hall seen in the map of 1953 was opened in 1939, see Merton Memories.

The Gladstone Road Youth Club met at the Mission Hall.

GLADSTONE ROAD YOUTH CLUB

This Club meets on Saturday evening during the winter from 7.30-9.30 p.m. and is for young people of both sexes from 13 3/4 years of age. Activities include table games, billiards, table tennis, etc., and every third Saturday country dancing is held. There is also a room where young people may sit and read, and a canteen which is run by two of the Club members. Club prayers are held at the close of the evening. Information can be obtained from Mr. Mac-William or Sister Dorothy at the Mission, Gladstone Road.

From the Mitcham Youth Handbook of 1949.

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A viewer of my YouTube video Western Road Swings Yard and Ravenspring Works commented:

I have a personal and family interest in the area. My gran lived in 33 Fountain Road and I went to the Mission Hall in Gladstone Road Sunday School – as did most of the kids locally. I recall the time that one of the kids climbed into the upright piano.

Planning regulations may have been tighter or more lax in the Victorian era. Fountain Road had a pub, a shop and 3 yards as well as terraced houses. So some infrastructure as well as housing.

Swains yard, in my time, had a sawmill and I can still hear the ringing, singing sound as the blade cut through the logs.

The “ caravan “ illustrated is typical of several in the local yards. My gran told me that one was haunted and had to be exorcised.

Fountain Road had 3 yards. One had a stable and a green grocer who gave a mobile delivery service. Harry Gray, the fairground owner, had his main yard in London Road but once over wintered in the yard in Fountain Road.

Mention of the mineral water factory reminded me of a dingy shop in Western Road which had a device like a Sodastream. He would brew a flavoured fizzy drink for a penny using huge glass jars like those in chemist shops.

Further up was a tailor’s/repair shop with large letters saying ”As ye rip, so shall we sow”.

The Fountain pub was managed for many years by Johnny Brown who sold Smith’s crisps from time boxes. Only one flavour and the salt came in blue twisted paper.

Opposite was Maidments shop which sold everything including gas mantles for gas lights . His son was a famous speedway rider .

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From Croydon Rural District Authority Minutes, JM Pitt applied to build four houses in the road :

21/10/1897:
– Mr JM Pitt of Mitcham to erect four houses Gladstone Road, Mitcham

Occupants from Directories

1925

Gladstone road, from Western road to Sibthorp road.

NORTH SIDE

13, Herbert J. PARLING
15, George SHEPPARD
17, Richard Francis SMITH
19, William NIGHTINGALE
21, Ernest William HARRIS
23, Daniel DIVES
25, John Robert SHEPPARD
27, Mrs COLLINS
29, Thomas George NIGHTINGALE
31, Frederick HARRIS

53, Frederick STANLEY
55, Arthur ANGLISS

SOUTH SIDE

42, John McRAE
40, Arthur Vinvent COOPER
38, Walter John FOSTER
36, Edward George HOWE
34, Walter D. HARRIS
32, William ATKINS
30, George BATTERS
28, Thomas HYDER
26, Mrs SKELTON
26A, Mrs ELLIOTT
The Cottage, Herbert GREEN
Salvation Army Mission Room
7, Robert ROSIER
Gladstone villa, John SUDDS, coal dealer

1904 to 1905

Gladstone road, from Western road to Sibthorp road.

NORTH-WEST SIDE

13, Ernest HARRIS
15, George SHEPPARD
17, Robert KILBEY
19, William NIGHTINGALE
21, Francis Jesse PARLING
23, John HUMPHREYS
25, Arthur Edward GRAY
27, William CLARK
29, George BRYANT
31, John Thomas NIGHTINGALE

53, Walter GEORGE
55, Charles OSBORNE

SOUTH-EAST SIDE

Salvation Army Barracks

1896
From Western Road to Sibthorp Road

NORTH WEST SIDE

Cromwell Terrace:

1, Joseph WHITEMAN
2, George SHEPPARD
3, George TOPLIFFE
4, Alfred GRAY
5, William MAYES
6, John HUMPHREYS
7, Edward Gray ARTHUR
8, John PILLINGER
9, George CRESSWELL
10, John Thomas NIGHTINGALE

5, Edmund BALL (coal dealer)

SOUTH EAST SIDE
Salvation Army Barracks

There is no road shown on the 1866 OS map.

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World War 1 Connections
Private William Richard Angliss

Private Henry James Collins

Private Harry George Sheppard

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