Like most of West Norwood, this portion of woody land, sat on what was originally the massive estate belonging to Lord Thurlow, the Lord Chancellor of George III. Since he died without immediate heirs in 1806, his estate remained largely untouched for decades in the hands of his trustees who struggled to manage it due to legal and access issues. His will had specified that the vast estate be held in trust. His devisees, to whom the real estate was left and the beneficiaries those who received income or ultimate ownership were primarily his nephews and his three natural daughters. Eventually the decision was made to parcel off the property in the 1846 auction which marked a pivotal moment for the area and paved the way for the rise of a new generation of land owners, wealthy business men such as John Roupell, Charles Blake and Robert Hamilton who seized the opportunity to speculate on these vast arable lands and rough meadows.

According to auction documents, Chalford Road was part of Lot 2 in the auction. When the various apportionment of costs was sorted out to reflect the building of new roads such as Chalford Road, it is worth remembering that the land came under the district of St Luke’s, Norwood in the Parish of St Mary, Lambeth which was part of the County of Surrey in the diocese of Winchester. These lots were again subdivided for practical purposes because this specific patch of land was landlocked behind the main roads and difficult to access and therefore sold off in even smaller lots. Robert Bayspoole, the new owner, owned lots 870-880, largely constituted of open fields and meadows.

In the 1871 Census, the builder Joseph Gardiner is listed as living in Yew Tree Cottage in nearby Hamilton Road, later named Carnac Street with wife, two daughters, a stonemason lodger and a couple with a child probably from his wife’s family. Joseph acquired the land from Robert Bayspoole (18,  a successful hatter and furrier on Winchester hight street who probably speculated on the land of newly fashionable Lower Norwood. At the time Surrey extended to the land in Lower Norwood. Unlike the Archbishop of Canterbury who owned sprawling agricultural estates, Bayspoole was a minor figure interested in small plots with a high density of buildings suited to housing small tradesmen, dairymen and multiple working-class families. Some of his plots were immediately in contact with the Dulwich Estate which would cause rift at times. Bayspoole remained Gardiner’s silent partner over the years. He also owned a property in the neighbourhood at 123 Gypsy Hill that he passed on to his three unmarried daughters, Charlotte, Ann and Elizabeth upon his death.

A plan of Chalford Road, West Norwood. Premises listed include the Emanuel Church and kitchen garden (Rev. E Rae) with the builder developers named at Gardiner & Attfield.
From Apportionment Files dated 1891. The files show the apportionment of costs to each owner for the construction of paths and roadways adjacent to their properties.
ID: LBL/DCEPS/SL/2/48

In the Lloyd George Domesday Survey for land valuation of 1910, Elizabeth, the only surviving sibling, is registered as the sole freeholder for the street. Joseph was deriving peppercorn rents from his tenants. Upon expiry of the 99 years leases the properties were gradually sold and left the Gardiner’s estate.

Like most of West Norwood, this portion of woody land, sat on what was originally the massive estate belonging to Lord Thurlow, the Lord Chancellor of George III. Since he died without immediate heirs in 1806, his estate remained largely untouched for decades in the hands of his trustees who struggled to manage it due to legal and access issues. His will had specified that the vast estate be held in trust. His devisees, to whom the real estate was left and the beneficiaries those who received income or ultimate ownership were primarily his nephews and his three natural daughters. Eventually the decision was made to parcel off the property in the 1846 auction which marked a pivotal moment for the area and paved the way for the rise of a new generation of land owners, wealthy business men such as John Roupell, Charles Blake and Robert Hamilton who seized the opportunity to speculate on these vast arable lands and rough meadows.

According to auction documents, Chalford Road was part of Lot 2 in the auction. When the various apportionment of costs were sorted out to reflect the building of new roads such as Chalford Road, it is worth remembering that the land came under the district of St Luke’s, Norwood in the Parish of St Mary, Lambeth which was part of the County of Surrey in the diocese of Winchester. These lots were again subdivided for practical purposes because this specific patch of land was landlocked behind the main roads and difficult to access and therefore sold off in even smaller lots. Bayspoole, the new owner, owned lots 870-880, largely constituted of open fields and meadows.

In the 1871 Census, the builder Joseph Gardiner is listed as living in Yew Tree Cottage in nearby Hamilton Road, later named Carnac Street with wife, two daughters, a stonemason lodger and a couple with a child probably from his wife’s family. Joseph acquired the land from Robert Bayspoole (18,  a successful hatter and furrier on Winchester hight street who probably speculated on the land of newly fashionable Lower Norwood. At the time Surrey extended to the land in Lower Norwood. Unlike the Archbishop of Canterbury who owned sprawling agricultural estates, Bayspoole was a minor figure interested in small plots with a high density of buildings suited to housing small tradesmen, dairymen and multiple working-class families. Some of his plots were immediately in contact with the Dulwich Estate which would cause rift at times. Bayspoole remained Gardiner’s silent partner over the years. He also owned a property in the neighbourhood at 123 Gypsy Hill that he passed on to his three unmarried daughters, Charlotte, Ann and Elizabeth upon his death.

A plan of Chalford Road, West Norwood. Premises listed include the Emanuel Church and kitchen garden (Rev. E Rae) with the builder developers named at Gardiner & Attfield.
From Apportionment Files dated 1891. The files show the apportionment of costs to each owner for the construction of paths and roadways adjacent to their properties.
ID: LBL/DCEPS/SL/2/48

In the Loyd George Domesday Survey for land valuation of 1910, Elizabeth, the only surviving sibling, is registered as the sole freeholder for the street. Joseph was deriving peppercorn rents from his tenants. Upon expiry of the 99 years leases the properties were gradually sold and left the Gardiner’s estate.

Like most of West Norwood, this portion of woody land, sat on what was originally the massive estate belonging to Lord Thurlow, the Lord Chancellor of George III. Since he died without immediate heirs in 1806, his estate remained largely untouched for decades in the hands of his trustees who struggled to manage it due to legal and access issues. His will had specified that the vast estate be held in trust. His devisees, to whom the real estate was left and the beneficiaries those who received income or ultimate ownership were primarily his nephews and his three natural daughters. Eventually the decision was made to parcel off the property in the 1846 auction which marked a pivotal moment for the area and paved the way for the rise of a new generation of land owners, wealthy business men such as John Roupell, Charles Blake and Robert Hamilton who seized the opportunity to speculate on these vast arable lands and rough meadows.

According to auction documents, Chalford Road was part of Lot 2 in the auction. When the various apportionment of costs were sorted out to reflect the building of new roads such as Chalford Road, it is worth remembering that the land came under the district of St Luke’s, Norwood in the Parish of St Mary, Lambeth which was part of the County of Surrey in the diocese of Winchester. These lots were again subdivided for practical purposes because this specific patch of land was landlocked behind the main roads and difficult to access and therefore sold off in even smaller lots. Bayspoole, the new owner, owned lots 870-880, largely constituted of open fields and meadows.

In the 1871 Census, the builder Joseph Gardiner is listed as living in Yew Tree Cottage in nearby Hamilton Road, later named Carnac Street with wife, two daughters, a stonemason lodger and a couple with a child probably from his wife’s family. Joseph acquired the land from Robert Bayspoole (18,  a successful hatter and furrier on Winchester hight street who probably speculated on the land of newly fashionable Lower Norwood. At the time Surrey extended to the land in Lower Norwood. Unlike the Archbishop of Canterbury who owned sprawling agricultural estates, Bayspoole was a minor figure interested in small plots with a high density of buildings suited to housing small tradesmen, dairymen and multiple working-class families. Some of his plots were immediately in contact with the Dulwich Estate which would cause rift at times. Bayspoole remained Gardiner’s silent partner over the years. He also owned a property in the neighbourhood at 123 Gypsy Hill that he passed on to his three unmarried daughters, Charlotte, Ann and Elizabeth upon his death.

A plan of Chalford Road, West Norwood. Premises listed include the Emanuel Church and kitchen garden (Rev. E Rae) with the builder developers named at Gardiner & Attfield.
From Apportionment Files dated 1891. The files show the apportionment of costs to each owner for the construction of paths and roadways adjacent to their properties.
ID: LBL/DCEPS/SL/2/48

In the Lloyd George Domesday Survey for land valuation of 1910, Elizabeth, the only surviving sibling, is registered as the sole freeholder for the street. Joseph was deriving peppercorn rents from his tenants. Upon expiry of the 99 years leases the properties were gradually sold and left the Gardiner’s estate.

The District Surveyors Returns (DSR) of the London Metropolitan Archives present a very clear timeline for the street development. On June 21st 1880, notice was given by Joseph Gardiner for the building of five houses in Chalford Road under the serial numbers 177, 178, 179, 180 and 181. On October 15 notice was given for another house to be built under the serial number 358. The register of applications mentioned that the buildings numbered 177, 178, 179, 180, 181 were all covered by November. The register’s description mentioned two storeys’ houses of modest footprint, 435 square feet. Joseph called on his younger brother Ralph (1846-1905) working in Dudley to join him on the project. The 1881 Census mentions Ralph living at 35 Chalford Road with wife, children and a lodger, Henry Wood, his nephew also employed as plasterer.

In 1881, the development continued at pace. Notice was given by Joseph for the building of two more houses on April 21^st under the serial numbers 138 and 139. On June 21^st notice was given for four more houses to be built under the serial numbers 233, 234, 235 and 236.

Timeline

The District Surveyors Returns (DSR) of the London Metropolitan Archives present a very clear timeline for the street development. On June 21st 1880, notice was given by Joseph Gardiner for the building of five houses in Chalford Road under the serial numbers 177, 178, 179, 180 and 181. On October 15 notice was given for another house to be built under the serial number 358. The register of applications mentioned that the buildings numbered 177, 178, 179, 180, 181 were all covered by November. The register’s description mentioned two storeys’ houses of modest footprint, 435 square feet. Joseph called on his younger brother Ralph (1846-1905) working in Dudley to join him on the project. The 1881 Census mentions Ralph living at 35 Chalford Road with wife, children and a lodger, Henry Wood, his nephew also employed as plasterer.

In 1881, the development continued at pace. Notice was given by Joseph for the building of two more houses on April 21^st under the serial numbers 138 and 139. On June 21^st notice was given for four more houses to be built under the serial numbers 233, 234, 235 and 236. On September 16, notice was given for two more houses to be built under the numbers 365, 366. Three more houses were discovered by the authorities rather than notified under the numbers 485, 486 and 487.

In 1882 the construction of three more houses was notified on May 1^st, under the entries 485, 486 and 487.  On June 3^rd, four more houses were declared under the numbers 233, 234, 235, 236.

Notice was given for the construction of two more houses under the numbers 387 and 388. Finally, two more houses were declared under the entries 512 and 513. All in all, 28 lodgings were built for Chalford Road.

By 1882 both sides of the road had been fully built by the firm now called Gardiner and Sons.  Joseph also formed a partnership with James Attfield, a local builder and carpenter to spread his financial risks for the completion of the project and the final fitting out of the properties. A plan of Chalford Road from the apportionment files dated 1891 showed the premises listed which include the Emanuel Church and kitchen garden with the Rev. E Rae with the builder developers named at Gardiner & Attfield. The files showed the apportionment of costs to each owner for the construction of paths and roadways adjacent to their properties.

The cottages are single fronted on the odd numbers’ side and later lodgings double fronted on the even numbers’ side. There are 28 lodgings in total, most of them having retained their original sash windows and fireplaces.

The houses on the odd-numbered side were designed with a footprint of 435 sq feet on two storeys.  Their width is approximately 15 to 16 feet at the street frontage and extend roughly 25 to 28 feet excluding the scullery extension. They all have the original side return, a narrow outdoor passage leading to the garden. At the back the footprint extends in the classic Victorian l shape with the kitchen and scullery. The houses on the edges have tapered garden plots that are wider at the back than at the front. Across the road, the plots are often wedged shaped, wider at the front sometimes reaching 17 to 18 feet and narrower on the garden side.

The Artisans and Labourers Dwelling Act 1875 followed by several improvements’ acts aimed at putting an end to slums and spurred a new interest in the living conditions of the working classes. As a builder and recent property owner of modest origins, Joseph Gardiner would have been sensitive to their plight. He himself was positively impacted by the Reformist Movement and acquired the right to vote as early as 1870. On the grounds of occupation of a house, Joseph appeared in the polling district of Lambeth, Parish of St Mary, Norwood Ward for that year. Before the second Reform Act 1867 the system extended the franchise to men over 21 with a property qualification.  Subsequently, men who rented properties rather than owning them were also granted the right to vote.

Norwood Review and Crystal Palace Reporter – Saturday 25 March 1882

WANTED

DRESSES made, re-made, and repaired at home or ladies’ houses. Miss Smith, No21 Chalford road, Hamilton-road, near Immanuel Church.

Norwood Review and Crystal Palace Reporter – Saturday 04 August 1883

At Lambeth Police Court, before Mr Biron, QC, Henry Turner, 10, Chalford Road, Clive Road, Lower Norwood was charged with being drunk and disorderly, and assaulting Henry Rumble, Postman at the Paxton Hotel, Gypsy Road, by striking him in the face, and also assaulting PC Robinson at the same time and place. Defendant was so violent that he had to be handcuffed. He was fined 40s or one month’s imprisonment with hard labour.

Norwood Review and Crystal Palace Reporter – Saturday 08 September 1883

General Union of Carpenters and Joiners, London District, Annual Dinner

General

Members and Friends of the above society will partake of their annual dinner at the Crystal Palace on Saturday, September 15^th. Tickets to be obtained at the Lodge House, Paxton Hotel, Gypsy Hill, Woodman Hotel, Upper Norwood, or of the Branch Secretary, J. Rix, 16 Chalford Road, Clive Road, Lower Norwood

National Reformer – Sunday 29 June 1884

GUIDE TO THE LECTURE ROOM. LONDON.

Mr. F. Feroza, “ Ultimate Theistic ideas.” July 6. annual excursion to Epsom Downs; tickets to be had of Mr. Rix, 16, Chalford Road, West Dulwich.

South London Chronicle, Saturday 13 August 1898

Killed While Fetching Sweets.

Reginald Edward Hathaway, a hoy of three years. was taken by his father, a milk carrier of 15, Chalford Road, West Dulwich, into the Clive Road, a few yards from home, to buy sweets. The father left the little one a moment, but unfortunately he was knocked down by a passing horse and cart and so seriously injured that he died almost immediately. At the inquest held on Tuesday a verdict of ” Accidental death was returned.

Mid-Surrey Gazette, Saturday 04 March 1899

Alleged Brutal Assault.

Thomas David Arnot, 39, a bricklayer, living at 6, Chalford Road, West Norwood. was charged before Mr. Francis with violently assaulting his son—a schoolboy. The complainant, who was severely bruised about the face and looked in delicate health, said he ran away from home because of Lis father being unkind to him. He returned on Friday, when his father struck him in the face with his fist and tried to choke him with his finger. P.C’. 5671 said he found the boy clinging to the railings outside his father’s house. The hoy ran out to escape his father’s violence. and clung to the railings, when the prisoner tried to force him indoors again. The prisoner dealt him several —heavy blows with his fist in his (witness’s) presence. He was badly hurt, and bled freely from the mouth and ears. The officer added that the magistrate at Lambeth Police Court, before whom the boy was brought for having been found sleeping out in the open air, cautioned the prisoner as to his conduct to his son. The prisoner: Will you allow bail? Mr. Francis: Certainly not. When you treat your son badly you deserve to be imprisoned.

Streatham News – Friday 22 February 1935

Messrs. DRIVERS. JONAS & CO. WEST NORWOOD AND STRATFQRD “REEHOLD GROUND RENTS, amounting to £787 10s 4d. per annum. well secured upon Private Dwelling Houses: Shop and Business Premises at Clive Road; Hamilton Road; Carnac Street; Chalford Road. WEST NORWOOD. and at Chatsworth Road; Hatfield Road: Idmiston Road and Globe Road, STRATFORD. MESSRS. DRIVERS, JONAS & CO. will offer the property by auction, in lots (unless previously sold by Private Treaty), at the London Auction Mart. 155, Queen Victoria Street, E.C4, on MONDAY and TUESDAY, the Ist and 2nd APRIL. 1935. Particulars of Messrs. SNOW, FOX & CO., Solicitors, 7 Great ‘St. Thomas Apostle, Queen Street, Cannon Street, E.C4, and of MESSRS. DRIVERS, JONAS & CO. Chartered Surveyors, Land Agent and Auctioneers, 7 Charles Street, St James’ Square, SW.I.

Norwood Press and Dulwich Advertiser – Friday 15 December 1939

A R.P. SHELTERS. Sir,—As you are no doubt aware, occupiers of small houses throughout the country are being provided with AR.P. shelters at Government expense. In Chalford Road, West Dulwich, surface shelters of reinforced concrete are being provided, in the back gardens. Without disclosing plans to the owners, and despite protests by the occupiers, the Lambeth Borough recently laid concrete foundations for shelters about 9 ft. by 7 ft. in about the middle of the 22 ft long gardens. At this stage the matter came to my notice, and I protested, as I could see that shelters in this position would almost completely destroy the usefulness of the gardens. Clearly the proper place for the shelters was along the bottom fence. I was informed that the Effra sewer ran in that position, and could not be built over. I challenged this information, and it is now agreed that the sewer runs 10 feet inside the gardens, and is therefore actually under the foundations now laid. I am now informed the sewer may be built over, and that the shelters must be erected where the foundations have been laid. These unfortunate occupiers must either go without a shelter or put up with a shocking inconvenience through a mistake by the Borough officials. These concrete shelters are not a temporary affair. It is pretty clear to most of us, that, for a good many years ~—probably for the rest of our lives—we shall be faced with air raid dangers, and once erected, these shelters will remain as long as the houses themselves. For that reason I submit the greatest care is necessary to ensure that they are sited so as to cause the least inconvenience in small gardens; and it should therefore be a requirement that the local authority should lay exact plans before the owners and the occupiers before commencing operations. The spoiling of these back gardens will not only cause unnecessary hardship to the tenants, but will also adversely affect the value of the property, and on both counts I seek support in over-riding the Council’s decision.—Yours, etc., HORACE J. SUMMERS. (One of the Owners, and also Spokesman for the Occupiers.) 7 Vermont Road. Upper Norwood, S.E.

Norwood News – Friday 14 July 1950

Following a fall at her home, Chalford road. West Dulwich, on Saturday, Miss Matilda Eaves (aged 84) was taken to Dulwich Hospital with injury to her back.

Norwood News – Friday 03 September 1965

STOLE BECAUSE OF MOTHER’S DEMANDS -COURT TOLD A YOUTH who broke into a West Dulwich house and stole articles and money worth f 22 was said by his brother to have committed the offence because his mother was always demanding money from him. In the dock was David Robert Beverley Quelch (aged 18), unemployed, Durning Road, Upper Norwood. At Balham Court on August 12 he was convicted of stealing the sum of f 9, a ring, a wrist watch and other articles, the property of Denise Lamer, at Chalford Road. The magistrate committed him to the Inner London Sessions for sentence. Mr. F. Landau, prosecuting, said that at about 1.30 p.m. on July 28 Quelch called at a house in Chalford Road and told the owner that he wished to borrow a pencil and paper to ” write a note to the girl who lived next door.” Later, he entered the next door house through a back window and stole £9, an amethyst ring and a woman’s watch. Counsel said that the ring and the watch were subsequently recovered from a pawn broker. When the defendant was seen by the police he was in possession of a pawn ticket in respect of those articles. Other stolen property was found at his address. He then admitted the offence.