Mary Ann Knight

On the 80th Anniversary of VE day it seems suitable to post the story of Mary Ann Knight, who at the time of her death in 1957 was “believed to be Belmont’s oldest resident” aged 97.  

Mary was born Mary Ann Sage on 16th December 1860 in Kenninghall in Norfolk to Robert Sage and Ann Oxer.  On the 1861 census Mary is recorded as a three month old, living with her parents and three older sisters in Kenninghall.  Her father was working as an agricultural labourer.  

In 1871 Mary still lived in Kenninghall but the family had grown considerably, and Mary had 5 younger siblings.  

At the time of the 1881 census Mary was 20 years old, living in the family home at Grange Road, Kenninghall, with her parents and 6 younger siblings.  

By 1887 Mary had moved to Buckinghamshire and in December of that year she married John William Knight.  

On the 1891 census Mary is recorded with her husband John and their first child, Frederick who was 7 months old.  They lived at 12 Packington Street, Islington.  

John and Mary had 7 children together:

  • Frederick Robert John (born in 1890)
  • Maurice Thomas (born in 1893)
  • Ida Daisy Mary (born in 1895)
  • Harold Alfred Reginald (born in 1897)
  • Arthur Gordon Edward (born in 1899)
  • Stanely Victor Albert (born in 1901)
  • Leonard Frank Sage (born in 1904)

In 1901 the family still lived at 12 Packington Street, Islington and John worked as a messenger for the GPO.  

By the time of the 1911 census the family had moved to 18 Park Avenue, Bush Hill Park, Edmonton.  John was working as a “solicitors messenger” with the GPO for HMS Civil Service.  

Mary and John tragically lost three sons in the First World War.

  • Maurice Thomas died on the 1st July 1916, age 23, while serving in the 2nd Battalion Middlesex Regiment as a Lance Corporal.  
  • Harold Alfred Reginald, died on the 11th September 1916, age 19, while serving as a Private in the London Regiment 3rd (City of London) Battalion (Royal Fusiliers).  
  • Arthur Gordon Edward died on the 29th September 1918, he served in the King’s Royal Rifle Corps as a Rifleman.

The 1921 census records three of Mary’s children (Frederick, Ida and Leonard) living together still at the family home at 18 Park Avenue, Edmonton.  

By 1921 Mary and John had moved to Sutton and lived at Down’s View, Banstead Road, (37 Cotswold Road) Belmont.  

Sadly, Mary was widowed in 1923.  

The 1939 register records Mary still living at 37 Cotswold Road with her daughter Ida and Ida’s husband Edwin Vyvyan. 

There was further tragedy for the family in the Second World War, when Stanley Victor Albert died on the 15th May 1942, aged 41, while serving in the Royal Navy on HMS Hecla.  Stanley had lived in Gauntlett Road, Sutton.  

Mary continued to live in Belmont until her death in 1957.  Mary’s death was reported in the local newspaper.  The below is from Sutton and Epsom Advertiser, 2nd January 1958.

Mary lived through two world wars and lost four sons in these conflicts, it’s hard to imagine the grief and pain she must have felt.  As the country celebrates the 80th Anniversary of VE day it’s important to remember those that gave their lives in the two world wars so that we may be free today.  VE day was a day of celebration but for many families it was also a day of grief and reflection on the loss they had suffered.    

D-Day – Remembering Ronald Fowler

Ronald Vincent Fowler, 5112602

Lance Corporal, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 2nd Battalion

Ronald was born on the 25th July 1917, he was the son of Charles Fowler and Eliza Jane Bridgewood.  He was one of 14 children all born in Warwickshire.  

In 1939, Ronald lived at 20 Alexandra Street, Nuneaton, Warwickshire with his father, step-mother and some of his siblings.  He worked as a fitter’s labourer/motor worker.  Ronald’s father worked as a coal miner.  

Ronald married Doris Evelyn Barsby on the 8th February 1942 at St Barnabas Church, Sutton.

(Wedding Photo. Source: Ancestry)

Ronald’s wife Doris lived in Sutton at 65 Carshalton Grove.  

Ronald was killed in the D-Day operations; he died on the 7th June 1944.

He never met his only daughter who was born in July 1944.

Ronald is buried at Le Mans West Cemetery in Sarthe, France (Plot 38, 1939-45 Row B, Grave 22).  He is also remembered on Carshalton War Memorial.  

“TO LIVE IN THE HEARTS WE LEAVE BEHIND IS NOT TO DIE”

Tram Accident – Easter Monday 1907

Bus and tram services had reached Sutton New Town by 1900. The Sutton Journal from 14th November 1901, comments “It has been found that towns a few miles apart can be connected together by the electric tram at less cost than by railways.”  In 1903 a bus service ran from South Croydon to Sutton, but this service only lasted a very short time.  It was replaced by competition from the trams.  From 1905 trams driven by electricity ran from Sutton to East Croydon.  The route through Sutton New Town included Benhill Avenue, Lower Road, Westmead Road, up Ringstead Road and then along Carshalton Road.  Local newspapers record there was concern over the route of the tram spoiling the picturesque Carshalton Village.    

The trams were very popular especially on bank holidays.  

Tragically a serious accident occurred on the local tram route, when a tram overturned in Ruskin Road on Easter Monday 1907.  2 people died and at least 36 were injured.  

The accident clearly affected many residents in Sutton New Town.  The driver of the tram, George Woodley, lived at Waterloo Road.  The local newspapers criticised him for his lack of experience on the route and failing to control the speed of the tram.  

Many of those injured were local residents.  For example, Charles Neal, a plasterer of 6 Queen’s Road, Sutton suffered a life changing knee injury.  Before the accident he had worked for over 10 years at Banstead Asylum and enjoyed football, cycling and running.  In March 1908, The High Court awarded him £800 in compensation.  Another family affected were the Sayer’s of 27 Vernon Road.  Henry Sayer worked as a coach builder.  He had been travelling on the tram with his wife, Elizabeth and baby daughter Minnie.  Henry suffered a head injury, shock and facial paralysis.  There was much debate, as to whether Henry could have returned to work sooner and if he was trying to claim exaggerated medical costs and “extra nourishment”.  The High Court awarded Henry £300 in compensation, Elizabeth £50 and the baby £10.

It was found that the accident at Ruskin Road was caused by the weight and speed of the tram coming down the hill at the sharp turn. As a safety requirement for the future, all trams were enforced to have a full stop halfway down the hill at Ruskin Road and also in Ringstead Road.  

Images from Croydon Guardian and Surrey County Gazette, London, 6th April 1907.

Edwin Mills – Ostler

Looking at newspapers from 100 years ago shows a very different Sutton to the one we know today.  This blog focuses on Edwin Mills – an ostler who lived in Sutton New Town.  An ostler is a person employed to take care of horses, usually at a stable connected to an inn.  Edwin was an ostler at the Cock Hotel in Sutton for 46 years.  100 years ago travel by horse was one of the main forms of transportation and the Cock Hotel was a popular stopping point on the road through Sutton.  

Edwin was born in Capel, Surrey in 1850.  He married Elia Rose Grabham on the 3rd May 1879 at St Nicholas Church, Sutton.  Edwin and Elia had 7 children; Edward, William, May, Frank, Thomas, Alice and Kate.  The family lived in Reading Road, Sutton from 1901 to the 1920s.   

Edwin died 100 years ago in January 1924.  The report of Edwin’s death in the local newspaper tells us about his character and Sutton a century ago.  The below articles are from The Sutton and Epsom Advertiser, 17th January 1924.  

Remembering one of the many lost men of Sutton New Town

Charles Henry Levett, Private

Middlesex Regiment, 1st Battalion, L/8830

Charles was born in Notting Hill, London to Thomas and Annie Levett. Charles’ father had various occupations including general labourer, milk carter and bootmaker/repairer.  Charles’ mother died when he was only 12.

In 1911 Charles was living at Sutton Grove in Sutton, he was 30 years old, single and working as a general labourer. 

On June 12th 1912, 30 year old Charles married 21 year old Daisy Elizabeth Thornton at All Saints Church, Benhilton.  Their first child Ruby Lilian was born on the 15th December 1912 and was baptised at All Saints, Carshalton on 20th December 1912.  Tragically, she died and was buried on 1st January 1913. Charles and Daisy had a second child Charles Henry, born 6th January 1915.  He was baptised at St Barnabas Church on 7th March 1915.  

Charles enlisted in the Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment), 1st Battalion at Hounslow.  He was awarded the Croix de Guerre, a military decoration of France created in 1915 that was awarded to individuals who distinguished themselves in acts of heroism involving combat with enemy forces. 

Charles was killed in action in France on 25th September 1915.  He was 32 years old.  His death was recorded in St Barnabas Parish magazine in June 1916.  

Charles is commemorated on the Loos Memorial.

78 Westmead Road

Francis Vint – 78 Westmead Road, Sutton 

Francis Alexander Vint was born on 12th March 1894 in Thornton Heath, Surrey.  He was the son of John and Elizabeth Vint and was one of 12 siblings.  


At the time of the 1911 census the family lived at 235 Dunstans Road, East Dulwich.  Francis was recorded as a 17 year old and working as a boot repairer.  

At the outbreak of war in 1914 Francis served in the British Indian Army. 

In 1924 Francis married Doris Winifred Hurley in Camberwell, London.  They had two children Ellen (b. 1927) and Alan (b. 1934).  

From 1935 to 1960 Francis and Doris are recorded living at 78 Westmead Road, Sutton.  Francis continued to work as a cobbler and master boot repairer during this time.

Francis died in Eastbourne, Sussex in 1969, age 75.  

The detached property on the left of the photo shows 76-78 Westmead Road.  Vint’s shop would have been number 78.  Number 76 was occupied by a series of hairdressers.  


Numbers 76-78 Westmead Road were demolished in 2020.

Thomas Comfort – Chimney sweep

A profession that is no longer found in abundance in Sutton is that of the chimney sweep.  One of Sutton New Town’s chimney sweeps was Thomas James Comfort.  

Thomas was born in Eynsford, Kent in 1876 and he was baptised at St Martin’s Church, Eynsford on 13th February 1876.  He was the son of Thomas Comfort and Elizabeth Vaughan.  

Thomas married on the 7th March 1903 to Ada Mary Ann Stubbs in Wilmington, Kent.  At the time Thomas was working as a bricklayer.  In the early years of their marriage they lived in Dartford and Thomas worked as a greengrocer.  The couple went on to have nine children; Arthur Thomas (b. 1903), Willie (b. 1904), Ada Mary (b. 1907), Mabel (b. 1908), Thomas James (b. 1910), Florence May (b. 1911), Winifred (b. 1913), Evelyn Alice (b. 1915) and Frederick George (b. 1916).  

By 1907 the family were living at 61 Collingwood Road, Sutton and Thomas was again working as a bricklayer.  In 1910 the family moved to Hope Cottage, Cheam Road and it is at this time that Thomas started working as a chimney sweep.  Thomas is recorded in the local directories for Sutton as a chimney sweep at Cheam Road from 1911 to 1913.  After 1915 the family lived at various addresses in Sutton New Town including; 48 Lind Road, 58 Manor Lane and 85 Carshalton Road.

Sadly, Thomas died in 1924 aged just 49.  Many chimney sweeps died prematurely due to accidents, respiratory disease and skin cancers.  

All of Thomas and Ada’s children survived to adulthood.  Two of their sons (Thomas and Willie) continued the chimney sweep tradition.  Thomas James (whose adverts are pictured above) continued to work in Sutton.  The adverts appeared in the St Barnabas Parish Magazine from February 1928 to December 1936.  Thomas remained in the Sutton area all his life and died in 1993 aged 83.  Willie was working as a chimney sweep at the time of his marriage in 1926 but he and his wife later emigrated to Australia.  

It would seem Thomas James (b. 1876) adapted his work to support his growing family and suit the needs of the time.  Sutton New Town with its ever increasing rows of houses would have provided employment for many bricklayers, builders and chimney sweeps.  There were certainly enough chimneys for his chimney sweep business to flourish.  

Miss Morelli

Miss Morelli – School for Little Boys and Girls

This was one of the examples of early child care, nursery school/pre-school in Sutton New Town.  The advert above appeared in the St Barnabas Parish Magazine from December 1925 to April 1927.  

Miss Flora Margherita Louise Morelli was born in Kensington, London in 1865.  Her father was Marino Vincenzo Fhillipo Morelli, an engraver, artist and photographer, born in Rome, Italy.  Her mother was Margaret Mary (née Guthrie), she was also an artist and was born in Marylebone, London.  Flora’s parents married in London in 1855.  Flora had two brothers; Alexander (b. 1857 in Rome) and Edward (b. 1870 in Kensington).   

For many years Flora lived with family members at 91 Lewisham High Road, Deptford.  Flora does not appear to have had to work during her time there and the household always had a general servant.  The head of the household was her uncle Richard Thompson, who was a clerk at the General Registry Office.  Richard died in 1906, aged 82 and at this point, Flora, her mother and younger brother appear to have moved to Sutton.  

Sadly, Flora’s younger brother, a violinist died in August 1907 aged 37 (at the time he was a patient at Banstead Asylum).  Flora’s mother died in December 1907 aged 84.  Both deaths were registered in the Epsom district.  

In 1908 Flora appears on the Sutton rate books as the occupier of “Nicobar”, Carshalton Grove, Sutton.  The 1911 census records Flora living at “Ironton”, Carshalton Grove, Sutton.  She was 46 years old and “a daily governess and teacher of pianoforte”.   

Flora is recorded on the electoral rolls from 1915 to 1924 at 25-27 Carshalton Grove.  This was a maisonette property with number 25 known as “Ironton” and number 27 known as “Januaria”.

It appears Flora was probably equipped to give small children of New Town a musical and creative early years experience.  

By 1927 Flora had moved to 1 Carshalton Grove.  Flora died in Charing Cross Hospital in London on 22nd January 1930, aged 65 and she is buried in Sutton. 

“Woodleigh”

The Burrage Family – “Woodleigh” 71 Westmead Road

This is one of the oldest properties on Westmead Road.  The house will soon be gone as part of a new development due to be built in this area.  I thought I would look into its history and investigate who lived there.  

At the time of the 1891 census the house was occupied by the Burrage family.  The Burrages originated from Hertfordshire but moved to the Sutton New Town area in the late 1860s.  The family had previously lived at Oakhill Road, Vernon Road and Sutton Grove before settling at “Woodleigh”, Westmead Road.  The head of the household was George Isaac Burrage, he was born in 1844 and worked as a builder.  I think it is likely George Burrage built the house at Westmead Road, but without access to further records I can’t be certain.  

George married Caroline Pratt at St Mary’s Church, Wimbledon in 1867.  The couple went on to have 8 children together:

  • Caroline Jessie (1868-1951)
  • John Robert (1870-1952)
  • Annie Eugenie (1871-1948)
  • David Walter (1872-1957)
  • Ellen Georgina (1877-1963)
  • George Samuel Pratt (1878-1964)
  • Selina (1880-1965)
  • Leonard Francis (1884-1970)

The tax records indicate that George Isaac Burrage owned a large area of land on Westmead Road and he appears to have been successfully building houses from the 1890s.   On the land surrounding Woodleigh, George also owned stables, a yard and a workshop.  

By 1911, the Burrage family were still living at “Woodleigh” but most of the children had left home.  By this time, George was 66 years old and had retired and Caroline was 69 years old.  They had two unmarried daughters living with them; Ellen, aged 34 and Selina, aged 30.  Both daughters’ occupations were given as “domestic duties at home”.  

Their two daughters, Ellen and Selina continued to live at the family home.  The 1939 register records Ellen and Selina living on “private means” at  71 Westmead Road.  Neither of them ever married; Ellen died at home in March 1963, aged 86 and Selina died at St Helier Hospital in December 1965, aged 85.  

Sadly, Caroline died at Woodleigh in May 1912.  George also died at the house in January 1928.  (Photos below are George Isaac Burrage and his wife Caroline)

It seems that no other family lived at the house and in 1968 the house was changed from part living accommodation and part office to full office use.  At the time the surrounding yard was owned by Martells of Sutton Ltd (a removal firm).    

The neighbouring house, number 74 was converted in 1967 from accommodation to office use and at this point the garden was converted to car parking spaces.  Part of the planning application stated that a wall needed to be built on the Westmead Road entrances, so this partly explains why the house appears boarded up from the main road.  

More recently the land has been occupied by Chelsea Timber Yard as a wood and storage yard.  The land is currently cleared awaiting redevelopment.  

If anyone has any further information on the history it would be great to know more.

Elizabeth Fewell

Sutton New Town’s Sub Postmistress

Elizabeth Fewell (nee Newman) was born in Croydon in 1839.  She married James Fewell in Upper Norwood in 1862.  By 1865 they had moved to Sutton.  By the time of the 1871 census Elizabeth and James had settled at Lind Road, Sutton.  James worked as a postman and they ran the stationers/sub post office at their home, The Broadway, Lind Road.  In total the couple had 9 children; 5 daughters and 4 sons.  

Photo of Elizabeth Fewell, 1908 (The Past on Glass at Sutton Archives)

Sadly, James Fewell died in 1888, aged 58.  He was buried at All Saints Church, Benhilton by Rev. Boden of St. Barnabas Church.  Elizabeth continued the family business, becoming the sub postmistress and running a successful stationery shop.  This was a remarkable achievement, especially considering she was also raising a large family alone.  All the children grew up to lead successful lives with many working in the post office service.  

By 1911 Elizabeth had left the Sutton New Town area and was living with two of her grown up children in Wood Green.  Elizabeth died in Bowes Park, Wood Green, Middlesex in 1929, aged 89.  

Junction of the Broadway/Lind Road/Lower Road. In later years the Post Office was the building on the right of the photo.