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Authority record

Croydon Book Society

  • CB175
  • Corporate body
  • 1788

Croydon Book Society dated its history from 1788 or earlier (at which date it seems to have met every fortnight or so in the winter months). It is described in Garrows History of Croydon (1818), pp206 - 7.

The Book Society. This like many others in different parts of the country, is an association for the desirable purpose of affording to many resepctable and well- informed persons, who may not have the means of procuring the numerous publications of the present day, the opportunity of perusing instructive and entertaining books. According to the rules of the society, every member pays 16322 per annum, as a contribution, for the purchase of such books as the society may approve; which of course every subscriber is entitled to read, but necessarily for a limited time. At the expiration of every year, there is a meeting of the society, at the Kings Arms, when the books are disposed of amongst the members, to each highest bidder.

It was essentially a private circulating library: it functioned by buying books and magazines from its subscription income, circulating them among its membership, and then selling them to raise some additional income. In the early twentieth century, an Annual Dinner to raise some additional income. In the early twentieth century, an Annual Dinner incorporating a business meeting was held in December or January (normally with the Vicar of Croydon in the Chair): from 1940, this became a simpler Annual Meeting. The Society was wound up in December 1953, when its membership had dropped to 11, and no new Secretary could be found [Croydon Advertiser, 30/10/1953 pp1;6].

Croydon Board of Guardians

  • CB005
  • Corporate body
  • 1836 - 1930

Croydon Poor Law Union was established in 1836, under the terms of the Poor Law Amendment Act, 1834. It incorporated the parishes of Croydon, Addington, Beddington, Coulsdon, Merton, Mitcham, Morden, Sanderstead, and Woodmansterne; the hamlet of Penge; and, from 1866, the new parish of Wallington (created from part of Beddington). The Board of Guardians, elected by the ratepayers, was responsible for looking after the poor of this area. The Board of Guardians was abolished from 1 April 1930, under the terms of the Local Government Act, 1929. Its work was taken over by the County Borough of Croydon.

Croydon Amateur Boxing Club

  • CB183
  • Corporate body
  • 1928

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.

Croydon Adult Students Association

  • CB172
  • Corporate body
  • 1954

The following extract which is taken from the first News Sheet produced by the Croydon Adult Students Association dated January 1954 describes the aims and intentions of the association:

The purpose of this news sheet is to bring to the attention of members, and of prospective members attending adult evening classes in Croydon, information concerning the activities of the Croydon Adult Students Association. It will also, as far as possible, give news of public events such as concerts and exhibitions which may be of interest to readers.

Membership of the Association is open to those who are attending, or have attended, classes or Saturday schools in Croydon, and the annual subscription is one shilling. The aim of the association is to promote cultural and social activities of various kinds and some particulars of these are given below. The affairs of the Association are managed by a committee which consists partly of members elected at the annual general meeting, together with representatives of sections. The latter include a countryside club, a drama section and a badminton club, and in addition associated with appropriate classes, are the Croydon Cecilia Choir, the East Surrey Symphony Orchestra, and the East Surrey branch of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society. Other sections may be formed as the demand rises. Members of classes are invited to join the Association and , for convenience, subscriptions may be paid through the Adult Education Office, 13 Katharine Street, Croydon.

There are no other known surviving records of the Croydon Adult Students Association and therefore the date it ceased is not known.

Crosfield Nursery School

  • CB267
  • Corporate body
  • 1946

Land had been conveyed on 15 July 1932 to the Trustees of the Croydon Mothers and Infants Welfare Association which had been formed for the purpose of promoting the health and welfare of the expectant and nursing mothers and infants in Croydon. The intention was to erect a Nursery School (with or without payment as the Association might determine), the Trustees being Mrs Helen Grace Crosfield of Eskdale House, Castlemaine Avenue, South Croydon, the widow of Hugh Theodore Crosfield JP, Rosalind Jessie Everett of Yew Tree House, Hartley Old Road, Purley, Surrey widow and Winifred Jane Philpott of 63 Blenheim Park Road, South Croydon. The Secretary of the Association was F.G. Brown, of La Roque, Overton Road, Sutton, Surrey.

Later, Helen Crosfield seems to have been succeeded as a Trustee by Priscilla Crosfield and Rosaline Everett by Barbara Duncan Harris. The land was at about 91 Canterbury Road (i.e. on the south side of the Canterbury Road between Priory Road and Mitcham Road), with a paint factory and a carriers yard on one side and a metal works on the other, but with a gate leading onto Canterbury Road Recreation Ground. The premises were closed in September 1939. In March 1947 the then trustees Winifred Jane Philpott JP, the wife of Alan Philpott, Gentleman, Barbara Duncan Harris JP, the wife of George Percy Harris of 24 Haling Park Road, Croydon, Gentleman and Priscilla Crosfield of 122 Mortlake Road, Kew Gardens, Richmond, Surrey, Spinster, conveyed the property to the Corporation, the declared intention being that it should be used as a Nursery School.

It had, during the war, been used as a Red Cross Centre but had been reopened as a Nursery School on 3 September 1946. In November 1953 the present Nursery School site off Elborough Road was purchased compulsorily by the Corporation from the South Suburban Co-operative Society Limited for 163100, the land having previously been used as tennis courts and having fallen into disuse. The building seems to have been used initially as an annexe to South Norwood Junior School Crosfield Nursery School moved into the premises in September 1962.

Croham Hurst Preservation Society

  • CB148
  • Corporate body
  • 1901 - 1987

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.

Croham Hurst Preservation Committee

  • CB147
  • Corporate body
  • 1901

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.

Courtwood Primary School

  • CB076
  • Corporate body
  • 1969

Opened 1 January 1969. The School has always been for both Infant and Juniors.

Court of Quarter Sessions

  • CB008
  • Corporate body
  • 1889 - 1965

The Borough of Croydon was awarded a separate Court of Quarter Sessions by grant of Queen Victoria, dated 25 June 1889 (i.e. shortly after Croydon had achieved County Borough status). The Court came to an end with the County Borough in April 1965. Quarter Sessions Courts dealt with criminal cases, and with licensing matters.

County Borough of Croydon

  • CB210
  • Corporate body
  • 1889 - 1965

In 1883 Croydon recieved a charter of incorporation to become a borough and became a County Borough in 1889. County Borough Status meant that the Borough was responsible for all its own services such as Fire, Police, Education etc. rather than these being provided at County level by Surrey.

Coulsdon Nursery School

  • CB078
  • Corporate body
  • 1946

The school commenced on 4 April 1933 as a Day Nursery and on 1 July 1946 as a Nursery School. The initial premises was a private bungalow in Woodman Road. It was founded by Mrs Finn who had advanced ideas on nursery education. Later, a bungalow, Greenacres, was built in Linden Avenue and the Nursery was built in its garden; the Nursery staff slept in the bungalow.

The school came under the Authority of the London Borough of Croydon in 1964.

A Trust was established in 1953 by the Charity Commission Scheme, for the Regulation of a charity to be known as the Coulsdon and District Day Nursery.

The school has shared a governing body with Chipstead Valley Primary School.

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