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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.

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 Croydon Rifle Club was established in c.1945 possibly by former Home Guard members. It was based in an old wooden railway building on the Fairfield site which had previously been used by the A.R.P. and which served as the Headquarters of the Croydon and District Small Bore Rifle League. In 1955 plans were proposed for the re-development of central Croydon and the club was advised that it would have to move. After discussions with Croydon Council, a suitable site was found on part of the Beddington Lane Sewage Farm. The move began in June 1958 and materials from the old range were used in the new one. The range was finally opened in 1966, by which time it was known as the Croydon Rifle and Pistol Club. The berms were made by excavated earth from the flyover in the town centre and the Full-Bore Pistol range was completed in 1985. The Croydon Rifle and Pistol Club remains open at Jessops Way, off Beddington Lane.

By agreement with the London Borough of Croydon the Croydon Sailing Club sails on South Norwood Lake a six-acre former canal feeder reservoir. The lake is situated between Crystal Palace and Norwood.

The following extract is taken from an unknown newspaper cutting dated 8 September 1978, which can be found within the collection, and offers a brief account of how the Croydon Sailing Club started;

The first person to realise the potential of the lake for sailing was Mr Roger Self who gained permission from Croydon Council to sail his dingy there in 1956. Mr Godfrey Symons and his wife Pauline of Wrights Road South Norwood , heard about the lake and started to build their own dingy. When Mr Self left the district they were left with a half-built boat. It was no good to them without somewhere to sail they decided to form Croydon Sailing Club and took over its running. Club members in 1957, when the club first ventured into the water ,owned a motley selection of craft - everything from the canvas boat to the clinker-built Queen Mary, picked up by someone on the coast. At the first Annual General Meeting the club decided to adopt Herons Dinghies and the single sail Gremlins as the official class of boat which Croydon Council agreed were suitable to sail on the lake. Only six boats were allowed on the lake at one time although the number permitted was soon doubled to 12 when the club realised it was manoeuverably possible... the club has gone from strength to strength since the beginning in 1957.

The club is still running and sails all year round. Racing takes place on Sundays and in the summer months there is organised sailing most Wednesday evenings. There are also a number of trophy races throughout the year. The club celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2005.

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.

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 Croydon War Supplies Clearing House was formed in October 1914. Its aim was to act during the period of the war as a publicity, collecting, distributing agency, and general information bureau, in respect of all appeals for the Army and Navy, Red Cross Society, St. John Ambulance, and other duly accredited bodies, and to prevent the overlapping of gifts in kind that are being made in answer to the various appeals.

By the time it closed on 17 April 1919, it had collected and despatched 2,373 cases containing 260,170 separate items to the forces as well as 786 other cases on behalf of The Croydon Association of Voluntary Organisations. These items included tea, coffee, chocolate, tobacco and clothing.