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The school was a Church of England School throughout its history. Existed before 1877 probably as Good Shepherd Junior Girls and Infants School. A separate infants school, Good Shepherd Infants School was opened on 24 October 1884. Also on 24 October 1884, it seems that junior boys joined the junior girls to form Good Shepherd Junior Mixed School. On 30 September 1896, the infants and junior schools were reunited to form Good Shepherd Primary School. On 24 August 1908 the school was reorganised for girls, juniors and infants in new buildings in St Jamess Road and the name of the school was changed to form St Michaels Girls and Mixed Primary School. On 3 October 1927, the school was reorganised for senior girls only and became St Michaels Senior Girls School. On 1 September 1930, the school became St Michaels Girls Central School, in a further reorganisation. The school was evacuated to Whitehawk School, Brighton, Sussex on 4 September 1939 and closed circa January 1944, at which time it was located in three different Croydon school buildings. In 1948 the school was revived as St Michaels Infant School and on 3 November 1948 it received the staff, children and records of the closed Tavistock Infants School in Grenaby Road. The school closed in July 1976, because of low numbers and the inadequacy of the site.

St. Marys School was started at 8 Broad Green (the old Presbytery) in 1851, the first Chatelaine of the school arriving from the Convent of the Faithful Virgin (Virgo Fidelis), Norwood, on a cart drawn by a donkey. In the first week it had eight pupils. Shortly, it moved into an adjoining cottage.

The school was entirely voluntary until 1862, in which year it received State recognition; the following year it also received its first State aid.

On 3 July 1864 the school transferred to its present site and from January 1888 passed into the care of the Sisters of Mercy. From 1904, there was a separate Infants Department, perhaps until 1936. In 1939, the school was evacuated to Latcham, Sussex and then after Dunkirk, to Addlestone, Surrey, and later to Withiel, Cornwall. In 1955 pupils over the age of 11 were transferred to a new and separate Secondary School which became ST MARYS (RC) HIGH SCHOOL).

In 1968, the Primary children moved into a new building, separate Infants and Junior Schools being created at that point.

Opened June 1930 at Thornton Heath Polytechnic, as a special school for myopic and partially blind children. Moved to Winterborne schools on 9 January 1933 and opened in its own building on that site on 3 September 1937. Evacuated to the Open Air School, Beechy Avenue, Eastbourne, 4 September 1939 and closed 14 June 1940, when invasion seemed imminent. Reopened 29 March 1946 at Fairchildes and returned to Winterbourne in 1954. Closed in July 1981, the pupils being transferred to Oval Junior and Infants School.

Atwood Primary School opened on 13 June 1960. On 31 August 1994 the school became Grant Maintained and ceased to have a Local Authority responsibility until 1999 when it became a Foundation School.

When the foundations for the School were being dug in 1960, the site was examined by archaeologists. The Sanderstead Archaeological Group, under the leadership of Roger Little, investigated the area and discovered Iron Age and Romano British occupation material, 500 BC to 200AD. Subsequent excavations by Gillian Batchelor, when the school was extended in the late 1980s, revealed an extensive early Roman area of occupation and resulted in the recovery of over 5000 pieces of 1st and 2nd century pottery.

In 1834 a dame school came into existence in a cottage that was later altered and enlarged to become the present sextons cottage, on the corner of Spring Park and Shurley Church Roads. The school was held on weekdays; on Sundahys a curate from Croydon Parish Church conducted a service there. A Cof E Chapel of Ease was built there in 1836.

The first Dame recorded is Mrs Eliza Pestell. She was married to the coachman of the Revd. Matthew Farrer, who became Perpetual Curate of Shirley in 1841. The Pestells were already living in Shirley, however, in 1838 when their second daughter Anne was buried while still an infant (two later daughters would also die before reaching majority). The Farrers were connected with the Earl of Eldon whose house stood where the grounds of Trinity School are now, so Thomas Pestell, Elizas husband, may earlier have been in the Earls service.

In 1854 the school room was enlarged and on 10 January of that year the Pestells eldest daughter, by then 21, took charge of the Girls and infants, and, apparently, her mother continued to be responsible for the Boys. These met in the Reading Room (presumably the Chapel) but in 1869 moved to a new building between the cottages and the churchyard gate in Spring Park Road. Meanwhile in 1856, the chapel had been replaced with the present church; the new Boys School was adjacent to its graveyard. There is a painting of the first Boys School by W.H.Mills, a former pupil.

Both the previous schools were replaced by a further new building, erected in only three months, which was opened by the Vicar, the Revd W. Wilks on 17 September 1885. This also stood on the Spring Park frontage.

On 09 January 1903 the schools were reorganised and combined under the Headmaster of the Boys School with effect, apparently, from 01 November 1904.

On 09 January 1933 the school was again reorganised. This was to implement the 1931 Education Act but also because numbers had suddenly become unmanageable because of the vast number of houses being built locally. All Seniors were transferred to Davidson Senior Boys and Girls Schools and travelled there by Corporation bus. It was at this time that the name St.Johns School was first used.

At 2.30pm on Wednesday 26 July 1944 a V1 flying bomb fell in the Infant playground and the blast destroyed the school buildings. Twenty four children and three teachers were in a shelter in the playground and, although the shelter filled with fumes and the doors were shattered, no one was injured. The children were evacuated safely to another shelter in the nearby recreation ground until the all clear was sounded.

For the next ten years the school was lodged at nearby Benson Primary School until the current pemises were opened by the Archbishop of Canterbury on 03 June 1954.

The school was opened in January 1925 at Winterbourne Roas as a school for Physically Defective Children. About 1928 the school took the name St Giles and on 09 January 1933 was transferred to Featherbed Lane in Addington where an extension for delicate children was opened on 18 Oct 1937.

During WWII the children were evacuated and the building housed New Addington Senior School.

Although a new block was opened in 1952, the rest of the buildings became very dilapidated, was condemned by the Inspectorate and was replaced by new purpose built premises in Pampisford Road in 1977 where it remains open as St Giles Special School, a school for children with physical disabilities from the age of 3 -16. Its catchment area extends beyond the London Borough of Croydon to include neighbouring London Boroughs. The Featherbed Lane buildings are now occupied by the Jehovahs Witnesses.

A church school had been established at St Andrews Church by 1861, possibly in Southbridge Road. On 5 December 1861, the managers of the school applied for aid in building new premises. (Source: Library of the National Society). This explains why St Andrews Mixed Infants and Girls School (opening log book entry 29 December 1862) and St Andrews Post-Infant Boys School (opening log book entry 5 January 1863), in Southbridge Road, are both described as having reopened. In 1866, the latter school closed and the former was split to form St Andrews Girls School [Upper] and St Andrews Mixed Infants School [Lower].

There is a reference also in 1861 to the existence of a small, dirty, ragged school in Old Town, Croydon. On 26 August 1872, an all-age Ragged School had opened there. From 1 February 1893 to 1903, there was a separate infants department. From 1907, the school was known as St Andrews Old Town School. From August 1913, the senior pupils were sent elsewhere and the school became a combined infants and junior school.

In 1894 St Andrews Boys School [Upper] had opened in a new building.

On 31 March 1921, the schools were reorganised. Senior children from St Andrews Old Town School were transferred to St Andrews Girls School [Upper, Senior and Junior] and St Andrews Boys School [Upper, Senior and Junior]. The infants from the main school (St Andrews Mixed Infants School [Lower]), were transferred to the Old Town school, which became St Andrews Old Town Infants School.

On 27 August 1927, the boys and girls schools were amalgamated to form St Andrews Mixed School [Senior and Junior]. On 1 September 1930, the Old Town infants school was merged with the main school and the senior pupils (age 11 and above) were transferred to other schools, which resulted in the formation of St Andrews Junior Mixed and Infants School. On 8 September 1933, senior pupils were readmitted and the school became St Andrews All Age School. On 1 September 1951, the infants and juniors were sent elsewhere and the school became a Secondary Modern, and in 1971, a comprehensive. It remains a Church of England school.

Croydon School Board was first elected on 1 March 1871, following Forsters Elementary Education Act of 1870, which instituted school boards to provide schools. Prior to this Act, education had been the responsibility of the parish council. The boards first meeting was held on 16 March 1871 and elections to the Board were subsequently usually held triennially.

The schools in existence in Croydon at the date of the foundation of the board were endowed schools, a ragged school, industrial schools, parochial schools, National Schools (Church of England), British Schools (Nonconformist), private schools and dame schools. It was the responsibility of the board to supervise the running of all schools, bringing existing schools up to the standard set by the Board of Education and building new schools as required.

By the Education Act of 1902, the School Board was abolished and an Education Committee was set up in its place.

Under the Public Health Act of 1848, any area could form a Local Board of Health by a process involving a local petition, an enquiry and the election of a local board. Local Boards had to appoint a surveyor and an inspector of nuisances, and were given powers to deal with sewers, drains, water supply, street-cleansing, nuisances, slaughter houses, lodging houses and cellar dwellings.

The population of the parish of Croydon in 1841 was 16,712, rising by 1851 to over 20,000. Although a board of Improvement Commissioners had been appointed in 1829, charged with lighting, watching and improving the Town of Croydon, by 1848 the population still had no piped water supply, drainage or sewerage. A questionnaire on the sanitary state of Croydon in 1848 described it as the worst of any district in the country, exclusive of the Metropolitan Districts. Hundreds of privies overhung the tributary streams of the river Wandle, using them as open sewers, and the towns two large ponds, Lauds and Scarbrook, served as cesspools. As late as 1861, the ponds were found to be choked with black, evil-smelling mud to a depth of five feet.

Early in 1849 two local reformers, Dr. Edward Westall and Cuthbert William Johnson, secured a petition signed by ratepayers to have the Public Health Act applied to Croydon. A preliminary commission of inquiry was held in March 1849, which noted the relatively high level of mortality in Croydon. One in seven people died in infancy, compared to one in eight for the rest of Surrey; average life expectancy was only 30 years and one month, compared to 36 for the rest of Surrey. The inquiry also took place in the midst of a cholera epidemic, which killed 53 people in Croydon in 1849.

As a result of the enquiry, it was resolved to create a local board by Provisional Order of the General Board of Health. The Order was published on 14 July 1849, and Croydon Local Board of Health came into being on 1 August, one of the first to be created under the 1848 Act. Twelve members were declared elected on 29 August, and the first meeting of the Board was held on 3 September. Its responsibilities included providing a pure water supply, drainage and sewers, collecting rates, town planning and building regulations, roads, street lighting, law and order and the fire service. In 1861 it was constituted a Burial Board, and opened the Queens Road Cemetery. In 1883 the Boards activities were taken over by the newly incorporated Borough of Croydon.

Croydon was incorporated as a Borough by Royal Charter on 14th February 1883, earlier petitions for incorporation in 1691 and 1707 having been unsuccessful. The first election under the charter was held on June 1st 1883, and first meeting of the Borough Council took place on June 9th 1883. It consisted of 49 members representing 6 wards. Croydon was granted arms, bearing the motto Sanitate crenescamus (Let us increase in health), in 1886. In 1889, under the Local Government Act of 1888, it was the only town in Surrey to be granted the status of a County Borough, retaining control of, among others, its own highways, education and public health services. Under the 1963 London Government Act Croydon became a London Borough, absorbing the Urban District of Coulsdon and Purley. It lost control of its fire brigade, ambulance service, vehicle licensing, refuse and sewage disposal, and strategic planning. Elections were held on 7th May 1964, and the first meeting of the London Borough Council of Croydon took place on 20th May 1964. Its powers came into force on 1st April 1965.

The Archbishop of Canterbury was lord of the Manor of Croydon throughout the period of this roll, although the 1532 court was held during the vacancy following the death of Archbishop William Warham. The 1533 court is described as the first court of Archbishop Thomas [Cranmer].

The Independent Order of Odd Fellows was a self-governed, benevolent, friendly society operating under the Lodge system with degrees of rank. The Order began in England in the eighteenth century as the Manchester Unity of Odd Fellows. In 1875 the Manchester Unity, one of the two largest working class organisations, had approximately one half a million members with branches all over the country.

The manor of Croydon Rectory gained its name from the fact that it was attached to the rectory of Croydon. The rectory was held by Bermondsey Abbey from 1390/1 until 1538, and so the manor also became known as Bermondsey, Barmondsey, or Barnsby Hold. After the dissolution of Bermondsey Abbey in 1538, Croydon rectory and its manor came into the Kings hands; and in 1550 were granted by Edward VI to Thomas Walsingham (son and heir of Sir Edmund Walsingham of Chislehurst). The Walsingham family retained them until the mid-eighteenth century, and therefore for the period of both of these rolls. Sir Thomas (as he became) died in 1584, and was succeeded first by his elder son, Edward Walsingham (d1589); and then by a younger son, Sir Thomas Walsingham (d1630). The manor then passed to Sir Thomass son Thomas (d1669); to Thomass son Francis; to Francis younger brother Thomas (d1691); and to Thomass son James (d1728). It was subsequently divided into three portions, but the three were eventually reunited in the hands of the Viscounts Montagu. In 1793, the Montagus sold the manor to Robert Harris (d1807); whose trustees sold it to Alexander Caldcleugh, in whose family it remained until the second half of the nineteenth century.

The lands of the manor lay in the area bounded by North End, London Road, Handcroft Road, Pitlake and Church Street: they therefore included Parsons Mead (the glebe land of the Rectory) and Broad Green common. For the later development of the estate, see RCW Cox, Urban Development and Redevelopment in Croydon 1835-1940 (Doctoral Thesis, University of Leicester, 1970),pp 22-93.

The Primrose League was founded in 1883, started by Sir Henry Drummond Wolff and ten friends at the Carlton Club, primarily to promote unity in a Conservative party at its lowest ebb. The League recognised that the party didnt consist of any one class in the community and aimed to promote unity between the classes. Lord Randolph Churchill was a leading light, and the organisation was seen by him as the way forward to enable the new Tory Demoncracy to regain power. Women members were known as Dames.

The Croydon branch of the Dames Primrose League, Grantham Habitation No 505, was founded in July 1885. Lady Randolph Churchill, and William Grantham MP and his wife Emma were present at the inaugural meeting. Mr Grantham was MP for E. Surrey from 1874 - 1885 and became Croydons first MP in November 1885 securing a majority over Mr Jabez Balfour. In one of its opening minutes of meeting the function of Habitation was outlined as discussing the ways in which ladies could help in counteracting the ignorance was erroneous principles among the people. Members included Dames (full women members), Honorary Members (men) and Absolute Members. Throughout the history of the Habitation, many charitable events were co ordinated, monies raised going to various good causes, especially during the First World War, eg. to homes for wounded soldiers. Juvenile branches were organised, awards for long service and successful recruiting were presented, and social events and speeches were often organised.

Dame Presidents

Mrs E. G. Man July 1885 - May 1886

Mrs M. E. Peard May 1886 - April 1887

Mrs E. A. Strong April 1887 - May 1888

Miss M. Etheridge May 1888 - April 1889

Mrs M. E. Peard April 1889 - April 1900

Mrs L. A. Walton April 1900 - April 1901

Mrs A. Crowley April 1901 - March 1910

Mrs A. Bouquet March 1910 - March 1913

Mrs A. Crowley March 1913 - ?

The Croydon Branch of the Historical Association was established in February 1955. It organised a programme of regular lectures and excursions for its members, and occasional purely social events. In the period covered by these minutes, some activities were carried out jointly with the Croydon Natural History and Scientific Society, and/or the Beckenham Branch of the Historical Association. As a result of poor attendances, the Branch was eventually wound up as from October 1994.

Croydon Foundry was established in 1920 in what was then Waddon Marsh Lane: its premises became 66 Purley Way in 1924. The company manufactured iron engineering castings, up to 6 tons in weight. It went into voluntary liquidation in December 1972.

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.

The 32nd Surrey (Factory) Battalion of the Home Guard guarded the factory estates around the Purley Way. E Company covered the northern part of Mitcham Road. The Company was based around the personnel of Powers Accounting Machines Ltd, whose original works were in Aurelia Road (although they also had a recently-acquired factory further down the Purley Way). The Company commander was Major Leslie E Brougham (in civilian life, a senior manager at Powers).

Croham Hurst was owned by the Whitgift Foundation. In 1898, it became known that the Whitgift Governors wished to dispose of the area. The lower slopes were to be developed and the remainder of the top offered to the Council.

This proposal would have resulted in half of the Hurst being built upon and the rest being enclosed behind a high fence. The proposals caused outrage and the Croham Hurst Preservation Committee was formed. Their campaign was backed by the local press and included the collecting of a petition in 1899 that was given to the Council and which forms the basis of this collection.

On 8th February 1901, the Whitgift Foundation sold the whole of Croham Hurst to Croydon Corporation and the future of the area was assured.

The photograph album was presented to Edward A Martin, FGS (1863 - 1943) by members of the Croham Hurst Preservation Committee, as an expression of thanks for instituting the movement preventing the sale of Croham Hurst for building.

Norwood Cottage Hospital was opened on 21 October 1882 at Hermitage Road, Upper Norwood and the first patient admitted on 01 November 1882. By the middle of 1883, it was treating a wide variety of cases with an average of just over eight patients a day. It was extended in 1932.

The hospital was run on a charitable basis until 1948 when it was transferred to the National Health Service. It changed itas name to Norwood and District Cottage Hospital in 1953.

Norwood and District Cottage Hospital closed in September 1984 and the buildings were converted to become the Canterbury Centre.

The Public Assistance Office, a department of the Borough Council, was in existence from 1930 (when the responsibilities of the Board of Guardians were transferred to the local authority) until 1948 (when the work passed to the new Welfare Services Committee of the Council, the Ministry of National Insurance, and the National Health service). It was responsible for a range of welfare activities, including poor relief, medical services, and the care of children and old people. Its offices were in Mayday Road. During World War 2, many of the staff volunteered or were called up into the services. The Mayday Monthly News Letter (edited by Mr JS Cashel) was begun in April 1942 as a means of keeping them in touch with their friends and colleagues. It continued publication until the end of the war.

Mr Albert Riddle, late husband of the donor, was formerly a fireman posted from training school to Woodside in 1961.

At the time Woodside was one of the four fire stations that made up the Croydon Fire Brigade. They were

No 1 station, Old Town, Croydon (HQ)

No 2 station, Long Lane, Woodside

No 3 station, Brigstock Road, Thornton Heath

No 4 station, Lodge Lane, New Addington

Plus No 5 station which was the Auxiliary fire station attached to No 1 station at Old Town.

Croydon Fire Brigade was merged into the London Fire Brigade in 1965.

Croydon Repertory Theatre was administered by Croydon Community Theatres Limited. The theatre was situated at 23 Wellesley Road at the junction with Poplar Walk and opened on September 13 1932. It closed in 1940 and was badly damaged by enemy bombs while being used for furniture storage. It never reopened. It was described by one local historian in 1949 as a small, convenient theatre....very popular and had a satisfactory record, producing really good plays with young players, many of whom are now famous.

The Croydon Repertory Association was the Theatres supporters club and was active c.1946-1950 in trying to have the theatre reopened.

The pressure on the Fire Brigades during the heavy bombing on the London area in the winter of 1940/1 led to the formation of Street Fire Parties.

Because at any time there might b/e too many fires for the fire services to deal with; members of the general public were therefore formed into fire fighting parties, under the control of the Fire Brigade and known at first as Supplementary Street Fire Parties. This is reflected in the date of commencement of this log book.

Later in 1941 an Order was made compelling all men between the ages of eighteen and sixty to register for Civil Defence duties, and fire watching duties, to secure that not only homes but business premises as well were guarded at all times. These were under the Warden Service.

A Street Leader was appointed and the men in the street formed rotas to watch night and day. They were trained to use stirrup pumps in quenching small fires directly they occurred and the normal incendiary bomb, and later they learned to deal with the heavy explosive incendiary. Each wore a steel helmet and brassard and, after a simple examination, was given a card indicating that he was trained.

A second Order, in 1942, brought women between the ages of twenty and forty five into the scheme as fire guards and also compelled certain men who had been exempted from fire duties at their places of employment now to undertake them and the women filled the gaps in street fire parties. By this Order owners of business premises and factories were required to produce a fire guard scheme, in conjunction with adjacent premises where that would be more effective. Altogether about fifty thousand men and women did fire duties.