Tag Archives: Three Kings Pond

Oscar Berridge Shelswell

Listed in the 1915 Kelly’s Directory as

Shelswell, Oscar Berridge M.R.C.S.Eng., L.R.C.P.Lond. surgeon & medical officer to the Holborn Union, Mitcham workshouse, Sibford, Lower Green west

which meant that he lived at Sibford, and was employed at the workhouse.

He was married in 1892.

From the British Newspaper Archive (subscription required) :
Banbury Guardian – Thursday 09 June 1892

MARRIAGE OF MISS A. E. L. WILKINSON AND MR. O. B. SHELSWELL.

The picturesque village of Stainton-in-Cleveland Yorkshire, was en fete on the 1st inst., the occasion being the marriage of Mr. Oscar Berridge Shelswell L.R.C.P. (Lond.), M.R.C.S. (England), of Mitcham, Surrey, to Miss Annie Elizabeth Lucy Wilkinson, second daughter of the Rev. T. H. Wilkinson, Vicar of the parish, and until recently Vicar of Ratley, Banbury. The ceremony was performed by the bride’s father, assisted by her brothers, the Rev H A Wilkinson, B.A., and the Rev. C. T. B. Wilkinson B.A.

The service was fully choral. The bride who was given away by her eldest brother, Mr. C. J. Wilkinson, M.R.C.S., of Bolton, was attired in a dress of rich ivory corded silk trimmed with lace and natural orange blossoms, coronet of the same, and long tulle veil secured by pearl pins. Her bouquet, the gift the bridegroom, was composed of white lilac and lilies of the valley.

She was attended by four bridesmaids Miss Agnes Wilkinson (sister of the bride), Miss Augusta Berridge (cousin of the bridegroom), Miss Emily Rayner, and Miss Mary Hobson, who wore costumes of maize crepon, with fichus of white chiffon, fancy Leg-horn hats trimmed with white chiffon and Marguerites. The bridegroom presented each with a dainty pearl and diamond spray brooch, and they carried bouquets of Marguerites and lillies of the valley.

Mr. Burton Luxmore, of London, acted as best man. The bride’s mother was attired in myrtle green silk trimmed with blue and silver brocade, handsome white China silk shawl, and lace bonnet to match.

The path by which the bridal procession returned to the vicarage was spanned by floral arches, and strewn with flowers by the school children, the return of the party being greeted with a feu de joie in the vicarage grounds.

Later in the afternoon the newly-wedded couple left en route for the Continent. The bride’s travelling dress was of fawn corduroy, trimmed with jewelled passementerie.

In the evening to celebrate the happy event, the school children, Sunday School teachers, and members of the Girl’s Friendly Society were entertained to tea in the vicarage garden, after which an adjournment was made to a field, kindly lent by Mr, John Jackson, where various sports and races were indulged in. Prizes were subsequently distributed by Mrs. Wilkinson, and the proceedings were brought to conclusion by dance in the village school-room. The wedding presents were numerous and valuable.

Ad from 6th November 1914:

GENERAL, able to do plain cooking, and HOUSEMAID. Early dinner. Good outings. Swiss not objected to. £18 — £20.
— Mrs. Shelswell, Sibford, Mitcham.

Ad from The Motorcycle 30th September 1920 via archive.org

SUN-VITESSE, October, 1919, 2-stroke, 2-speed
countershaft gear, used short runs only, tyres
good, fine running order; trial any day any time:
£48.- Shelswell, Cricket Green, Mitcham.
Terminus 88 ‘bus. Tel. : 822 Mitcham.

Mitcham Advertiser – Thursday 08 March 1934

DR. O. B. SHELSWELL

SUDDEN DEATH OF FORMER MITCHAM DOCTOR.

News reached Mitcham on Tuesday of the sudden death at Forest Green, near Holmbury St. Mary, Surrey, of Dr. O. B. Shelswell, father of Dr. A. H. Shelswell, Lower Green, who practised in Mitcham for a great many years, and was a friend and colleague of Dr. Love.

Dr. Shelswell retired about ten years ago to spend his eventide in the charming country place where he died. He was a few years younger than Dr. Love. He leaves a widow, two sons and one daughter.

Dr. Shelswell came to Mitcham as a young man and was medical officer to Holborn Schools and Institution for a time. He lived in Glebe Villas until he built Sibford, where his son now resides. He was the personification of kindness and the older residents of Mitcham retain very pleasant memories of his skill as a physician and his fine qualities as a man.

During the war Dr. Shelswell rendered great service as a medical officer at the military hospital set up in old Holborn Workhouse, and he was given the O.B.E. He took no part in public affairs. His garden was his chief hobby. Gardening was a passion with Dr. Shelswell. So was chess, which he played with exceptional skill. Another favourite recreation was croquet, which he played from time to time with the late Mr. G. Farewell Jones.

A few years ago Dr. Shelswell met with an accident in Mitcham which shook him badly. He was knocked down by a motor car near the Three Kings Pond and his injuries necessitated hospital treatment. The seizure which ended his life was the second since his retirement.

The funeral of Dr. Shelswell, who laboured for forty years in Mitcham, will probably take place at Forest Green on Saturday afternoon. He was seventy-six.

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.