NORBURY HISTORY Contents: William Coles, Norbury farmer and slave owner Aspects of Norbury 1908-1912 Kathy Stobart, Jazz Saxophonist Norbury Trading Estate Why Pollards Hill needs special protection Newsletter No. 2. May 2018 History & Social Action Publications £1 1 Compiled and edited by Sean Creighton History & Social Action Publications 6 Oakhill Rd, London, SW16. [email protected] Printed by Cherrill Print, 297 Brighton Road, South Croydon, CR2 6EQ May 2018 2 William Coles, Norbury farmer and slave owner William was one of the sons of the London merchant and sugar-broker Thomas Coles who purchased the Addington Place estate in 1802. When Thomas died in 1805 his interests in Jamaica had badly damaged his business affairs. William was involved in land transactions in 1810 with three merchants being appointed the Croydon area between 1802 and 1810. assignees of his estate and effects. They He is believed to have specialised in buying sold off what he owned and leased, in the up old properties, altering or rebuilding case of Norbury Hall to Richard Sanderson. them. In 1802 he leased land in Norbury and built what became Norbury Hall. He went on By 1818 William’s economic fortunes must to lease or purchase land in the Thornton have improved because he took a lease on Heath area of the London Rd, Kingswood Blunt House in Croham. He made ‘tasteful Lodge near Selsdon Park, the Manor of additions to the buildings and pleasure Crewes in Warlingham, a farm near West grounds, as not only to adorn the estate but Wickham, woodland and a sand pit in also considerably improve the southern Croham Hurst and land in Addington. approach to the town of Croydon.’ He visited the West Indian island of Dominica in William appears to have been committed to May 1834, returned and died in February improving farming. In his 1805 book The 1835. Compendium of Modern Husbandry James Malcolm, an agricultural improver, discussed As joint owners of the Herbert’s estate on William’s methods at his Norbury Farm. Antigua 117 he and his partner were awarded £622 15s. 1d. as compensation for These land transactions and developments the emancipation of 34 enslaved peoples, were being undertaken during the wars with which was paid out after his death. His son France. One of the special functions the William was successful in his claim as a joint Coles family performed was as agents for mortgagee of the Cassada Garden estate on the looking after and disposal of ships Antigua (197 enslaved people; £2856 18s. captured as prizes during the Wars. 11d) All this land and property investment must William’s brother Thomas who lived at have overstretched William because in 1808 Thornton Heath from at least 1818 received he sold Addington Place to the See of with his nephew William a £420. 17s 1d. Canterbury which became the Archbishop’s share of the compensation for 127 slaves on Palace. He was declared bankrupt on 10 July the Hatton Garden estate on Dominica. (Source. Sean Creighton. Croydon’s Connections with the British Slavery Business. Croydon Natural History & Scientific Society. Proceedings. Vol. 20. Part 1. September 2017) Aspects of Norbury 1908-1912 Complaints about the Tram Service Letter from ‘Reform’ to the Editor of The Croydon Advertiser, 9 May 19108 ‘That our reactionary Council are making the I will cite two instances that have occurred best use of their time in rendering all this week. On Thursday evening when I opposition in their power to the success of arrived at Norbury terminus there was no our trams is evident to everyone living in the tram in evidence. A bus had just started Norbury district. “full up.” Proceeding on foot it was not until I reached Ederline-avenue that I met a tram Living near the Pond I have had on occasion coming to Norbury. This was also full with during the past twelve months to travel passengers standing inside. I continued my between here and Norbury by car, during journey on foot, and when I arrived at the which time I have heard hundreds of Pond no car from NORBURY was in sight. The complaints by passengers regarding the following evening I was more fortunate for I inefficient service, and during the past three managed to catch a tram as it was starting. months it has been a common occurrence, in We filled up and had some standing as usual. making the return journey of an evening, to travel with eight or nine standing inside. 3 At Norbury Station we had to refuse a batch large increase of passengers. of nine people, and between here and Brigstock-road there must have been at least Of course, the reason for this state of affairs forty (probably more) waiting at the various is obvious. Our Council want to be in a stopping places for a car, but to each the position to say that our municipal trams do conductor gave the comforting cry, “Full not pay, and then re-lease them to the up.” British Electric Traction Co, again. That we have a sufficient number of cars is It is to be hoped that the people will proved by the Bank Holiday traffic, and I remember these gentry next November think if the other routes are as badly served when they attempt re-election. as this it proves that with proper “By their works ye shall know them.”’ organisation our trams might carry a very Note. Unless otherwise stated all dates below are from Croydon Advertiser) Independent Order of Good Templers August. 1908. p.2) A further £21. 8s. 10d was raised for the Fund in August. (5 The Norbury Whitgift Lodge of the September 1908. p. 2) Independent Order of Good Templars (IOGT) held a social and musical evening on the last Court Case against the Hobbs of Norbury Saturday in March at the Temperance Hall in Hall Mint Walk in the Town Centre. (4 April 1908. p. 12) In June Walter Henry May of 1 Station Parade was awarded £150 damages for The IOGT was a fraternal organisation ‘alleged fraudulent representation in the promoting temperance or total abstinence sale of a baker’s business’ in the Kings founded in the United States in 1851. Bench Division of High Court, against the Membership was open to men and women Hobbs brothers V. Arthur Thomas and James equally, and to anyone regardless of race. In William (27 June 1908. p. 7) A stay of 1875, after the American Civil War, the execution was refused. (4 July 1908. p. 6 American senior body voted to allow and 7) separate lodges and Grand Lodges for white and black members, in line with segregation Norbury Brickfield in southern US states. In 1876 having failed to prevent this the British split off. The two The building of the Norbury estate by the organisations merged in 1887. London County Council included making bricks on site. The manufacture was very Norbury’s New Church St Stephen’s, productive making more bricks than were Warwick Rd need for the estate. The Housing Committee was informed in July that a net deficit of St Stephen’s Church in Warwick Rd held its £6,342 had accumulated at 31 March inc. first social event in spring 1908. The vicar £2,319 interest, but that the value of the was Rev. A. G. Edwards. (4 April 1908. p. 3) stock of bricks was £12,097. 14s. 4d. (1 August 1908. p. 2) There was a range of fundraising activities. £10.16s was collected for foreign missionary The Committee recommended use of surplus work. A Saturday Floral Fete was held at The stock for the building of the new LCC Grove, London Rd, Thornton Heath, the Totterdown Fields Estate in Tooting. The home of Mrs Stockham to raise money for total stock of bricks was 6.250m, 3.8 used the Building Fund. (11 July 1908. p. 2) By for Norbury, and 1,022 available for August this was £100. Mrs Stockham ran a Totterdown. It hoped that other band of 15 lady harpists and entertainers at opportunities would rise for selling surplus Crystal Palace on Monday 10 August (8 stock. (23 April 1909. p.2) 4 Norbury Methodism The Norbury Methodist Men’s meeting was run by the Methodist Church in Beatrice Ave. It met weekly and its activities were reported on in the Croydon Advertiser. In May it discussed the Liberal Government’s Licensing Bill, which was an issue of much debate around the country (e.g. 9 May, p. 5 & 16 May 1908. p. 12) The group’s first anniversary was held on 17 January 1909 at 3pm. F. C. Whitaker was the speaker with George Shrubsell in the Chair. At 6.30pm a Brotherhood Address was given by Rev. T. H. Barratt (Advert. 16 January 1909. p. 6) Raising Money for St Philip’s New Church Hall St Philip’s Church in Beatrice Ave was fundraising for a new church hall and held a fete in July.‘ ‘Wet weather precluded the use of the arranged by the Misses Fletcher and Foster. grounds of Quarryhurst, London-rd, Norbury, Mr. E. A. Adams (hon. Organist) and Mr. M. kindly offered by Mr. and Mrs. E. Fletcher Wheeler, junr. Country and maypole dances for the purposes of a garden fete to raise were charmingly given by Mrs. Drew’s money for the site and building of St. pupils, and there was a display of physical Philip’s new church hall, and at the last drill, with arms, &c., by a detachment of moment the infants’ hall at Winterbourne- the Croydon Church Lads’ Brigade under the road schools was secured as the venue for command of Adjt.