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Membership of the First Croydon Old Boys Association was open to all ex- Scouts or Rovers of the First Croydon Scout Group who had served for 12 months or more.

The First Croydon Scout Group formed in 1907, making it one of the oldest groups in the Scout Movement. The inaugural meeting was held on 02 June 1908. It moved to its own premises at Beverley Hall, Grant Road, Addiscombe in 1927 and continues to serve the Addiscombe and Park Hill districts.

Forestdale Primary School commenced on 9 April 1970. It is a co-educational Community Primary School maintained by Croydon Council and caters for children aged between 4 and 11 years. In addition there is an independent Nursery, Breakfast, Afterschool and Holiday Club.

Addington National (later Addington Village and then later still St Marys, Addington) School which stood at the foot of Spout Hill on the east side, was open by 1868, and may have commenced in 1844. On 30 January 1950 it was closed (and demolished) and the staff and children were transferred to the new Gilbert Scott Infant School, and to Wolsey Infant School, and the recently opened Gilbert Scott Junior School. The Headmistress of the Village School became the first Head of Gilbert Scott Infants. The Infant and Junior Schools were combined in September 2007.

There had also, between 1874 and 1908, been an Addington Hills Infant School (the building, converted to private residence, still stands just south of the Sandrock Public House). This school had only one Headmistress throughout its existence; her log books, despite (or on account of) her illiteracy, are a joy to read.

For further details of these two Addington schools see under ST MARYS ADDINGTON (CE) SCHOOL.

Gillett and Johnston (clockmakers and bellfounders) traced their origins to the clockmaking business of William Gillett in Hadlow, Kent. In 1837, Gillett moved his business to Clerkenwell, London; and in 1844 to the site in Whitehorse Road, Thornton Heath, which it was to occupy until 1957. In 1854, Gillett was joined in the business by Charles Bland (d 1886), the firm subsequently being known as Gillett Bland. By 1875, the firm was advertising cathedral and church clocks etc., and patent carillon or chiming machines.

In 1877, Arthur A. Johnston (?1851-1916) bought a partnership: the firm became known as Gillett Bland Co., and then, from 1884, as Gillett and Johnston. Johnston extended the firms business into bellfounding. His son, Cyril Frederick Johnston (1884-1950), joined the business about 1903, and took it over after his fathers death in 1916. He greatly expanded the bellfounding side of the business, being responsible for the installation of a large vertical tuning lathe and the redevelopment of the site in 1905. The firm became a limited liability company in 1925 as the Croydon Bell Foundry Ltd, reverting to the name Gillett and Johnston Ltd in 1930.

In the 1920s and early 1930s it was at its peak: its prestigious contracts included carillons for the Metropolitan Church, Toronto (1921); the Peace Tower, Houses of Parliament, Ottawa (1926); Riverside Church, New York (1928); Louvain University Library (1928); Chicago University Chapel (1930); Wellington War Memorial, New Zealand (1929); and Bourneville (1934); clocks for Selfridges, London (1931); and the Shell-Mex building, London (1932); and the recasting of Bow Bells (1933).

Subsequently (and especially following World War 2) the company diversified into other engineering interests, and new division companies were established: Microcastings Ltd (specialising in precision industrial castings) and Bourdon Tools Ltd (specialising in precision toolmaking). Cyril Johnston retired in 1948 (after some disagreement over company policy), and died in 1950.

In the 1950s, the firm began to run into financial difficulties, and in 1957 the works were closed down. The business was sold to the Bath Portland Group, partly for the sake of the office clock side of the business (the Group already owned the Synchronome company, a rival firm), and partly for asset stripping. The turret clock side was sold on to Cyril Coombes, who had worked for the old company. He carried on business first in Wembley as Gillett and Johnston (Clocks) Ltd. In 1963, the business moved back to Croydon as Gillett and Johnston (Croydon) Ltd. This business was based from 1963 to 1970 in Clarendon Road, and from 1970 onwards in Sanderstead Road. The old companys non-clockmaking activities (including its bellfounding interests, although bellfounding was never again undertaken) were purchased by Cope Allman Ltd, and moved to Portsmouth as Gillett and Johnston Ltd. This firm was subsequently absorbed into Cope Allman Plastics Ltd, a subsidiary of Cope Allman International Ltd.

Founded 6 October 1930.

When the New Addington estate was being developed, the Southwark Diocesan Schools Commission pressed for a site for a Roman Catholic School. Croydon Corporation demurred as there was already provision for sufficient school places. The priest, Father Howley, thereupon made it clear that he would oppose the proposed estate, at which the Corporation offered the choice of one of two sites for a four-classroom school (his requirement). The Ministry of Education would agree only to a seven-class (IFE) school. The plans were re-drawn, after which the Ministry changed its mind and agreed a four-class building; the Commission, however, claimed that re-design had gone too far and so an IFE Primary School was approved.

The situation is less complicated than at first appears. A combined JMI School was opened on 6 September 1955 under Mr Duffy who was succeeded by Mr Scanlan. In September 1970 the two departments became separate schools, the Junior continuing under Mr Scanlan and the Infant School having, at its first Headmistress, Sister Mary Pauline. In August 1979 Mr Scanlan ceased to be Headmaster and, during Academic Year 1979-80, both schools were under Sister Mary Pauline. When they were combined on 1 September 1980, she remained as Headmistress.

Grants department store was founded by Mr Richard Grant and his brother Mr William Grant in 1877, as a modest drapery business at no. 17 Croydon High Street (then No. 8). The family lived above the shop, but within a few years they needed to expand the shop into the back garden. Later still, the shop expanded into part of the Greyhound Inn. In order to prevent the prospering business from further expansion, local traders bought the adjoining property, causing the Grant family to buy No. 16, over the road for their expansion.

When the High Street was widened, the store was rebuilt over the road, (the West side) in Numbers 14,16, 18 and 22. soon afterward they bought Numbers 20, 24 ,28, 28, 30 and 30A.

By this time the store had over 60 departments, including Hairdressing Salons, China, Glass, Hardware, Restaurants, and outside catering.

Richard Grant died aged 75 in January 1924.

The stores next expansion, in October 1929, was just behind the store, near Surrey Street, and was opened in October 1931.

William Grant died on the 3rd of March 1931 aged 79. William and Richard Grant left behind 3 sons between them, R. Donald Grant, W. H. Goss Grant, and Sidney T. Grant, who all ran the store together after their fathers deaths.

In 1959 Grants became a public limited company.

In 1960, when the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh visited Croydon, the Grants store provided the afternoon tea, which was hosted by the mayor.

The Grant family sold the store in 1983, and it finally closed in 1987.

School commenced on 4 March 1976

Sanderstead National School was founded in 1872 (or earlier). Sanderstead Board School opened in a new building in 1876. Renamed Gresham Primary School c. 1965.

Haling Manor High School was formed on 01 September 1970 from Croydon Secondary Technical School and South Croydon Secondary School, using both exisiting sites (on Pampisford Road and Kendra Hall Road respectively). South Croydon Secondary School had been formed from Waddon Senior Mixed School in 1954.

Hayes Primary School opend in May 1957.

Heavers Farm Primary School opened on 18 April 1972.

The Home Guard, also known as the citizen army developed as a response to Prime Minister Anthony Edens appeal for volunteers on 14 May 1940, to defend Britain who was on the brink of invasion. Thousands of men volunteered and it remained a voluntary organization until 1942, when service was made compulsory and was brought up to the same level as the Field Army. However it remained unpaid and equipment including weapons, uniforms, meeting places and administration had to be pulled from all resources as it received limited funding from the government.

By the end of 1942 it had over 1.8 million members and had helped develop the Womens Home Defence, which by 1943 had merged in to the Home Guard, and the Youth Forces which was seen as a pre-service body.

After the D Day landings, the Home Guard was stood down in November 1944 but was not officially disbanded until 31st December 1945.

The Croydon Area had eight Surrey Battalions of the Home Guard, serving the areas of Croydon, Norwood, Norbury, Purley, Addington and Wallington. The organization of the Z zone was the responsibility of Major Norman Gillett who spent May 1940 drawing up boundaries, organizing the volunteers, the equipment and weapons. The zones Head Quarters was first at 5 Friends Road and then moved later to 4 Fell Road.

Major Gillett saw the prime direction from which the threat of attack would come from was the rural end of Croydon so Purley, Addington and Wallington battalions were the top priority. The 61st Surrey (Norwood) Battalion was seen as one of the back areas, though was still important. It was lead by Sector Commander Lt Col F.L. Walker and was made an official unit on 21st April 1942. It was a part of the Queens Royal Regiment (West Surrey) and known within the Z zone as Z5.

When the Home Guard was stood down a parade was held on November 26 1944, and the members of the Home Guard marched past the Lord Lieutenant of Surrey and other associated guests at the Town Hall. The following week the individual battalions held their own parades to thank their family, friends and supporters.

Horne Brothers Ltd was a national chain of gentlemens outfitters, with about 15 branches at the date of this album. The Croydon branch opened in November 1938, at 38-40 North End, in premises ('Whitgift House') formerly occupied by Charles Baker, tailors and outfitters. It closed in February 1991.

Two Board schools, named Dering Place, were opened on 25 April 1898. One was for Infants and the other for children above Infant age.

On 2 May 1924 the Infant and Seniors were amalgamated to form one school

On 1 Sept 1930 the school was reorganised for Juniors and Infants only.

The School was evacuated to Plumpton, Sussex, between September 1939 and March 1940.

In May 1905 separate Boys, Girls and Infant Schools were opened. They bore the name Ingram Road. On 27 March 1915 the buildings became a military hospital and the schools moved to (Boys) Beulah Road Boys School and Thornton Heath Baths and (Girls) All Saints Hall and the hall of Beulah Crescent Baptist Church.

On 4 January 1932 the Schools were organised for Senior Boys, Senior Girls and Infants.

In or about 1958 the Girls School was moved into new premises and became known as Westwood School.

In April 1961 Juniors began to be admitted to the Infant School which moved into new premises in September 1961 and two months later was renamed David Livingstone School. .

Ingram Boys School remained on its original site until 1996 when it moved to The Crescent and the premises occupied, until 1988, by Selhurst High School for Boys. From 1997 the school changed its name from Ingram Boys High School to Selhurst High School for Boys, although it was entirely separate from the original school to bear that name. It closed in July 2008.

Trythalls is first listed in the 1890 Croydon Directory, at 73 Selhurst Road. By 1900, they also had a property at Station Road South Norwood and by 1920, another property at Station Road, West Croydon.

As well as being an auctioneer and estate agent, J. Anthony Trythall (d.1927) served on the Croydon Board of Guardians from 1895 to 1927 and on Croydon Council from 1901 to 1927. He was made a Justice of the Peace in 1912 and an Alderman in 1917.