Tag Archives: Nursery Road

Porto Motor Motor and Engineering Co.

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Garage that was on the west side of Nursery Road. Proprietor James STEVENS.

The earliest ad found in the Mitcham Advertiser is from 1924.

Mitcham Advertiser – Thursday 14 August 1924 Image © Successor rightsholder unknown.

The latest ad for Nursery Road was in 1928:

Streatham News 23rd March 1928 ad

At some point between 1928 and 1931 the business moved to the corner of Wandle Road and Bishopsford Road, where the Esso petrol station is now. This petrol station still has the same phone number 020 8648 0856, shown in the 1934 ad below as Mitcham 0856.

This news item from 1931 shows that the business had moved from Nursery Road, and also that James Stevens lived in Edmund Road.
Streatham News – Friday 25 September 1931

ALLEGED ATTEMPT AT HOUSE-BREAKING

THREE MEN REMANDED

Three smartly-dressed young men appeared in the dock at Croydon County Police Court on Tuesday, charged with alleged attempted housebreaking.

They were William Hale (23), greengrocer, of Lyham-road, Brixton; Leslie Hurburgh (20), salesman, of Norbury-hill, Norbury, and Charles Ransom (21), clerk, of no fixed abode, and the charge was that they attempted, at 11.15 p.m. on Monday, to break into a lock-up shop and a garage at the Porto service station, Bishopsford-road, Mitcham, belonging to James Stevens, of Edmund-road, Mitcham.

P.C. Beales, who was on motor patrol duty, gave evidence that on Monday he was instructed to keep observation for a Morris car. He saw the car in Bishopsford-road. It was close to the kerb, twenty yards from the side of the garage. He passed it, went down the road for 200 yards, and returned and stopped his car immediately in front of the other car. Hurburgh was sitting in the driving seat of the car and Hale in the rear seat. He said to Hurburgh “Why are you staying here?” He replied “The official is gone.”

Witness then saw Ransome come from the Porto garage, and as he approached he threw something over the wooden fence adjoining the footpath. It landed on the ground with a metallic ring. Witness told prisoners they had acted in a suspicious manner, and he took them to Mitcham police station. When he returned witness found a screwdriver and file on the ground, and that an attempt had been made to force the office door of the garage, marks corresponding in width with the blade of the screwdriver, which also bore marks of red brick. An attempt had also been made to open a lock-up garage with a wider instrument, a piece of wood having been wrenched off the door.

The three accused were remanded for a week, and bail was not allowed.

It may have become a petrol station in 1933, as shown in this news item about Mr J. Stevens writing to the Council for a draw-in near petrol pumps.
Mitcham Advertiser – Thursday 30 November 1933

GARAGE NEEDS. Mr. J. Stevens, of the Porto Service Station, had written concerning the Council’s refusal to permit him to use a portion of the back of the public footpath in Bishopsford-road to make a draw-in near petrol pumps. The Surveyor had investigated the matter and was directed to report to the General Purposes Committee on the County Surveyor’s observations on a proposal to widen the carriage-way so as to enable petrol to be supplied to cars in the road.

1934 ad

Upscaled photo from 1934, using Google Nano Banana Pro

In the 1954 and 1971 phone books, the petrol station was Blue Star Garages Ltd.

1954 phone book

Greyhound beerhouse

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Beerhouse that was at Nursery Road, off of Lower Green West, Mitcham.

1912 OS map reproduced by permission of the National Library of Scotland, reuse CC-BY (NLS)

In the 1892 Licensed Victuallers records, the beerhouse was tied to Mantell Brewery, later to become Mitcham & Cheam Brewery in 1898.

Landlords

1866 : George TRACEY (Newspaper – see below)
1880 : Mr J.B. WADMOOR (Newspaper – see below)
1892 : George BENTLEY (Licensed Victualler Record)
1896 : George BENTLEY (Street directory)
1903 : Frederick BENTLEY (Licensed Victualler Record)
1904 : William LEACH (Street directory)
1911 : James BOXALL (1911 Census)
1912 : James BOXALL (Street directory)

There’s no entry for the Greyhound beerhouse in the 1915 street directory and James Boxall is beer retailer at the Windmill from that year.

Newspaper articles via the British Newspaper Archive:

Croydon Chronicle and East Surrey Advertiser – Saturday 18 May 1912

LICENSING COMMITTEE.

As a result of their preliminary meeting the Surrey County Licensing Committee have decided to deal with the following local licences — out of those referred to them for extinction from the various petty sessional divisions throughout the county—at their principal meeting, which is fixed to take place at the County Hall, Kingston, on Monday, June 3: The Greyhound, Nursery-road, Mitcham, beerhouse; licensee, James Boxall. The Rose, The Wrythe, Carshalton, beer and wine; licensee, George Mornbrun. The Rifle Volunteer, Reigate-hill. Reigate, beerhouse ; licensee, Walter Webb. The Huntsman, High-street, Redhill, beerhouse ; licensee, Mary Marsh. The Ship and Anchor, Brighton-road, Redhill, beerhouse; licensee, William Thomas Oliver.

Croydon Times – Wednesday 01 March 1911

TRANSFER. The license of the Greyhound, Mitcham, was transferred from William Davis to Cecil Moore.

Croydon Express – Saturday 29 December 1906 (‘Slate’ club)

The expenditure of this club has been rather heavy, owing chiefly to two long cases of sickness, which ended in the death of the respective members, the total amount of sick pay amounting to £17 11s. 4d. The share-out is £1 1s. 8d. per member (46). The contribution is 7d. per week for 50 weeks; sick pay 10s. per week no stewards’ fines. Mr T. Arnold, 12, Chapel Road, Mitcham, is the secretary.

South London Press – Saturday 05 March 1887

MITCHAM, SURREY.

By order of the Executors of the late Mr. T. F. Winterflood.

Messrs, C. & H. White will sell by AUCTION, at the Mart, Tokenhouse Yard, City, on Friday, March 25. at o’clock, in four lots, desirable FREEHOLD ESTATE, comprising the Greyhound Beerhouse and two pairs of semi-detached Cottages, situated rear of the schools. Willow Walk. Mitcham, Surrey, producing rentals amounting to £88 2s. per annum: also a Plot of Land adjoining, having a frontage of about 66ft. by depth of about 88ft., available for building purposes.Particulars of Messrs. Caprons, Daltons, Hitchins, and Brabant, Solicitors, 7, Savile-row, W.; and at Messrs. C. and H. White’s Offices, 262, Kennington Road, S,E.

Croydon Guardian and Surrey County Gazette – Saturday 10 April 1880

That against Mr. J. B. Wadmoor of the Greyhound beerhouse Mitcham, resulted in the infliction of a fine of 40s. and costs. There was a second summons against the same defendant for permitting drunkeness upon his premises and other repeated disturbances, the recent Easter Monday. Mr. Dennis his behalf contended that the defen-dant had done all that was the duty of landlord under such exceptional circumstances in ejecting some and hindering others; and the evidence of the Police officers tended to confirm that view. The Bench found that the case was proved, and fine of £5 and costs with the endorsement of license, must be inflicted. After little discussion, and upon the understanding that the property would soon change hands, the endorsement would almost destroy its value, the Bench withdrew that part of their decision.

George Tracey, keeper of the Greyhound beerhouse, Mitcham, was summoned for having his house open between 3 and 5 o’clock on Sunday, the 3rd inst.