Showing 114 results

Authority record
Person

Frank Keen

  • P003
  • Person
  • 1978 - 2002

Dr Francis J.G. Keen was born in 1955 in Camberwell, London, and has lived in Croydon since the age of three.

He attended St. Marks Church of England Primary School (South Norwood), St. Anthonys Roman Catholic Junior School (Anerley), Bishop Thomas Grant Roman Catholic Secondary School (Streatham) where he was Sacristan, Librarian and Head Boy. He has studied at the Universities of Southampton (Theology), Toulouse (France) (English Literature) and Canterbury (English for Secondary School Teaching). His main area of research has been in the religious poetry of suffering in English poets.

His professional life has included working as an Auxiliary Male Nurse at Mayday Hospital, Croydon. He has worked for British Telecoms International as a Satellite Non-Switched Digital Transit Level 1 Manager as well as working as a Lecturer at the Social Sciences, University of Toulouse. He lectured in English for Special Purposes in Law, Economics, Political Sciences, Social and Economic Administration, University of the Third Age and Womens University Studies. He was a translator and interpreter in French and English. He was awarded Toulouse Universitys medal for service in 1989. He obtained three straight firsts at Toulouse University (Literature Faculty) and qualified as a teacher in the UK in 1992. He taught English, Drama and French at Selsdon High School from 1990 to 1999 where he was also a Head of Year. For the first two years at Selsdon, he was training as a Licenced Teacher on a point 5 release and week-end programme in association with the Education Faculty of Christ Church College, Canterbury University. He was the Local Chairman of the Professional Association of Teachers (Croydon Branch) and has stayed a member of this organisation. He was a Governor at Redgates Special School from 1983 to 1987. He presently works as an a part-time administrator for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark and is the main carer for his disabled son, Sebastian.

He married Anne-Marie, a French citizen, in 1978. His hobbies include cooking, plane spotting and, inevitably, reading - especially biographies. He is a sci-fi fan and enjoys collecting action and sci-fi videos. In 1983 he became the Chair of the Friends and Trustees of Orchard Hill College of Further Education for People with Profound, Severe, Multiple and Complex Learning Difficulties which his son currently attends.

Florence Mabel Bridges

  • P036
  • Person
  • 1920

Florence Mable Bridges was the wife of Fredric Henry Bridges of 8 Sefton Road, Croydon

The Roads Act of 1920 placed the county, county boroughs and the large burgh councils as the registration and licensing authorities for both vehicles and drivers within the area. This followed on from the Motor Car Act of 1903 ,which had first created the system of registration and licensing of motor cars and motorcycles together with the annual issuing of Driving Licenses by local authorities. Croydon County Borough continued as a licensing authrity until 1965 when responsibility was passed to the newly formed Greater London Council.

Growth in vehicle ownership, the transferring of the vehicles between owners and the increase in both the number of Licenses being applied for and the ease in which disqualified drivers were making false claims to other areas, prompted the need for change. The Vehicle and Driving Licenses Act of 1969 created a new centralised record system for registration and licensing drivers and vehicles and the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) was subsequently formed.

Many local authority records of vehicle and drivers have been lost or destroyed. It is presumed that those of Croydon County Borough were destroyed following transfer to the GLC.

Ernest Wimble

  • P014
  • Person
  • 1887

Ernest W Wimble (1887-1979) served at various times as Hon. Secretary of South Norwood Labour Representative Committee, Editor of The Highway (journal of the Workers Educational Association), Financial Secretary of the WEA, and General Secretary of the Workers Travel Association. He stood for election to Croydon Corporation as Labour candidate in West Ward in 1920, and in Woodside Ward in 1922 and 1923: on the last occasion he was successful. His main later work was for the Workers Travel Association (a tourist organisation), and he travelled through much of Europe and Russia on its behalf. He was eventually awarded the CBE and made a Chevalier de lOrdre Leopold II of Belgium, for his work on international travel.

Eric Alfred Blake Pritchard

  • P107
  • Person
  • 1899 - 1962

Eric Arthur Blake Pritchard was born to Thomas Hobart Pritchard and his wife Minnie Alexandra. They lived at 142 Melfort Road, Thornton Heath and Eric attended Whitgift School. He was a conscientious objector in the First World War and worked for the Anglo- American Mission in France from February to November 1918.

Elsie Turrell

  • P028
  • Person
  • 1927

Elsie Susan Turrell trained as a midwife at St Marys Maternity Hospital, Croydon, and gained her State Certificate of midwifery (no. 71300) on 26 May 1927, before going into full-time practice. In June 1937 (under arrangements introduced by the Midwives Act, 1936) the County Borough of Croydon appointed her a Municipal Midwife; and then, in April 1938, a Deputy Superintendent Midwife. She was based at the Municipal Clinic in Lodge Road. In 1950, she married Dr John Black, and gave up full-time work. However, she remained on the Midwives Roll, and continued to practice on an occasional basis, initially based at Nelson Hospital, Merton; and later at Beechfield Nursing Home, Bramley Hill, Croydon.

Eleanor Macdonald OBE

  • P032
  • Person
  • 1910 - 2004

Although born in Essex, Eleanor Macdonald (1910 - 2004) lived in Croydon for most of her life and attended Woodford School. With her brother Ian, An accomplished fencer, she founded the Croydon School of Fencing on Wellesley Road in 1928 with her brother Ian and which took her to Paris where they worked on routines for stage and screen. The School of Fencing continued until 1939 when she volunteered for war duty. Her work in intelligence resulted in her being awarded an MBE. After the war she gained qualifications in business and rose to become the director of a number of Unilever group companies.

In 1969 she founded her own consultancy business, Women in Management, which encouraged women at all levels to learn techniques of effective management and self development. Her work earned her the OBE. Her autobiography, Nothing by Chance, was published in 1987. She lived at Mapledale Avenue and attended St Andrews parish church. Among her interests was the history of the theatre in Croydon. She never married.

Woodford School was a private day-school for girls. A few boarders were also taken. Boys were taught in the preparatory classes. The school originated in 1867, established by Miss Annie Waters, who was joined shortly afterwards by her sister, Jennie Waters. It was originally located in the family home at 9 George Street, Croydon; but in 1878 the family and school moved into a new house at 8 Dingwall Road. This was named Woodford House after the village of Woodford, Wilts, where the family originated. The school subsequently expanded into the two neighbouring houses, 7 and 9 Dingwall Road. The Misses Waters retired in 1900, and Miss AHB Walford became headmistress; she was succeeded in 1927 by Miss Mary Horsley, an old girl of the school, who had taught there since 1919. The name changed in 1916 from Woodford House School to Woodford School. The school went into decline during World War 2. The Senior School closed in 1942; and, after Mary Horsley died in 1945, the surviving Junior School also closed.

The Old Girls Association (WOGA) was established in March 1902. It went into abeyance during World War 2; and was wound up after the death of Miss Horsley, and the closure of the school, in 1945. It was revived in 1951 by Phyllis Fretwell (nee Densham) and Valerie Williams, who became joint secretaries. It established strong links with Mary Horsleys sisters, Misses Margaret and Gwendolen (Dee) Horsley: Margaret, who had been Secretary of the school, was elected President of WOGA. The Association was finally wound up in 1984.

Eleanor Macdonald founded the Croydon School of Fencing to ease her family financial situation. It was based at Wellesley House on Wellesley Road from 1928 until it was closed due to the Macdonalds war service in 1939. Eleanor and Ian Macdonald built up a national and international reputation in tournaments, exhibitions, consultants (including for motion pictures) and publications on fencing.

Dr [later Professor] RG Newton

  • P008
  • Person
  • 1945

The survey of rookeries and winter rook roosts in the area of the CNHSS Regional Survey was undertaken in 1945 by Dr [later Professor] RG Newton, as a contribution to the Rook Investigation, a project carried out under the direction of James Fisher (d 1970) for the Agricultural Research Council. The results were published as RG Newton, 'Rook Survey Work' by the Ornithological Section, Proceedings of the CNHSS, vol 11 (1948), pp309-314. An introductory paper by RG Newton and James Fisher, 'The Reasons for the Survey of Winter Roosts used by Rooks', explaining some of the methodology used, is published in the same place, pp303-308.

Dorothy Miles

  • P046
  • Person
  • 1899

Dorothy Miles was born 7 March 1899. She was the daughter of Albert G J and Elizabeth Miles; and had younger siblings Marjorie (b 7 June 1902); Norman (b 1906); and Nancy (b 29 March 1912), who in 1919 was a pupil at Old Palace School. Dorothy was educated at Old Palace School and at the London School of Economics. She began work in the off ice of L H Turtle (toolmaker and cutler) at 6 Crown Hill, Croydon, in November 1915, and in 1919 was still there, as a secretary. She later worked for much of her life for Grants (as secretary to the Directors). In the course of 1919 she became engaged to Wallis Powell, who left later in the year for Australia to set up the firm of Foster Clark (food manufactureres): in the event, she never married.

Cuthbert William Johnson

  • P114
  • Person
  • 1799 - 1878

Cuthbert William Johnson, born in Bromley on 21 September 1799, was an agricultural writer largely considered an authority on agricultural matters. He published several works including 'The Use of Crushed Bones as Manure'. He was a key player in the campaign which led to the passing of the Public Health Act in 1848, going on to be Chairman of the Croydon Local Board of Health from it's founding in March 1849 to September 1953 and again from May 1862 to March 1877. He died in Croydon on 8 March 1878.

Charlotte Emily Mortimer

  • P050
  • Person
  • 1867 - 1937

Charlotte Emily Mortimer (born 1867; known as Emily) was a teacher at the Princess Road Board School. She married Harry Marchant in 1896 and had a daughter, Constance Elsie.
She died in 1937.

Caroline Spratt

  • P056
  • Person
  • 1855 - 1944

Mrs Caroline (Carrie) Spratt was a dresser at the Grand Theatre (High Street, Croydon) at the same time as her husband was stage door keeper there.

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