Notable Norwoodians

Anderson, Arthur (1792 to 1868)

He was the founder of the Norwood Institute and one of the outstanding figures in the commercial life of the City of London.  He was born in Shetland and started work as a beach boy at the age of ten.  At 16 he was in the Navy, but left the service, wa …


Bagshaw John MP (1784 to 1861)

Lived in Palace Square, Upper Norwood in 1861 Resident in Palace Square on the 1861 Census, was John Bagshaw MP.  He was a Property Developer, Whig and Politician and a Magistrate for Essex (1851 Census). He was born in Warwickshire in 1784, but moved …


BASSANO, ALEXANDER (1829 to 1913)

Lived at 75 Central Hill in 1901 Alexander Bassano was one of the most famous Victorian society photographers. He took portraits of many members of the royal family including Queen Victoria.  In an article published in 1901 he said that the Queen: I fo …


BESSANT, ANNIE (1847 to 1933)

Lived in Colby Road in 1874 Annie Besant house Colby Road- courtesy of R. Hibberd Annie Besant Blue Plaque – courtesy of R. Hibberd One of Colby Road’s earliest residents was Annie Besant, the 19th century social reformer. She was a remarkable woman an …


BOOTHBY, DORA (1881 to 1970)

Dora Boothby (1881-1970) 40 Harold Road Penelope Dora Harvey Boothby was born in Finchley, Middlesex on August 2nd 1881.  She and her older sister Gertrude lived with their stepparents at 40 Harold Road, Upper Norwood.  It was likely that she learned t …


Boulton, Sidney Alexander (1856-1932)

Sidney Alexander Boulton was born at sea in the Azores in 1856 probably during the family’s return from Bombay.  His father, Frederick Sidney Boulton was first the commander of the Sir Herbert Compton’ operating out of Bombay and by 1848 a Marine Surve …


BRICKDALE, SIR CHARLES FORTESCUE, (1857 TO 1944)

Lived at 12 Gatestone Road in 1891 He was the son of Matthew Brickdale, a barrister who resided in Harold Road, Upper Norwood in 1891.  After attending the Westminster School he became a student at Christ Church College, Oxford University.  He was call …


Flowerdew, Herbert (1866 to 1917)

Lived at 33 Palace Square in 1891 Herbert Flowerdew was a Crime Fiction Writer (Bn 1866 Nottingham D 29 May 1917, aged 50).  Between 1897 and 1914, he published fourteen novels, including the popular ‘The Villa Mystery’ in 1912.  His books are of the ‘ …


FORTESQUE-BRICKDALE, MARY ELEANOR (1872-1945)

Mary Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale (25.1.1872-10.3.1945) Matthew’s daughter, Mary Eleanor Forestcue-Brickdale (born 25.1.1872) trained as an artist at Crystal Palace School of Art, under Herbert Bone, and entered the Royal Academy in 1896. Her first majo …


Hillier, George Lacy (1856 to 1941)

Lived at 16 Cintra Park George Lacy Hillier lived at ‘Ellison’ 16 Cintra Park.  He was an English racing cyclist, a pioneer of British cycling, and an excellent all-around athlete. He was one of the founders of the Chichester and District Motorcycle Cl …