Bill Rudd Archive

These are all of Bill’s files in our archives, including those still awaiting listing. Click on the blue heading bars below to reveal completed listings. Links to relevant Bulletin articles and other publications are also given.

Bill was also an avid local photographer over the decades and his slides are in the process of digitisation. Click here to view those already uploaded.

MATERIAL FOR A HISTORY OF MORDEN:

Not yet listed.

Not yet listed, but includes photocopied extracts from parish records re charity funding, esp school; provision for a bastard; burial of Lily Allam (murdered) + transcripts of newspaper reports

Not yet listed.

Not yet listed, but includes ring binder arranged by occupation, property & surname.

Not yet listed.

MORDEN FAMILIES:

Not yet listed.

Read two articles about the Crutcher family of monumental sculptors in MHS Bulletin 201 and Bulletin 203

Not yet listed.

Details of Bill Rudd’s booklet on Morden Hall can be found here.

Not yet listed.

Details of Bill Rudd’s booklet on Morden Hall can be found here.

Not yet listed.

Read Rosemary Turner’s article in MHS Bulletin 20 6

MORDEN TOPICS:

ATHLETICS CORRESPONDENCE

(This file contains correspondence relating to local athletics events in which Bill’s niece competed)

2000: Tony Scott article on “The Athletic Fame of Mitcham” from MHS Bulletin, June 2000, pages 7-8.

2008: Cutting from the Wimbledon Guardian of 24 July 2008 in which Dorothy Tyler of Mitcham reminisces about winning silver for the high jump at the 1936 Berlin and 1948 London Olympics.

Otherwise contains correspondence between W Rudd and various athletic clubs and individuals, in which he seeks to identify people he has photographed in various races and to send them copies of the photos. Mostly personal and from 1977-2002.

The file includes a letter of 26 March 1979 from Hercules Wimbledon Athletic Club with information about the history of that club and its badge and a letter about W Rudd’s decision to dedicate a tree to Dennis McQuillan (a work colleague and athlete, who died aged 42).

This collection does however include some publications:

Avon Cosmetics International Marathon London 1980 results

[presumably Belgrave Harriers]: article published in The Belgravian of April 1977 about the history of “our Club Headquarters”.

Collingwood Athletic Club Eleventh Annual Cross-country races 1984: programme and results sheet.

Epsom and Ewell Harriers: March 1974 newsletter

Mitcham Athletic Club:

“Ladies Section 1923-1969: A statistical summary of achievement at International, National and County Level” (nearly 40 pages, typewritten).

Fixtures 1979-80, 1980-1

Southern Women’s Cross Country League

1982-3, 1983-4 and 1983-4 seasons (list of those competing in various races)

programme of events 1981

1982 results

Sutton and Cheam Harriers: programme for 7th annual cross-country races on 13 November 1982, and membership cards with summer fixture lists 1981-3

Two handwritten pages about marathons 1980-1996 (perhaps those at which W Rudd took the photos mentioned in the correspondence).

Handwritten page listing contacts for local athletics clubs (presumably as a step to identifying people in photos).

FARMS AND AGRICULTURE

[mostly about 19th-century Morden]

1805: typewritten transcript of passages describing land in Mitcham/Morden extracted from A Compendium of Modern Husbandry: Surrey, Volume III, by James Malcolm 1805 (see Annex A; the Oxford English Dictionary says “gratten” is “southern dialect” and defines it as “A stubble-field, stubble. Also, the after-grass growing in the stubble”)

Photocopy of table showing The Price of Labour for the Last Three Years from page 183 of A Compendium of Modern Husbandry: Surrey, Volume I. Typewritten version of the same, giving the dates of the “last three years” as 1803-5 and adding a note to the entry for Reaping “By comparison this is a considerable variation and probably should be £0.10.0 and not as shown.”

(There are links to all digitised versions of all three volumes of Malcolm at

https://mertonhistoricalsociety.org.uk/digital-classics/ but the scan there does not include pages 394-5 of Volume III).

1967: Reprint of A G Parton “The 1801 Crop Returns for the County of Surrey” from the Surrey Archaeological Collections, Volume LXIV, 1967.

Undated:

Hobalds:

three copies of a typewritten note reading as at Annex B, two with photocopies of “Map of Malden in 1627”, mostly drawing on A History of Malden, Ross 1947, pages 63/4 and 75/6;

one page of typewritten notes, as at Annex C.

Thomas Marshall (died 1859): two typewritten sheets headed “List of Land held in the occupation of Thomas MarshallLower Morden”

Hatfeild School: typewritten note headed “Hatfeild School” which considers which farms in Morden might have been on the school site; folded into typewritten table headed “Farming in Morden”, with names of those farming from Post Office Directories of 1838 and 1845-1938.

Market gardeners and farm bailiffs: one typewritten sheet with details of “market gardeners”, a “bee keeper”, and “farm bailiffs” in Morden, extracted from Kelly’s PO Directories 1838 to 1930; two handwritten sheets with the same/similar.

ANNEX A: TRANSCRIPTION OF RUDD’S SHEET OF NOTES FROM MALCOLM

“A Compendium of Modern Husbandry”, Volume III. Agriculture of the County of Surrey, by James Malcolm. 1805:

Pages 397/8: “Taking up the Reigate road at Tooting, we pass by the extensive physic grounds, &c, belonging to James Moore, Esq. …. The first farm we come to is that belonging to Henry Hoare, Esq, in the parish of Mitcham, and is strong and holding; but, in the course of my frequent observations on the state of the husbandry pursued thereon, I never saw any thing to commend.

The land is far from being clean, nor is it well ploughed, nor early enough for soil that is so tenacious; the ditches are choked up at every other time, but when a new hedge and ditch is made, and then it is too contracted; the hedges are besides in bad order for a gentleman farmer; and those mixens which we see by the road are not made with skill or science.”

Page 402:

From Mitcham to Sutton the Rotation is as under.

1. Fallow for wheat, dressed with London muck, chalk, or lime, yard dung and road scrapings mixed.

2. Oats.

3. Tares cut green, and sold in London in bundles, at 8d. and 10d. per bundle.

4. Turnips, having been twice ploughed and dunged, sold generally to cowkeepers about London.

5. Beans.

6. Dunged for wheat and sown early in December, if a favourable season, upon two ploughings of the gratten, the seed harrowed in.

7. Garden or Marlborough grey early field peas.

8. Oats, Tartarian or Scotch.

9. Fallow for turnips dunged and fed off.

10. Barley, with rye grass and clover.

11. The clover and grass sometimes mowed for green meat, for the London dray horses.

12. Wheat, or now and then rye on the lay.

This comprises some of their best systems; the dung comes round however so very often, and due attention not being paid to weeding and cleansing, the land becomes very foul thereby.”

Page 406.

From Morden to Ewell the land is of the same strong quality, both to the right and left, as from Mitcham to Sutton, with very little exception, and the rotation assimilates also.”

Page 395. Reference to Mr. Ewart.

“But Mr. Sandiland, Mr. Thomas Lucas, Mr. Marchant, Mr. Robert Bostock, Mr. Smith, Mr. Ewart, of Bysh Court, (who, though a very young farmer, promises to make a very respectable figure) these gentlemen farming their own estates, and a few other respectable men, do not confine themselves to any particular courses, but are guided by the necessities of the times, and therefore, whenever they find it convenient to cross crop, they take care to supply the exhaustion by the timely, and perhaps plentiful dressing of yard dung.”

Note: Mr. John Ewart built Morden Park House in 1770 and moved to Bysshe Court, Horen, Surrey, [what follows crossed out by Rudd:] in 1788. The reference above would appear to be that of his grandson, since he could hardly be described as young, unless he was new to farming.]

ANNEX B: TRANSCRIPTION OF RUDD’S NOTES FROM A HISTORY OF MALDEN [ON HOBBALDES]

A History of Malden – Ross, 1947. Pages 63/64 & 75/76.

“One result of the dissolution of the monasteries was the sale of monastic lands.”

(Grant of land ex-Merton Priory, 1554).

“Similarly in 1562 there is a grant in fee simple to Lawernce Shryfe and Thomas Reve of … “a mansion and farm called Hobbaldes, co. Surrey, …. now or late in the tenure of Thomas Fromondes, late of the priory or house of Jesus of Bethlehem of —-, co. Surrey, £10.

Thomas Fromond (who had died in 1542) built East Cheam Manor House, pulled down about 1800. The Fromondes were a Roman Catholic family, often in trouble in the seventeenth century for harbouring Jesuits.

Alternative spellings:

Hobalds, Hobald mede, Hoboldes mede, Hobbald mede, Hobbals land (1627), Hobaldes, Hobbaldis.

ANNEX C: TRANSCRIPTION OF RUDD’S NOTE “HOBALDS IN MORDEN” (Abbreviation marks in the Latin omitted)

HOBALD

HOBALD MEDE

HOBOLDES MEDE – Hen. 7. Add. Charters in B.M.

LYTYLL’ HOLBOLDES – 16 Apr. 1521 Copy of Court Roll (Minet)

HOBBALDIS – 1538. Ministers Accs. Merton Priory. (Transcribed in Heales Records of Merton Priory, App. CLII, p.cxxviii)

HOBBALS LAND – 1627, Map of Merton College property in Maldon, Surrey (S.A.C 39 p.37)

HOBALDS MEAD – Indenture 1627 (Minet)

GREAT HOBALDS ) – Act of Parliament Geo. 3:8:8 (1768-9)

HOBALDS MEAD )

HOBALDS FARM – 1866-7 O.S. Sry. Sh XIII 6″ Map, 1st. Ed.

Hobalds was a small Estate in Morden, and is said to have been the property of the House of Jesus of Bethlehem before the Dissolution (V.C.H. Surrey, Vol.4, p.235); although it is referred to in the Ministers Accounts of Merton Priory in 1538 [added in the margin: see reference above], as follows:

Firma Mansion vocat Hobbaldis.

Compus Thome Fremondis Firmar ibm.

Arrerag ….. nulla

Firma. Sma …. x Ii

Sma Firme …. x Ii. Qui exonantr hic. Et eqz.

See also “A History of Malden” – Ross, 1947. Pages 63/64 & 75/76.

HIGHWAYS including HORSE TROUGH SURVEY

Mostly contains material about, or relevant to, horse troughs in the London Borough of Merton. In date order, this is:

March 1950 (according to page 8): printed booklet A Short Account of the Origin, Aims & Achievements of the Metropolitan Drinking Fountain & Cattle Trough Association.

1959 printed booklet: A Century of Fountains: The Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association 1859-1959.

1972-5: Manuscript and typewritten notes made by W J Rudd, identifying troughs in the borough.

1975: copy of correspondence between W J Rudd and i) Director of Parks, Morden and ii) Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association about troughs in LB Merton.

1977: letter from the John Evelyn Society asking W J Rudd for an article for their newsletter on “local horse troughs”; he replies with a draft which looks as if it may have been published in the June 1977 or later issue: text of what seems to be the final article transcribed in separate document.

(1978: correspondence asking if W J Rudd has information about drinking fountains

1990: cutting from the Wimbledon N[ews?] of 2 March about the Toynbee Fountain).

May 1994: cuttings from the Merton Messenger and Wimbledon Guardian say that “Merton’s historic 19th century hourse troughs are being restored this month in a project organised by Environmental Action in Merton”, for BT Environment Week, culminating in a special guided tour of the troughs on 29 May, “led by the famous Young’s horse drawn brewers dray”.

Copies of “Merton’s Horse Trough heritage trail, devised for Environmental Action in Merton by Logan” for BT Environment Week May 1994, with “acknowledgements to W J Rudd/Wimbledon Society for much of the historical information inside”.

Date not known: Copy of “Rockwatch Survey: Drinking Trough Survey” (no date; published by “RSNC The Wildlife Trusts Partnership”, Geologists Association, and British Gas): perhaps from the 1990s?

this file also contains material about other aspects of highways:

Not specific to LB Merton:

1970 cutting about the introduction of zig-zags near zebra crossings.

1977 RoSPA leaflet about road traffic accidents.

One-page printed leaflet about the catseye (no date)

Newspaper cutting (source and date not given) asking “why is a street a street, a road a road?” (no date)

Specific to LB Merton:

Three typewritten sheets headed Directory of Stage Coach Services, 1836, Alan Bates, David & Charles 1969: give details of journeys passing through Morden, Mitcham, Merton and Wimbledon.

Typewritten transcript (with some extra notes) from A Compendium of Modern Husbandry Vol III James Malcolm 1805 of information on page 286 about “Roads, turnpike and parochial” and on page 316 about Merton; and from page 103 of A Short History of Ewell and Nonsuch by Cloudesley S Willis FSA (1931/1969) about a highway robbery “on the George Hill, at Morden”.

Cutting from (Wimbledon?) Guardian of 11 March 1993: “Local historian Bill Rudd gives a free talk on Morden Then and Now on Saturday at Morden Library in Merton Civic Centre between 2.30pm and 3.30pm”.

Cutting from (Wimbledon?) Guardian of 28 December 1995, with two pages of public notices about the installation of speed cushions and road humps.

INNS AND BEER HOUSES etc

[mostly in Morden, mostly in the 19th century].

1660s-1970: One typewritten sheet of extracts from:

Surrey Quarter Sessions Order Book 1661 licensing Anne Downes of Morden to keep a common alehouse;

Surrey Quarter Sessions Roll 1663 requiring Robert Rogers of Morden “a drunkard and haunter of ale houses”, and his wife Judith to be of good behaviour.

Another (and a photocopy of it) which adds to those extracts:

an extract from a 1970 letter from Courage (Eastern) Limited giving dates of the oldest papers they have for The George(1880) and The Crown (1873).

notes on what Edwards Companion from London to Brighthelmstone (1789, 1801) says about The Crown and The George.

(There are links to all digitised versions of all three volumes of Malcolm at https://mertonhistoricalsociety.org.uk/digital-classics/).

Rudd’s handwritten notes about Robert and Judith Rogers and the Downes.

1805: Typewritten extract from A Compendium of Modern Husbandry Volume III James Malcolm 1805, page 286 Roads, Turnpike and Parochial, and page 316. [Does not mention inns or beer/ale houses: belongs in highways folder?]

1816-74: three typewritten pages (and a photocopy of the same) headed “Extracts from the Hatfeild Estate Papers – the Crown Inn, Morden” (entries from various dates from 1816 to 1874).

1826/7: Typewritten extract from Pigot & Co Directory, Surrey, 1826/7, dealing with “Mordon” generally (but saying “Taverns and Public Houses: Crown, John Hixon, George & Dragon Edwd Martin” and that coaches go “from Mordon, from George and Dragon, every morning at half past ten to Charing Cross & Angel, St Clements”), with Rudd’s notes (dated 1983) to it.

1832-1938: Envelope inscribed “The Plough, Central Road”, containing:

– a typewritten list of “Beer Retailers (Morden Lane or Central Road (The Plough)” from 1832 to 1930, taken from Post Office Directories; mentions “another Beer Retailer in Lower Morden (Lane)” until 1874, and The George and The Crown;

– negative and print of photograph of The Plough; reproduced at the foot of the list above, where it is said to be “probably one of the last taken before the building was demolished in December 1933.”

Three slightly different versions of a typewritten list of the (licensees/landlords?) of “The Inns of Morden” (George & Dragon/The George, The Crown) 1832-1938. (The one which includes entries for 1838, which seems to be later than the others, is reproduced at Annex A).

Typewritten note headed “Beer Retailer Lower Morden (Lane)” giving:

information from Robson and Kelly’s Post Office Directories from 1838-1876 about David Potterton, Luke Potterton, John Lee;

a reference to “The Sheepshearers” at one time known as “The Jolly Farmers”;

a family tree for the Pottertons, based on information from Morden parish registers and monument inscriptions;

handwritten additions about Pottertons in the Cheam census in 1881.

Other papers about the Pottertons:

Photocopy of part of a map, labelled “Extract from Morden Tithe Award Plan 1838” with property of David Potterton marked.

Handwritten notes from the Cheam census 1861 on the inhabitants of Potterton Farm; notes on the back of death dates and ages of the Pottertons (from burial register/gravestones?).

1839: Typewritten transcript (four pages) of articles in The Times of 18 and 22 January 1839 about the fire at The Crown in which an ostler and a postboy died (verdict: accidental death).

Five typewritten extracts/copies of the same of an article about the fire from the Mordonian Juvenile Gazette of 22 January 1839, one with pencil annotations giving burial dates/names of those mentioned in the article.

(See Bulletin article by Bill Rudd and Judy Goodman: https://mertonhistoricalsociety.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Bull119X.pdf)

1872, 1892: Handwritten notes headed “Tythe apportionment 1892”, with information about number 179 on the 1892 plan and 177, 172, 173, 178, 207a and 208b on the plan of 1872.

1892: Photocopy of sheet reading “County [name missing where original torn]. Detailed return of Fully-Licensed Houses & Beer Houses in the Several Petty Sessional Divisions, showing whether such houses are free or tied, the accommodation provided, the distance from the nearest licensed houses, and the character of the persons frequenting such fully-licensed houses or beer houses, February 1892. Clerk of Peace’s Office, Sessions House, Newington SE”.

Eight typewritten sheets headed:

Croydon Petty Sessional Division Mitcham

(one page lists 20 premises; another lists the same plus The White Hart)

Wimbledon Petty Sessional Division Merton (18 premises, plus 62 in Wimbledon)

Handwritten rough notes/table about the number of fully licensed houses and beer houses in Croydon, Wimbledon, Mitcham, Morden, and Merton, seemingly “from detailed returns of fully licensed houses and beer houses in the petty sessions division of Croydon”, date not given.

Mostly typewritten sheet with table showing information about licensed houses from Croydon Petty Sessional Division.

1941: Handwritten note saying “M & M News App 4 1941 P5 Col 3 Bottom: George Inn Licence. The licence of the George Inn, Morden, was transferred at Wimbledon Police Court on Wednesday from Messrs P E Maloney and Frederick Nodd to Messrs P E Maloney and Arthur H Millican. The application, it was stated, merely involved a change of managers.”

1970: Letter of 18 October 1970 from W R Rudd to Courage (Eastern):

“I am working on a survey of the inhabitants of Morden. This has, to a large extent, been necessitated by the large-scale clearance of unwanted gravestones in the churchyard of St Lawrence Parish Church Morden. The research has extended to the major refernce libraries of Central London and at Kingston, Croydon and Surbiton. This is in order to establish a claim for a grave of historical interest. Much information has come from the Post Office Directories produced by Pigot, Robson and Kelly, particularly the latter.

In addition to being a fascinating study of the growth of the smallest of the Surrey parishes into what eventually became (in partnership with Merton) the fifth largest urban district in the country, now incorporated in the London Borough of Merton, there are a number of by-products. One of these concerns the inns of Morden, The Crown, and The George.

From evidence at present available both of these inns has been here for 150 years at least, probably much longer. The directories mentioned above give the names of the publicans back to 1832. Both are known to be coaching inns on the London-Epsom road, now the A24. From 1832 to 1839 the George is shown as the “George and Dragon”, form 1845 onwards it is “The George”, presumably in memory of the late King George IV. A handwritten school magazine in the Morden library quotes a “disastrous fire” at the Crown Inn last century in which two persons died. Both inns have either been rebuilt or had extensive alterations so it is unlikely anything original remains. Certainly the Crown, which is now an extension wing to a new tower block of offices. The directories feature an assortment of blacksmiths, wheelwrights and coachbuilders in the village. That for 1855 states the “Dorking omnibus” (horse-drawn?) passes through, to London, at 8 morning, and returns 6 evening, daily (Sunday excepted), calling at the George inn. This is probably distinct from, and in addition to, the mail-carrying coaches. A number of Carriers are also featured.

Would you have any further information about these inns? For your information I enclose [enclosed; not reproduced here but see Annex A for a later version] a list of the publicans of the two inns from 1832 to 1911. I am still working on the directories of later date up to 1938. It is interesting to see that the George had only five, while the Crown has had fifteen publicans. Mr Thomas Sawyers, who died 31st January 1903, was one of the Morden Parish representatives who served on the Croydon Rural District Council.”

Reply of 21 October 1970 from Courage (Eastern) Ltd:

“The George was once owned by Hodgson’s Kingston Brewery. The oldest deed we have is a lease dated 18.5.1880 to Hodgson’s and the freehold was purchased by them on 9.10.1906.

The freehold of the Crown was purchased on 11.12.1873 by Langton’s Brewery of Wandsworth. Langton’s undertaking was later bought by the Royal Brewery (Brentford) Ltd. The freehold was sold about 1961 to the Local Authority for redevelopment. We now hold a lease for the new public house.”

Typewritten extract of information from Courage’s letter of October 1970.

Typewritten extract from Courage’s letter of October 1970, with a note saying:

“Edwards writing in his Companion from London to Brighthelmston, published in 1801, describes the Crown as “a modern built Inn, occupied by Mr Hammond.” This was the building destroyed by fire in 1839. By 1845 another had taken its place. How long this survived or whether another took its place is not certain, but a new building in “brewers tudor” was built after the district had grown from 1925 onwards. this too was demolished and its successor is in effect an appendae to the office block Crown House. The inn sign from the Old Crown has been saved. The new sign is of a naval crown with allusions to Lord Nelson. Edwards describes “the George Inn, the property and possession of Mr William Martin.”

1972: Pages from The Daily Mirror of 16 February 1972 about barmaid of the year; one of the finalists (pictured) is “Mrs Jacqueline Hult of The Nelson, Merton High-street, London, SW19”.

Pages from The Evening News of 19 December 1972 with a list of Courage pubs, including:

SW19: Fox & Grapes, Camp Road, Wimbledon

King of Denmark, The Ridgway, Wimbledon

Mitcham: Crown, London Road

Goat, Beddington Corner

Skinner’s Arms, London Road, Mitcham Junction

Three Kings, Commonside East

Morden Crown, London Road

George, London Road

1975: Copy of letter of 21 February 1975 from W J Rudd to the Honorary Secretary of Merton Camera Club, summarising findings about inns and beer houses in Morden:

“When I have met your club at Morden Library I have made enquiry as to whether they have any photographs of the Crown Inn, taken before the demolition and rebuilding as part of the Crown House development.

I enclose some papers [not enclosed] showing what I know of the history of the Inn. As you will see, it passed through many hands over a century. From what I read in the local paper it seems to be having trouble even now.

That the two inns of Morden, The George and The Crown, have a history of several centuries is certain,but it has not been discovered when they were first established. The brewing of ale was common practice for anyone and together with wine, drunk as a matter of course, since clean water for drinking was unknown unless boiled first. In addition to Inns, which looked after travellers, there were Ale houses, of which Morden had two, one in Lower Morden Lane which vanished ? a century ago, and The Plough in Central Road, demolished in 1932/3 and replaced on the other side of the road with The Tavern.

A book at the turn of the 18/19th century mentions a new-built inn in the occupation of Mr Hammond. This was The Crown. There must have been an inn or inns before that, Epsom Wells had been going since 1618 when they were discovered and became a popular resort. In 1839 this inn had been pulled down or altered and with the coming of the St Helier Estate from 1926 a building in the style of “brewers Tudor” took its place. The present Crown is nothing more than an appendage to an office block. The old Crown Inn sign was rescued and is in storage. the current sign, very tatty, is a nautical one.

The George Inn seems to have been more fortunate. The Directories refer to it as “The George and Dragon” before it was renamed after K George IV. I have a photograph of it taken by the LCC in 1929. I also have one of the old “Plough” and a sequence of occupants.”

1978: Cutting from The Sunday Mirror of 17 September 1978 about a Sunday Mirror Beer Contest.

Copy of letter of 10 November 1978 from W J Rudd:

“Dear Sir [a newspaper editor?]

Regarding the headline “Vandals wreck pub” on the front page of this week’s Morden News.

The scene was much different over forty years ago, before The Tavern was built to cater for a rapidly growing district.

The enclosed photograph [not present] dates about 1930 (the cloche hat of the lady is 20’s and the flat hats of the gents are 30’s). Mine host, Frederick Henry Lawley in bow tie stands as the central figure.

So far I have traced the occupants of the “pub in a parlour” as someone once described it back to 1832. I have enclosed a list [not enclosed]. It was in a house near here that Sir Joseph William Bazalgette, CB, the famous engineer lived from about 1855 to 1872.

The return of the photograph would be appreciated.”

Undated (but commas in addresses suggest no later than the early 1980s?): A list published by Young & Co of “Real Draught Beer – and where to find it”. Included are:

Merton: King’s Head, 18, High Street Merton SW19

Prince of Wales, Morden Road, Merton SW19

Mitcham Bull, 32, Church Road, Mitcham, Surrey

Cricketers, 340, London Road, Mitcham, Surrey

King’s Arms, 260, London Road, Mitcham, Surrey

Wimbledon Alexandra, 33, Hill Road, Wimbledon, SW19

Crooked Billet, 15, Crooked Billet, Wimbledon SW19

Dog and Fox, 24, High Street, Wimbledon SW19

Rose and Crown, High Street, Wimbledon SW19

1980: Cuttings from The Sun of 28 July 1980 about pub names (including The George) and from The Sunday People of 26 October 1980 headlined “In danger The British Pub”.

1983: Copy of letter of 28 November 1983 from W J Rudd:

“Dear Sir [the landlord of The George??],

Enclosed herewith a collection of research material regarding the Inns and Beer, or Ale, Houses of Morden. The other Inn was The Crown about a mile to the north-east also on the London-Epsom Road. Of the two beer houses, one was in Morden Lane (now Central Road) called The Plough which was demolished in the winter of 1933/4, standing on the site of what is now a block of flats “Central Gardens”, and replaced on the other side of the road by The Tavern. The other beer house was in Lower Morden Lane and called The Sheep Shearers and afterwards The Jolly Farmers, the site being somewhere behind the houses in Lower Morden Lane and Cranmer Close. The Beverley was opened in 1935.

Morden remained a largely agricultural parish for all its time until the arrival of the underground railway in 1926 and the massive development that was to follow. Morden still has only four “pubs” though augmented by several Off-Licences. Epsom mineral wells were discovered about 1618 and that coupled with “the races” generated considerable traffic, Royalty included. The earliest indication of a building on the site of The George is on a “plott” or map dated about 1550.

Surrounding the junction of the London-Epsom road with Morden lane were the ancillary services required of horse traffic – blacksmith, farrier, wheelwright and coach builder. The car park of The George was originally the stable yard and coach houses, and there must have been a large number of horses on “stand-by” for the changeover. The horse trough now outside the Church was on the point of the junction until the building of the dual-carriageway. It was “The gift of Juliette Reckitt – 1906” and “In Memory of the horses that suffered in the South African War” and cost over £60.

The enclosed material is copyright of the various sources that I have drawn on so permission ought to be acknowledged if you intend to use it. I might draw your attention to the “cannon ball” in the wall by the steps nearest the road. But I would be interested to learn of the fate of the Coat of Arms possibly that of Kingston-upon-Thames the home of Hodgson’s Brewery which was in a window in the north elevation of The George.”

1984-1988: Envelope containing:

black and white photograph of the inn sign of The George (no date);

two leaflets about the menu at The George Inn (one undated, the other dated 1984 and containing labels, presumably for a display of pictures/photos, saying “The George Inn c1899”, “The George Inn 1929”, “The George Inn 1969”; “The Plough c1930”; “The Crown before Demolition 1960”)

two identical leaflets saying “Harvester has arrived” at The George (no date).

Cutting from Wimbledon Guardian 31 March 1988 with advertisement about opening of a new Harvester restaurant at The George.

Menu from a Beefeater Restaurant (undated, but three-course set menu at £5.99 broadly comparable with that in the George Inn leaflet of 1984??)

Undated, but could they be part of the display implied by the labels in the 1984 George Inn leaflet?

Cardboard sign reading “Inns and beer houses”

Typewritten sheet with information about the new sign at “The Morden Tavern”:

“The arms represented on the new sign erected in the forecourt of The Morden Tavern, Central Road, are those of the former Borough of Malden and Coombe, (now incorporated in the Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames.

They are;- Ermine, on a chevron vert, between two chevronels the upper one azure and gules and the lower one gules and azure, a cross pattee or.

Note: vert = green, azure = blue, gules = red, or = gold.

The Arms have reference to Malden and Coombe’s connections with the Crown and Merton College, Oxford. The connection with the Borough of Merton stems from Walter de Merton who first studied at Merton Priory and later founded a school in Malden, later moved to Oxford. The Priory had lands in Malden.”

Typewritten sheet (with two handwritten corrections) headed “Merton Historical Society President the Viscountess Hanworth [from 1969 to November 1996 according to the December 1996 Bulletin on the MHS website]. Inns & Beer houses”:

“That the two Inns of Morden, The George and The Crown, have a history of several centuries is certain, but it has not been discovered when they were first established. The Directories refer to The George as “The George and Dragon”. If this was, in fact, the case, it is an ancient symbol, as indeed is “The Crown”. A main road has passed through Morden since Roman times and facilities for travellers may have existed very hearly. A “plott” or map of c.1550 shows a building near the parish church which may have been the precursor of The George. Epsom mineral wells were discovered in 1618 and this led to prolific traffic. The Epsom races have also provided a stimulus. The brewing of ale was common practice in early times since water for drinking was very often contaminated. In addition to the inns, Morden possessed two ale or “beer houses”. One was The Plough in Morden Lane (now Central Road) and another, in Lower Morden, appears to have been called The Sheepshearers, Jolly Farmers later. Both names indicate the agricultural and pastural nature of the village. These inns and beer houses were probably sufficient, the population of Morden being very small. As late as 1892 the “Detailed Return of Fully-Licensed Houses & Beer Houses” gives the total for Morden as 3, compared with 18 for Merton, 38 for Mitcham and 62 for Wimbledon.

Research and presentation W J Rudd.”

1988-1991: Letter of 25 May 1988 from London Borough of Merton consulting adjoining occupiers about an application to construct an extension in The George car park; letters of 15 June 1988, 5 August 1989, and 9 April 1991 from W J Rudd (the first and third as Merton Historical Society) objecting to the application.

1995: Cutting (perhaps from Wimbledon Guardian) of late 1995, presumably because of advertisement for “Strikers Nightclub” at 116 London Road Morden.

1997: Advertisement from Wimbledon Guardian of 20 November 1997 announcing opening of the “brand new” Beverley Country Carvery Restaurant in Lower Morden Lane.

2000: Cutting from Wimbledon Guardian of 10 August 2000 with article headlined “Morden Harvester gets £70,000 refit”.

Undated: Two paper napkins printed “Courage” and “Tavern”.

ANNEX A

The Inns of Morden

George and Dragon The Crown

Pigot 1826/7 Edward Martin John Hixon

Ditto 1832 Solomon Rowe John Tillet

Robson 1838 Ditto William Hall

Pigot 1839 Ditto – (see notes below)

The George

(Kelly 1845 Solomon Rowe Joseph Parsons

et seq) 1855 Ditto Ditto

1859 (1) Mrs Mary Rose Ditto

1860 George Pickering Mrs Mary Ann Parsons

1862 Joseph Pickering Mrs Mary Parsons

1865 Ditto Ditto

1867 Ditto Josiah Woolhead

1868 Ditto Ditto

1871 Ditto Richard Holmes

1872 (2) Ditto Ditto

1874 Thomas Sawyers Thomas Langton

1876 Ditto Alfred Rogers

1878 Ditto William Beadle

1882 Ditto James Frederick Waite

1884 Ditto Henry Carter

1891 Ditto John Cabburn

1895 Ditto Alfred Marsom

1899 Ditto Charles Edwin Bartlett

1903 (3) Ditto Ditto

1905 Albert John Reeves Ditto

1907 Ditto Charles James Brown

1909 Ditto Henry Titmus Dowding

1911 Ditto James Saffery Bailey

1913 Ditto Ditto

1915 Ditto Ditto

1918 Ditto Frederick Alfred Jeffree

1922 Ditto Ditto

1924 Ditto George Thomas

1927 (4) Ditto Ditto

1930 Rd Frederick Langley Ditto

1934 Ditto Tom Davis

1938 Ditto Tom Davis

The information given above is taken from the Directories produced by Pigot, Robson and Kelly. They can only be used as a guide. In January 1839 The Crown suffered a disastrous fire and a contemporary account of it exists. William Hall was in joint occupation with George Melton (Reg. of Electors 1838/40). The George and Dragon apparently changed to The George in commemoration of K. George IV.

Modern Parish Registers:

(1) This entry in the directories is incorrect. Mrs Mary Rowe died 17.7.1852

Plot 546 Solomon Rowe died 11 January 1859 (monument demolished)

Plot 609 (2) Joseph Pickering died 6 January 1873 (monument demolished)

Plot 212 (3) Thomas Sawyers died 31 January 1903 (monument demolished)

Plot 170 (4) Albert John Reeves died 23 April 1929 (monument demolished)

Read Peter Hopkins’ article on ‘THE GEORGE INN AND THE ‘MANOR HOUSE’ RESIDENTIAL HOME’ in MHS Bulletin 196

MORDEN SHOP SURVEY

Not yet listed

An article by Bill can be accessed here: ‘From Village Shop to Supermarket: the development of Morden Centre’

His photographic surveys of the Shops in Morden Centre can be viewed here:

ST LAWRENCE CHURCH, CHURCHYARD AND MONUMENTS
(several files with plans, descriptions, photographs and correspondence with families relating to the clearance of some monuments in the churchyard)

Not yet listed

MORDEN PROPERTIES/ROADS:

Several files, not yet listed.

ARRAS AVENUE, FLORENCE AVENUE, JOHNS LANE, LEONARD AVENUE, RAVENSBURY AVENUE, ROSE AVENUE, VICTORY AVENUE, WILLIAMS LANE

Typed sheet saying

“R of E 1927

Arras Avenue

St Boniface – Bennett.”

SUTTON ROAD (BISHOPSFORD RD), EDWARD AVENUE, MILNER ROAD, MORTON ROAD, POLLARD ROAD, SEDDON ROAD, THE DRIVE, WANDLE ROAD

Typed sheets that record:

Houses and surnames of residents (possibly taken from a map/plan, as the lists include entries.

BRIGHTWELL, REDCLOSE, GLEBE HOUSE

Typed sheets showing:

occupants of Brightwell, Redclose, Maison Rouge and Glebe House, based on Kelly’s PO Directories of 1890/1 to 1935

information about Brightwell House, East Street, Farnham, extracted from Nigel Temple Farnham Buildings and People (1973). The house “was owned in the late 1830s by the Reverend Richard Garth (b. 1782) and … still occupied by him and daughters Mary (b.1822) and Fanny (b.1864) about 1850.”

letter of 21 May 1974 from W J Rudd to Nigel Temple:

asking for a copy of the photograph on page 113 of Farnham Buildings and People of Brightwell House in Farnham;

noting that there is no illustration of the house called Brightwell in Morden;

saying “The name Brightwell comes from the estate of Baldwin-Brightwell (or Brightwell-Baldwyn) in Oxfordshire. This estate descended through the families of Carlton, Stone, Lowe and Lowndes”

and providing information about the family of Richard Garth (as in the Hill House Morden file).

reply of 30 May 1974 from Nigel Temple, saying that his collection of negatives is now in the National Monuments Record and providing his notes on the Garth household (in Farnham) in the 1841 and 1851 censuses.

Envelope containing two photographs and a negative of a house labelled “Brightwell” (presumably in Farnham).

CHALGROVE, THE ELMS

Typed sheets showing:

occupants of Chalgrove, based on Kelly’s PO Directories of 1895 (Mrs Hampton) and 1899-1934 (Miss Campbell);

occupants of The Elms, based on Kelly’s PO Directories of 1878, 1882, 1884, 1890/1 (Mrs Foster), 1895-1907 (Frederick Clayton) and 1909 (Miss Clayton).

CROMER HYDE

Copy of a letter of 23 September 1973 from W J Rudd (addressee not given) which lists occupants of Cromer Hyde (as shown Kelly’s Directories) from 1907-1938, and notes that the White family (the first recorded at Cromer Hyde) were previously at Morden Hall Farm.

Copies of correspondence between W J Rudd and the London Borough of Merton from February-March 1974 about the transfer to Merton Historical Society of two hopper-heads at Cromer Hyde when it was demolished.

A typed note which reads as follows:

“CROMER HYDE (193 Central Road)

The house “Cromer Hyde” was built in 1906 by Oscar James White, a member of the White family who for a long time owned Morden Hall Farm. Another member of the family, Albert Kidman White, lived in a house called “Gosmore” the site now occupied by the R.A.C.S. store. The first reference to this house appears in Kelly’s Directory of 1909.

Oscar J White appears in the Directories of 1907, 1909, 1911 followed by Kenrick B Murray 1913, 1915; Cyril Baynes 1918, 1922; Col P E Hodgson, DSO 1924, 1927; Septimus Beven 1930, 1934, 1938.

Apart from the White family and Beven, nothing is known of the other occupants of the house.

On demolition the writer was able to secure the hopper heads of the rain pipes of the house, on application to the Principal Chief Officer (letter Ref: EC/IF dated 5th February, 1974 refers). These heads which were acquired for the Merton Historical Society, bear the date “1906” and the initials “OJW” (Oscar James White).

Morden Hall Farm

Kelly’s Directories give the following sequence for Morden Hall Farm (in Merton parish): Albert White 1868, 1871; Mrs White 1872, 1874, 1876; Oscar J White 1895, 1899, 1903-5-7-9, 1911-13-15; William Henry Stone 1918, 1922-24.

W J Rudd, Merton Historical Society. 1975″

Typed sheets:

One giving entries for Morden Hall Farm in the censuses of 1871, 1881 and 1891, with footnotes suggesting reasons for naming houses in Morden Cromer Hyde and Gosmore.
Transcript of article in Merton and Morden News 29 July 1955 reporting the death of Septimus Beven (formerly a councillor, active in the purchase of Morden Park, churchwarden of St Lawrence) [recorded at Cromer Hyde in the 1930s], with notes on information from the Register of Electors about occupants of Cromer Hyde.
Transcript of article in Morden Parish Magazine September 1955 of “Tribute to Septimus Beven” and of entries in the magazine about his burial, the funeral of his wife Gertrude (1962) and her obituary.

(File also includes photocopies of pages in the parish magazine for all but the last of these).

Information about Kenric Bright Murray, recorded at Cromer Hyde in the 1910s.

Handwritten note of occupants (?) of Morden Hall Farm from 1868 to 1924 [pressumably taken from Post Office Directories]

Handwritten note, on one side with a note of entries for Cromer Hyde and Gosmore in Kelly’s Directories for 1907-38; on the other, a table showing occupants (?) of Cromer Hyde, 193 Central Road (seemingly divided into flats in the 1960s), seemingly taken from register of electors 1945-1975.

Not yet listed.

GLADSTONE CONVALESCENT HOME

Letter of 26 August 1973 from W J Rudd to Mrs N Romer (who had asked in Morden library for information about the Gladstone Convalescent Home in Bishopsford Road), enclosing a note recording what he has found out about it. The note reads as follows:

“The Catherine Gladstone Convalescent Home

Formerly The Catherine Gladstone Free Convalescent Home for the Poor was opened by Mrs Gladstone in the year 1866, at Clapton, during the cholera epidemic at the East of London; incorporated with that of Mrs Charlesworth at Snaresbrook in March, 1867; and transferred, in 1869, to Woodford Hall, Woodford, Essex, and in 1900 to Mitcham, Surrey.

In 1923, the Home, its freehold site and equipment, with an endowment of some £20,000 was handed over to the London Hospital as a free gift, on two conditions, viz: Firstly that the name of Catherine Gladstone shall be permanently associated with the Home; and secondly, that the London Hospital shall use it as an Annexe to their Headquarters in Whitechapel.

About this time, a tablet was affixed in the Entrance Hall with the following inscription:

“To the Beloved and Honoured Memory of Catherine Gladstone, wife of the Prime Minister. Born January 6th, 1812. Died June 14th, 1900. After visiting the cholera wards of the London Hospital continuously throughout the epidemic of 1866, Catherine Gladstone founded a Home at Clapton for the orphans of its victims. Three years later the institution was established at Woodford as a Free Convalescent Home for the Poor of East London, and was under the constant personal care of the founder for the rest of her life. In 1900 it was removed to Mitcham, continuing to fulfil its original purpose. In 1923 changing conditions and requirements in the lives of those for whose benefit the Home was intended made it urgently desirable to transfer it and its endowments to the London Hospital. During the period of fifty-six years, the Institution had received nearly 50,000 patients, to whom it had in truth been a very real and happy Home.”

Mrs Gladstone was born Catherine Glynne, daughter of Sir Stephen Glynne, 8th Baronet of Hawarden Castle, Flintshire, and sister of Sir Stephen Richard Glynne, 9th Baronet and Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire, also MP for that county. She married, in 1839, at Hawarden, William Ewart Gladstone, Statesman and author (who died 1898). Sir Stephen died heirless and Gladstone’s eldest son inherited the estates at Hawarden.

On map evidence, a building stood on the site of the Convalescent Home in 1865. The building shown on the OS map of 1932 as the Convalescent Home shows some differences in outline. Plans of the building dated 1915 show that an extension had been made to the original building to the East. The building consisted of three floors. After the demolition of the building (date?) the north of the site was developed for housing (Seddon Road), and the south of the site forms part of Garth School playing fields.

At present nothing is known of the early history of the building or the occupants. Research is to be continued.

W J Rudd, Merton Historical Society. August 1973,”

Other papers in the file record the research he undertook to produce this note, including:

a letter to Miss Jowett noting that the home appears in Kelly’s Directories from 1907 to 1938; in the 1930s the Directories show it as “the Annexe to the London Hospital.”
a letter of 20 August 1973 from the London Hospital enclosing photocopies (presumably all from the 1922 annual report mentioned below) of:
- a page with a photo of the home;
- the title page of “Report of the Catherine Gladstone Convalescent Home, formerly the Catherine Gladstone Free Convalescent Home for the Poor, opened by Mrs Gladstone in the year 1866, at Clapton, during the cholera epidemic at the East of London; incorporated with that of Mrs Charlesworth at Snaresbrook in March 1867; and transferred, in 1869, to Woodford Hall, Woodford, Essex, and in 1900 to MITCHAM, SURREY. For the year ended 31st December, 1922.”
- a page referring to “the Bas-Relief of the Founder by Adams Acton already affixed” and giving the inscription on a tablet which “is being placed in the Entrance Hall” [text as quoted in Rudd’s note above]
- a page giving more information about the terms of the transfer.
- a plan of the home
manuscript extracts from council minutes from 1934, showing that the council considered buying Ravensbury Manor from “SCC” [presumably Surrey County Council] for municipal purposes. W J Rudd has noted “This would be the Gladstone Nursing Home in Bishopsford Road.”

An article by Judith Goodman about the home can be found in Merton Historical Society Bulletin 141

GOSMORE, HEATHFIELD, SUNNYSIDE

Typed sheets showing:

entries for Morden Hall Farm in the 1871, 1881 and 1891 censuses, with notes on the birth places of some occupants, in some cases linking them to the names of houses (Cromer Hyde, Gosmore) where some of them later lived;

occupants of Gosmore, Heathfield and Sunnyside, as recorded in Kelly’s PO Directories for various dates. Extract from a 1971 letter saying that the RACS [Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society] purchased Gosmore from Mr A K White in 1927.

Post-it note that the death of A K (Bertie) White was recorded in Merton and Morden News of 29.4.1938.

HAZELWOOD, THE LAURELS, HAUXLEY

Typed sheets showing:

occupants of Hauxley (“alias The Rectory?”), The Laurels, and Hazelwood, as recorded in Kelly’s PO Directories for various dates.

Manuscript note of occupants of Hazelwood in 1881 census and of a household in Morden Lane in 1871.

HILL HOUSE

In response to a letter from the Royal Institute of British Architects which had asked for information on the Reverend Richard Garth’s home at Morden, W J Rudd wrote on 12 April 1974 enclosing the following two notes:

“Hill House

The earliest reference, so far found, of the house on the site, appears in the 1801 edition of Edward’s “Companion from London to Brighthelmston” in which he writes “About one furlong south of the George, is a neat house of modern erection, commanding a pleasant prospect, belonging to Christopher Chambers, Esq.” The George Inn is on the Epsom Road but the house would lie more to the south-east. Since the 1789 edition of this work has not been traced, it is not possible to say whether the later edition has been updated or is a reprint verbatim. The house can only be tentatively dated as within the last quarter of the eighteenth century.

On C. Smith’s map of 1823, the name of “L. Chambers” appears in the vicinity of the house. Lancelot Chambers (son of Christopher Chambers? [a marginal note in biro says “No!”] was married and had two children, who died young. His wife was a noted artist. He died in 1861 and is buried with his family in St Lawrence churchyard. He appears in Robson’s P.O. Directory for 1838 and later editions of Kelly’s Directories.

The Morden Land Tax Returns run from 1780 to 1831. It has not been possible to study the whole sequence as yet. However, in 1831 Chambers occupied a property of the then lord of the manor, Wm. Lowndes-Stone, described as “house and land”/ rent £135 / tax assessed £8.14.4 1/2d.”

The Registers of the Electors run from 1832 et seq. The Morden entry for 1832 gives the details of L. Chambers as “A farm of the rent of £50 p.a./ in his own occupation.” This is later described as “Freehold house and land / Morden Lane” (now Central Road), and continues after the accession of Rev. Richard Garth as lord of the manor. In which case it is not certain whether L. Chambers was, in fact, connected with Hill House.

Rev. Richard Lowndes inherited the manor of Morden on the death of his mother, Elizabeth, when he changed his name to Garth under the provisions of his maternal grandfather’s will. The Register of the Electors, Western Divn. of Surrey for 1837, describes him as living “near East Street, Farnham / Freehold dwelling house / in his own occupation.” The Eastern Division, which covers Morden, describes him as of “Farnham / Qualifications (in Morden) Freehold houses and land / Upper and Lower Morden.” In 1838 this latter entry is described as “Morden Manor.” In 1847/8 the Garth property is described as “Freehold house & land / Morden manor-occupier Joseph Carter Wood.” This gentleman is described as living in Morden / Freehold land & leasehold house and land / Morden Hill. The position was the same until 1852 when the Registers show some variations. Research is incomplete at this point. J C Wood was a farmer.

A reference to a property called Morden Hill first appears in Kelly’s P.O. Directory for 1865 when the occupier was David Bigbee. This gentleman is first mentioned in the Directory for 1855 but not where he lived. He does, however, appear in the Register of the Electors for 1859/60 as “occupation of house & land / Garth house & farm.” The last entry for Bigbee in the Directories is in 1876.

The first mention of Hill House by name appears in Kelly’s Directory for 1903, the occupant being Mrs Winlaw. Rev. William Winlaw was Rector of Morden from 1877/8 and was succeeded by the Rev. George Preston Kelsall Winlaw. This suggests the Rector lived at Hill House, but confirmation is lacking at present. If this was so, then he would be the obvious successor to David Bigbee. The Rector of Morden from 1835 to 1877 was the Rev. Robert Tritton, of the great banking family, but he is known to have lived in at least two different houses. The last mention of Mrs. Winlaw is in the Directory for 1915.

Under the Housing Act of 1925 the L.C.C. compulsorily purchased a large acreage of land in Morden and Carshalton for the building of the St Helier Estate, including the site of Hill House. Since the Southern Rly. were constructing the Wimbledon-Sutton line across this corner of the proposed estate, the L.C.C. sold it to The Earl Haig Homes and The Housing Assn. for Officers Families on whose portion the house stood. The house was subsequently demolished and the site appears to be in the vicinity of the tennis court, behind which the lines of some of the foundations are still visible under the grass.

This Hill House should NOT be confused with another Hill House in Bishopsford Road which still stands.

W. J. R. 1974″

“Reverend Richard Garth

The second son of William Lowndes-Stone and his wife Elizabeth, second daughter and co-heiress of Richard Garth, Esq. (the fifth of that name), lord of the manor of Morden. He was born in 1790, married Mary (who died 17 May 1849, aged 52), daughter of the Rev. Robert Douglas, Rector of Salwarpe, Worcs, by whom he had issue, two sons and three daughters. He died 30 January 1862, aged 71, and is buried at Morden.

His father; William Lowndes-Stone, of Astwood and Nth Crawley, Bucks., and of Baldwin Brightwell, Oxon. Who adopted the additional Surname and Arms of Stone in 1789 on the death of his mother Catherine, daughter and heir of Francis Lowe through whom descended the Stone family estate of Brightwell. He died in 1830 and was succeeded by his eldest son, William Francis Lowndes-Stone. All junior sons remained Lowndes.

His mother; Elizabeth was co-heiress of the manor of Morden with her eldest sister, Clara (m. Owen Putland Meyrick, of Bodorgan, Anglesea [sic], by whom she had issue, two daughters), and her younger sister, Mary (m. John Frederick, later Kt. and 5th Bt. of Burwood Park, by whom she had issue 6 sons and 5 daughters). Her father, Richard Garth, Esq. left provision in his will for the second son of Clara, and failing a second son like provision for the second sons of Elizabeth and Mary. Clara became lady of the manor on the death of her father in 1787, but died in 1826 without sons. Elizabeth succeeded her sister, and when she died in 1837 the property devolved on her second son, Rev. Richard Lowndes, who changed his name to Garth.

His children; Rt. Hon. Sir Richard Garth, P.C., K.B., Q.C. of Morden. (M.A. Ch.Ch. Oxford; MP for Guildford; Chief Justice of Bengal). b. 11.3.1820, m. his cousin Clara, dau. of William Loftus Lowndes, Q.C., died 25.3.1903, a.83. And had issue,

Rev. Henry Garth, died 29.9.1859, a. 35.

Mary Jane, died 29.12.1855, a.34

Elizabeth, born 1827.

Frances, born 1833.

Though Owen Putland Meyrick and William Lowndes-Stone were successively lords of the manor of Morden it was in effect a titular title. In the event both husbands died before their wives.

The original Garth arms were; Or, two lions passant in pale, armed and langued gules, between three cross crosslets fitchee sable. The arms on the monuments to Rev. Richard Garth and his son Sir Richard Garth in the church are differenced with a canton gules.

The Rev. Richard Garth was never the Rector of Morden, and the dates of his incumbency are not known.

W. J. R. 1974″

The file also contains:

a photocopy of a typed reply to RIBA of 14 May 1974, which provides further information about the location of Hill House (“in the area now bounded by Epsom Road, Central Road, Green Lane, and the railway, to the west of St Helier station”), says that Hill House was not the Morden rectory, and notes that the Dictionary of National Biography’s entry for Sir Richard Garth is mistaken in saying that his father was rector of Farnham, Surrey;
handwritten notes of the information on which the typed note about Hill House is based (the quotation from Edwards’s Companion; census entries for 1851-1891).

We have digitised the local extracts from Edwards’s Companion from London to Brighthelmston

Not yet listed.

LONDON–EPSOM ROAD

Two pages of handwritten extracts from the Register of Electors for 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1937, 1938, 1939 and 1953.

Typed sheet showing Register of Electors for London Road, Morden (Borough of Wimbledon) 1936 (with notes saying that “201 to 223 inclusive occupy the site and grounds of “Glebe House”” and “225 to 241 inclusive occupy the site and grounds of “Brightwell” – each of which has a separate file in the collection.)

Photocopies of pages 20-21 and 33 of Register of Electors, with a pencil note “1936/7?”

Tracing paper (around A3 in size) inscribed “Morden Park Cottage”

1968 plan by LB of Merton Architects Department of Merton Technical College

Not yet listed.

Evelyn Jowett’s newspaper article ‘Lost Common Lands: Morden Common’ has been published as MHS Local History Notes 4, freely downloadable here.

Not yet listed.

Read Peter Hopkins’ article on ‘THE GEORGE INN AND THE ‘MANOR HOUSE’ RESIDENTIAL HOME’ in MHS Bulletin 196

Not yet listed.

Details of Bill Rudd’s booklet on Morden Hall can be found here.

Not yet listed.

Bill Rudd contributed to a booklet about Morden Park published jointly by MHS and Merton Library Service to mark the opening of the Register Office in the renovated mansion.

Not yet listed.

Our series ‘Bill Rudd’s Morden’ featured Hatherleigh in MHS Bulletin 179, which also includes a report on Bill’s Workshop contribution about North Lodge

Not yet listed.

The Willows, alias Union Villa, was home to the mastermind responsible for the design and execution of the main sewerage system of London, Sir Joseph William Bazalgette CB. Read Bill Rudd’s article ‘J W Bazalgette in Morden’ in MHS Bulletin 142.