Tag Archives: Newton House

Hannah Lack, draper

Draper who, in 1910, was at no. 2 and 4 High street, Mitcham.

Mitcham Advertiser – Friday 16 December 1910

27th January 1911, Mitcham Advertiser

Mitcham Advertiser – Friday 07 July 1911

This shop was next to the King’s Arms pub, as shown in the 1912 street directory, which lists entries going south.

… here is Sibthorp Road
George Joseph DALE, newsagent
William BARTER, grocer
STANSFELD & Co. Ltd., brewers and wine merchants
Walter MARTIN, butcher
John CUMMINGS, greengrocer
Mrs H. LACK, draper
The King’s Arms P.H., H. & E.F. MOORE

See also the comments below by a descendant of the family and the entry on Wikipedia Lack Brothers

This postcard from the early 1900s shows shops with awnings, the nearest to the Kings Arms is likely to be the draper shop of Mrs Lack.

Postmarked 28th Feb 1907

Mitcham Advertiser – Friday 27 April 1917

A “SPECIAL’S” WEDDING. SERGT. C. LACK AND MISS E. M. RICHENS MARRIED.

Great interest was taken in the wedding at St. Mark’s Church, Mitcham, on Wednesday, of Mr. Charles Lack, younger son of – Mrs. H. Lack, High-street, and of the late Mr. G. A. Lack, and Miss Emily May Richens, elder daughter of Mrs. F. Richens, Newton House, and of the late Mr. John Richens of Tooley-street. The church was filled with spectators.

Mr. Lack was born in Mitcham, is one of the most successful business men in the town, and his social qualities have won him the esteem of all classes. For ten years he has been hon. treasurer of the Tooting, Balham, Merton, and Mitcham Horticultural Society; for 15 years he was a member of the choir of St. Mark’s, and he is now a sidesman; he is hon. secretary of the East Ward Naval and Military Pensions Committee; and since the war began he has been a zealous member of the Mitcham Special Constabulary, of which he is now a sergeant. On several occasions Mr. Lack has been pressed to try tor Municipal honours, but declined, The bride’s family have been domiciled in Mitcham for 30 years, and has always held a high position in the esteem of the inhabitants, and the bride herself has won the particular regard of the people of St. Mark’s, in which parish she has been a constant worker. She has also taken a great and active interest in the military hospital.

Among the congregation were Coun. E. J Mizen (People’s Warden), Coun, Ernest Mizen, Mr Taylor, a former Warden, Mrs. Edward and Mrs. Ernest Mizen, Miss E. Mizen, and Mrs. C. Rutter. Thirty members of the Special Constabulary in uniform formed a guard of honour, and in the church lined the central aisle on both sides. The sergeants present were Sergts, Dale, Cooper, Freeman, Rutter, Billington and McCaul. At the door was the veteran Special Constable Merrick, glowing with Army medals. The service was fully choral, and was conducted by the Rev. James Bevan, of All Saints’, Beddington Corner, a former curate of St. Mark’s, assisted by the Rev. W. K. Roberts, Vicar of St. Mark’s and the Rev. E. J. Baker, Vicar of St. Barnabas. The organist was Mr, J. Hopton. A brief address was delivered at the close of the service by the Rev. James Bevan, and the Rev, W. K. Roberts gave the benediction. Afterwards all joined in singing a verse of the National Anthem. The bride was escorted to the altar by Mr. Tom Richens, her eldest brother, and she was given away by her mother. She was beautifully attired in grey crepe de Chine, trimmed with amethyst bead em- broidery. She wore a grey silk hat, and carried a shower bouquet of liIies and orchids. Her going away dress was a Russian blue coat and skirt, with black and gold hat. There were no bridesmaids.

The Best man was Capt. S. James, King’s Royal Rifles, From the porch to St. Mark’s-road the “Specials” were drawn up in a double line, and when the bride and bridegroom appeared at the church steps they formed an arcade of their truncheons. The Culvers, Carshalton, was lent by Mr and Mrs George Mizen for the reception. Mrs. Richens acted as hostess to about fifty guests, Later in the afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Lack left for Cornwall. On returning to Mitcham they will reside at Home Close, St. Mark’s-road. One of the handsomest of the many beautiful wedding gifts was a canteen of cutlery from the Special Constabulary. From the Horticultural Society was received a beautiful silver rose bowl. Another gift of special interest was a handsome brass and copper paper stand presented by the lady assistants at the High-street establishment.

Note that Home Close, is number 26 St Marks Road, the current home of the Royal British Legion, on the corner with Chalkley Close.

Mitcham Advertiser – Thursday 29 July 1926

DEATH OF MRS. HANNAH LACK.
In Business in Mitcham Fifty Years.

A link with the old village of Mitcham was severed this week by the death of Mrs. Hannah Lack, who was in business as a draper in London-road for fifty years.

She passed away in her 82nd year on Thursday, July 22nd, at The Culvers, Carshalton, the residence of her son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. George Mizen.

No Mitcham resident was held in greater esteem than Mrs. Lack. She came to the village, as it then was, 67 years ago and lived in the same house and conducted the same business in the High-street section of London-road, near the Fair Green, until she retired during the war. She was the widow of Mr. George Albert Lack, who died in 1878.

Mrs. Lack was a fine business woman and during her regime the shop flourished exceedingly. In later years she was assisted by her son, Mr. Charles Lack, who took over the business entirely when his mother retired. To the great regret of all the older residents the business ceased to be a few months ago.

THE FUNERAL.

The funeral took place on Tuesday afternoon at Mitcham churchyard. The Rev. W. K. Roberts, Vicar of St. Mark’s, conducted the service. There was a large attendance of the older residents and tradespeople.

The chief mourners were Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Lack (son and daughter-in-law), Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lack, Home Close, Mitcham (son and daughter-in-law), Mr. and Mrs. George Mizen, The Culvers, Carshalton (son-in-law and daughter), Douglas Lack and Lewis Mizen (grandsons), Mr. W. T. Lack and Mr. Percy Martin (nephews), Mr. Stanley Lack and Mr. Charles Lack (great nephews).

Others present at the church and at the graveside were Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Schneider, Mrs. Avery, Mrs. Heasman, Miss Howell, Mr. Ernest Ghinn, Mr. Ernest Ghinn, jun., Mr. Percy Ghinn, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Tibbitts, Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Mizen, Mr. W. Barton, Mr. H. H. Dance and Mr. J. Cummings.

The exceptional number of floral tributes included wreaths from Mr. and Mrs. George Mizen, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lack, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Lack and family, Lewis, Hubert and Howard (grandchildren), Will, Edie and family, Agnes and family, Mona and Charles Lack, Stanley and Cousie, Miss F. Bowhill and Miss G. Chippendale, Mr. and Mrs. Warr, Beatrice and Bertha, Mrs. Sweet and family, Lil and Harry, Gladys and Fred, Mr. and Mrs. Woonton, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Tibbitts, Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Millen, Auntie Byford, Mrs. and Miss Dale, Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Miller, Mrs. George Miller, sen., Mrs. Hicks and family, Rosie, Fanny, Stanley and Cissie, Edie and Fred, Mary Howell, Mr. and Mrs. George Lack.

Langdale Avenue

A cul-de-sac road, off of London Road north of the telephone exchange, with its southern, closed end at the Cold Blows footpath.

Houses are numbered from the London Road end, odd on the left (1 to 95) and even on the right (2 to 84). In 2019, a Royal Mail postcode lookup shows 87 addresses, and 4 postcodes, CR4 4AE/F/G/J. Some houses have been converted into flats.

The name comes from the Langdale family who owned Elmwood (previously called The Firs), an 18th century house, sold in 1822. Albert Road, Elmwood Road, Langdale Avenue and Whitford Gardens are all built on the site of the Elmwwod estate. The family were related to Marmaduke Langdale, who fought on the Royalist side in the English Civil War.

In this 1910 OS map, the terraces have houses numbered odd from 1 to 11, then after a narrow alleyway 13 to 19, and are the only houses shown on this side of the road.

1910 OS map

The 1910-1911 street directory shows the occupants:

1, Frederick Arthur LOOSLEY
3, Edward James WILLIS
5, Alfred Albert Henry COOPER
7, Raymond REED
9, Rev. Wallace PERRY, B.A.
11, Mrs ACOCKS
15, John William MOORE
17, James HARDING
19, Frederick HAZELL

Next is a pair of semi-detached houses numbered 21 and 23. Then is a terrace of four houses, numbered 25 to 33, after which is a public footpath leading to Commonside West.

Land at the rear of Newton House was developed as a pair of semi-detached houses as numbers 49 and 51, according to planning permission MIT1986, which was granted retrospectively on 27th March 1953.

Next are two more pairs of semi-detached houses, numbered 53 and 55, 57 and 59. After this are terraces, divided by small alleyways: 63 to 67, 69 to 75, 77 to 81, 83 to 95 which is at the end of the road next to the Cold Blows path.

Number 93 on the left has the builder initials H.H. in the gable, and number 95 has the year 1907.


On the right hand side, from the London Road end, is an alleyway that still has cobblestones on the footpath at its entrance. Then there is a terrace, numbered 2 to 12, and in 1911 the occupants were:

2, Frederick James CHARMAN
4, George D.N. FORD
6, Thomas HARRIS
8, Miss CLAYTON
10, John William COULSON
12, John Hunter RIGDEN

The 1910 OS map showed a gap between these houses and Elmwood Road, after which is a terrace that curves right with the road. The houses are currently numbered 22 to 34, but originally they had names as shown in the 1911 directory:

The Lees, Walter HOGG
St Brelades, Walter ATTWOOD
Woodlands, John McLennon JONES
Moss Dale, Louis BRIGDEN
St. Leonards, Henry MOYCE
Chamonix, William Arthur GREGORY
Glenroy, Walter Edgar WARNER

There are no more houses shown on this side of the road on the 1910 map.

From a postcard dated 1916. Houses currently numbered, from right to left, 22 to 34, with the junction with Elmwood Road out of shot on the right. These houses had names at the time of this photo.

1953 OS map

Next is a terrace of six houses numbered 38 to 48. The 1937 electoral register 38 as occupied by John Kentish and Alice Mary HARVEY, with John Kentish junior and Lawrence Reginald Harvey. J.K. Harvey had the chemists at the Fair Green up to 1966.

Then there is a terrace of ten houses from 50 to 68, followed by a pair of semi-detached houses numbered 70 and 72, then a terrace of six houses numbered 74 to 84, which is the end of the road at the Cold Blows footpath.


From the minutes of the Croydon Rural District Council
Volume IX 1903 – 1904
7th May 1903
page 72

No. 2506, Harding, J., 12 houses, Langdale Avenue, Mitcham

From the minutes of the Mitcham Urban District Council
Highways, New Streets and Buildings, and Lighting Committee
Tuesday, 8th June, 1926
Page 120

Plans submitted for approval

No. 808
Applicant: Mr. Isaac Wilson, The Hut, Commonside East
Nature and Situation:

Amended layout for five houses, Langdale Avenue (for subsidy)


World War 1 Connections
Private W Bassett

Private V W Jones

News Articles

1921 suicide in Langdale Avenue explained

Lamp Explodes

A gas street lamp in Langdale Avenue, Mitcham, exploded on Thursday last week – startling people in nearby homes. A jet of flame flared from a broken pipe until Gas Board engineers arrived. Firemen stood by.

Source: Mitcham News & Mercury, 5th June, 1959, page 1.


Occupants in 1925

2, Miss E. ELLIOTT (school)
3, Ernest Edward JONES
5, Alfred Albert Henry COOPER
7, Hugh CLAYSON
9, Donald HADFIELD
11, Mrs DODD
13, Henry George RUSSELL
15, William James BIGSBY
17, William ANSTEY
19, William Bernard FARADAY
21, Charles Henry PARSLOW
23, Albert George WELLS
The Bungalow, Raymond Edgar REID

4, Edwin George CARD
6, Frederick G. CULMER
8, Misses A.R. & C.C. CLAYTON
10, Thomas FRANCIS
12 Charles E. JENNER
… here is Elmwood Road
The Lees, M. ALLSOP
St. Brelades, Walter Charles BATCHELOR
Woodland, Samuel MICHIE
Moss Dale, Robert WALLS
32, Frederick Richard CANN
34, James Alexander CORMACK
36, John Kentish HARVEY
38, Bodwin SELIER
40, Mrs MILLER
42, Mrs L.E. BEACON
44, John Stuart CAPBELL
46, Alfred John KNIGHT
48, Philip HARDING
50, Mrs COOPER

Number 6 had the name Iveldene according to the 1937 Mitcham Cricket Club Yearbook that listed R.S. Culmer as the club’s Hon. Secretary.

WW2 Civilian Casualties

18th September 1940

Doris Christine ORSON, aged 42 and Nelson Humphrey ORSON, aged 49, both at 7 Langdale Avenue

Mary Maud WEBB, aged 68, 9 Langdale Avenue


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


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