Christ Church, Colliers Wood

sketch of the church from the May 1926 issue of their magazine

Church, on Christchurch Road, which was built in 1874.

Its address is 58 Christchurch Rd, Colliers Wood, London SW19 2NY

It was originally in the Mitcham parish and was built to cater for the increasing population in north Mitcham. The area covered by the church was described in the London Gazette, see District Chapelry of Christ Church.

From The Builder magazine, 4th July 1874:

Church-Building News
Mitcham.

The new church at Singleton has been consecrated by the Bishop of Winchester. The edifice, which containes 550 sittings, has been built from designs by Messrs. Francis, of London, the total cost being £4,283. The chief part of this sum has been the joint contribution of Mr and Mrs Harris, of Gorringe Park, Mitcham, who have also erected, at their sole cost, a parsonage and mission-room, on the adjoining ground. The amount of their gift is between £6,000 and £7,000. The site has been in part the gift of Emanuel College.

Note the spelling Singleton should have been Singlegate.

Eric Montague said, in his book Mitcham Histories 2 : North Mitcham, page 93, that in 1968, on his suggestion, the chapelry boundary stone that was in Streatham Road, opposite the east lodge of Gorringe Park House, be moved to the church for safe keeping.

In this OS map of 1895, the church was surrounded by fields, with watercress beds opposite.

1895 OS map

See also the history of Christ Church on the church’s website.

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Photos taken 15th April, 2019

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Maps are reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.

Tyrell’s Poultry Farm

A poultry farm that was in Gorringe Park.

According to Eric Montague, writing about St Barnabas church in his Mitcham Histories : 2 North Mitcham, page, 109:

During preparation of the site for the new church what remained of Gorringe Park stables, then known as Tyrell’s Farm, was demolished.

He also said that a clock, removed from one of the old farm buildings, was installed in the church tower through the generosity of Joseph Wilson and his wife, who were living at Gorringe Park House at the same time as the church was built.

The 1904 street directory describes Gorringe Park Avenue as walked from the London Road:

…. here is Bruce Road
Charles FROST (Gorringe Park Lodge)

Christ Church Church Room

Christleib T. LIPSHYTZ (Gorringe Park House)

The Surrey & Sussex Poultry Farm Limited

Arnold & Arnold, veterinary surgeons (Gorringe Park)

The spelling of the surname differs in the 1910 electoral register, which shows William TYRRELL at Poultry farm, Gorringe park. Henry TYRELL is shown at 5 Thirsk Road.

The 1911 street directory, also described from west to east, now shows William Tyrell poultry farm:

…. here is Bruce Road
St Barnabas District Mission Church

St Barnabas’ Men’s Club (W.G. WOODWARD, hon. sec.)

Reverend Christleib T. LIPSHYTZ (Gorringe Park House)

William TYRELL poultry farm

Arnald & Arnald, veterinary surgeons (Gorringe Park)

This can be compared to the 1911 OS map:

1911 OS map

The assumption then is that field numbers 574 and/or 575 were the locations of the poultry farm, with 571 being the vets.

The path that is shown between Gorringe Park House and the poultry farm is followed today by the course of Edenvale Road, as shown on the georeferenced OS map on the NLS website:

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During World War 1, three members of the Tyrell family were called up and went to the Military Service Tribunal to ask for exemption. Reports of the tribunals in local newspapers have been summarised by the Merton Historical Society

3rd March 1916

“My business, run under agreement, cannot be run without my supervision,” wrote Mr. Albert Tyrell, aged 31 years, keeping a poultry farm at Mitcham, and who is a pig breeder and butcher at Streatham.
Claim for exemption was disallowed.

Leonard Tyrell, 28, a poultry farm keeper and pig breeder, whose mother is dependent on him, claimed total exemption but was only given a month.

8th September 1916

John William Tyrell, 23, a pig and poultry dealer, was quite unable to get anyone to carry on his business if he went. This was his fourth Tribunal appearance. His father, aged 58, suffered from a strained heart, and had been medically certified as unfit for heavy manual labour. The Chairman thought there was no reason why he should not turn to and do what he could; we were all now doing things that once we had given up doing. One more month, to be final.

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Maps are reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.