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The primary object of this society is the consideration and discussion of Social and Religious Questions in the light of the best thought of the day, with a view to the furtherance of the principle of Brotherhood in all the relations of life. For this purpose, meetings open to all, were held weekly with invited speakers. Walks, a reading circle and social gatherings were also held.

In addition, the society took up active social work, in various directions.

Appeal were made in the local press for assistance in providing treats for the poorest children of the borough. These included outings such as a trip by special tramcar to Gardners pleasure resort , Riddlesdown, free admittance to the matinees at the Theatre Royal Christmas Pantomime and a new year treat for children in Croydon Workhouse.

Meetings were held at Tamworth Hall, Tamworth Road on Sundays at 7pm and later at the Gymnasium Hall, 117b, High Street, Croydon. Members contributed a minimum of sixpence a year towards the necessary expenses. Its affairs were managed by a committee which was democratically elected and subject to retirement annually. The society had a motto; Every Social Question is at bottom a Religious Question.

The society was founded in 1904.

The Historical Association is an independent national charity which has been supporting history since 1906. It has over 6,000 members representing teachers, academics, local historians and history enthusiasts. It has a strong national voice in secondary school education and advises on National Curriculum History at all levels.

It has over 50 local branches around the country, promoting life long learning and enjoyment of history. Branches have a lively series of talks by well-known historians, local walks and visits to places of historic interest.

Croydon Branch was formed in Feb 1955 but does not now exist. Details of current branches can be found on the associations website at www.history.org.uk.

The Croydon Mothers and Infants Welfare Association had five main goals: to give ante-natal advice; to provide care during and after pregnancy; to help mothers during the first weeks of their childs life; to provide care during childs first year of life[including medical, close observation and treatment]; and to continue medical supervision of child to school age.

It was previously known as the Mothers Dinner Committee. The Association established a number of localised Welfare Centres to help mothers with children throughout the borough. In 1918 they acquired 49 St James Road West Croydon where they opened St Marys Maternity Hospital maintaining 17 beds. These beds were on a means-tested basis.

Built about 1869 no.49 St James Road West Croydon was originally named Argyll House. Later it became no. 135 and by 1890 had been renumbered to no.49. It remained a private residence until 1900 when the St Agnes Home for Crippled Girls moved there from 97, Sydenham Road. By 1901 they had moved to 7, Wellesley Road. After being unoccupied for a while, the house once again, became a private residence until 1918 with the opening of St Marys Maternity Hospital.

An extension was opened on 27 September 1930 with the original building becoming the administration block. The number of beds was then increased to 32.

The Association also provided convalescent care to any mothers, children and expectant mothers needing it. It further helped unmarried mothers with grants for the support of babies up to school age, and gave some financial help in the home during confinement [late stages of pregnancy]. It aimed to help provide support for children born into diminished circumstances, reduce infant mortality and educate mothers in child-rearing. The local Welfare Centres each had a medical officer, a nurse or a health visitor to advise and assess users health needs.

Baby Welcomes were established in January 1916. These were local committees responsible for ensuring there was a nurse at each Welfare Centre to weigh babies and teach mothercraft. Mothers were charged a penny a time. These sessions were followed up by a personal visit, where necessary. The Association aimed to promote the good health of mothers and children via conferences and other public events. An AGM was held every year, during which the principal officers were elected. The first AGM was 10 May 1916.

On 01 April 1937 the Association handed over the administration of St. Marys Maternity Hospital on St Jamess Road to Croydon Corporation [County Borough of Croydon Minutes vol. LV part 1, November 1936 - October 1937; Public Health Committee 13 April 1937 p.885] The Corporation having already taken over the assessment and collection of payments by mothers.

Under the National Health Service Act of 1946, most of the work carried out by the Association [with the exception of Family Planning Clinics] would be carried out by the Corporation. Therefore the Association was wound up and handed its assets to the Corporation. In 1948 St. Marys Maternity Hospital was transferred to the newly created National Health Service. The hospital closed in October 1985. It is currently the Westways Adult Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit.

There are a number of Annual Reports for the Croydon Mothers and Infants Welfare Association held in the Local Studies Library at S70(362)CRO covering the period 1929-1946. A quote taken from the report of 1937 [June 1937 p.6 ] conveys how successful the association was as a fore-runner to modern day mother and baby clinics;

It has always been the aim of Organisers to make mothers very welcome at the Centres and so successful have they been that many mothers attend every week for the sake of having a friendly chat with the helpers and one another, whether their children really need skilled supervision or not

According to the petty cash account book the address for the South Croydon Division of the Liberal Association was 3a George Street, Croydon. There is however no entry in the street directories covering the period of the clubs activity to coroborate this.The minutes would indicate that the club met at various venues in Croydon.

Croydon Domestic Mission opened July 1886 in Dennett Hall, 17 Dennett Road, Broad Green , West Croydon. The foundation stone for the hall was laid by Mr Fred Nettlefold of Norwood ( Nettlefold Sons Tool Manufacturers ).

The societys mission statement was:

The objects of the society shall be the intellectual, moral and religious improvement of the neighbourhood, and the amelioration of its condition, irrespective of creed. The operations of the society shall be conducted in an unsectarian spirit.

The 1888 street directory entry reads 59 Dennett Road, Mission Room. The street numbering had changed by 1939 and the entry in the street directory for that year appears between nos. 15 23 and reads as Dennett Hall, Randall Mrs Caretkr. (res). By 1955 the hall is numbered as 17.

The mission closed in 1959 and Dennett Hall was sold to the Full Gospel Church (also known as Assemblies of God ) for 1633,750. The sale was completed 21 December 1959.

The Inaugural Meeting of Croydon Microscopical Club was held in the Public Hall on 6 April 1870. The clubs name was changed to the Croydon Microscopical and Natural History Club in 1877; and to the Croydon Natural History and Scientific Society in 1902. Henry Long was Hon. Secretary of the Club from its foundation until 1874. Thomas Cushing was one of the founder members.

Croydon Amateur Boxing Club was formed at a meeting on 23 November 1928, held at the Queens Club, Poplar Walk, West Croydon. The founder and first Chairman was Peter Seaton MBE, later to become President of the Amateur Boxing Association (ABA). He died on 29 April 1933, and was succeeded as Chairman by Frank Richards. Peter Seatons contribution to the club was recognised when a Memorial Fund was established for a new headquarters, to be named after him. The first President of the club was Colonel CG Allen: he was succeeded in September 1931 by Councillor EC Stuart-Baker.

The Club trained at both junior and senior levels. The juniors met on Thursday evenings at the British Legion Hall; the seniors met there on Tuesdays, and at the Queens Hall on Fridays. The first Annual Boxing Tournament took place on 27 March 1929 at the Central Baths Hall, Croydon, and became a regular event thereafter. The Club also took part in Inter - Club and Divisional Tournaments. In addition, charity displays were organised, for causes such as hospitals and the RAF Benevolent Fund.

The Club was always particularly strong at Junior Level. In December 1932 Jack Richards won the first gold medal for the Club in the 9st Schoolboy Championships of Great Britain: many further titles were subsequently won by other members.

The Club initially depended heavily on donations, both of money, and of equipment such as boxing gloves. The Taylor Cup was donated by John Taylor to be presented to the member of the Club gaining most points in competition boxing.

The Club colours were a light blue vest, and black shorts with a light blue stripe.

The Club was founded on 4 May 1887, although its earliest minute book has not survived. It went into abeyance during World War 2 (1940-1946). In January 1980, the Club merged with Thornton Heath Ladies Swimming Club, to become Woodside and Thornton Heath Swimming Club. The Club was based until 1940 at South Norwood Baths (Birchanger Road). The Baths were closed in April 1940, and never re-opened. After the Club was revived in 1946, it was based at Thornton Heath Baths (High Street, Thornton Heath).

The Clubs activities included racing and other competitive events, water polo, and an annual 'Entertainment' (consisting of serious and light-hearted competitions). Prominent members of the Club at various dates included Alderman Alfred T Layton; Sidney Herbert MP (afterwards Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery); Frederick Foss; Sir Thomas Edridge; Sir FT Edridge; FC Venn; HP Venn; Percy Phipps; WH Hoveman; Maurice Riesco; and RFA Riesco.

The Selsdon Players were established during the development of Selsdon in the 1920s. They intended to perform two plays every year, with the intention of giving at least some of their performances in aid of charities. Their repertoire was largely formed of contemporary works, such as Spring Tide and We Got Rhythm. The group merged with the Croham Stagers (another local theatre group with similar aims and membership) in August 1963. The donor was a past vice-president and chairman of the Selsdon Players.

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.

Croydon Philharmonic Society was founded in 1914 (initially as Croydon Sacred Harmonic Society) by Alan J. Kirby (1889-1959) who remained its conductor until 1957. In 1937 it was at its peak, with 160 members.

The 'Owlers Concert Party was formed when H.W Reynolds invited two of his fellow choristers at St. Luke's, Woodside, Tom Murch and Lionel Tobitt, to join a concert party to entertain soldiers in local war hospitals. Mr Reynolds' daughter Ella later became Mrs Tobitt. Their first concert was at Ingram Road War Hospital on April 1st 1916. The Party continued with a charitable purpose after WWI until 1941. It disbanded for three years before reforming in 1944 and continued until 1966 with an average of around 25 concerts a year. The repertoire consisted of both well known popular songs and original material.

A 50th Anniversary concert (their 1089th) at St Andrew's Hall, South Croydon, on 2 April 1966 in the presence of the Mayor of Croydon. However, following two more performances, the Owlers disbanded later that year after 1091 concerts. However Mr Lionel Tobitt immediately formed 'The Afternoon Owlers' to provide entertainment at hospitals, nursing homes etc. This continued until the mid-1970s.

The name 'The Owlers' was said to come from the fact that when a name for the group was under discussion, an owl could be heard on nearby Woodside Green.

The Croydon Wireless Society was founded in 1913 and was affiliated to the Radio Society of Great Britain. Meetings were held weekly on Mondays at 5 Altyre Road, East Croydon.

Souvenirs of annual dinners given to members of the Croydon Head Teachers Association (and others associated with education in Croydon) by Arther H. Harding (1885-1952; Mayor, 1939-42), and his daughter, Miss K. Maureen Harding. Mr Harding did not attend the dinner in October 1952 through illness, and he died in November. The location is the Cafe Royal, North End, Croydon.

The Southern Pathfinders (often called 'Sopats') were a Croydon-based rambling club, founded in March 1931 by Victor Morecroft of Addiscombe. Early members were recruited through a letter published in the Croydon Advertiser, and at the end of the first year there were 111 members. The club disbanded during World War II, but was revived in 1946. Regular rambles, generally in Surrey, Sussex and Kent, were organised; and there were also night walks, tours lasting several days, and (until 1969) purely social events. The club is still active in 1997.

The Club was affiliated to various national countryside bodies, including the National Council of Ramblers Associations (afterwards the Ramblers Association), and the Youth Hostels Association. It was at a meeting organised by the club in December 1933 that the Croydon YHA, the first independent branch of the national organisation, was initiated.

Victor Morecroft (1899-1984) was the founder and first Hon Secretary of the club. He left in 1934; but returned in 1953 to become Chairman, then Vice-President from 1955, and President from 1977 until his death in 1984. Herbert Gatliff (1897-1977), a high-ranking but eccentric civil servant with numerous country interests, served as the first Chairman, and later as President, until his death in 1977: he devised the club motto, 'We wont go cosy'. Another important figure was Harold Ockenden (1908-1988), who succeeded Morecroft as Secretary in 1934, became Treasurer in 1946, and Vice-President from 1969 until his death in 1988: for most of this period, he also continued to act as Secretary.