Oaken Lane
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2024 Planning Applications
№ 44
ADDRESS: 44 Oaken Lane
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№ 83
ADDRESS: 83 Oaken Lane
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Historical Notes
Housing built from 1885 to the outbreak of World War I was located mainly along the northern ends of Vale Road and Coverts Road, along parts of Red Lane, Common Road, in particular the brickfield workers' cottages near 'The Griffin', and towards the southern end of Oaken Lane. Half a dozen houses were also built on the south side of the western end of Red Lane which was then renamed St Leonards Road (not St. Leonard's Road, as is sometimes incorrectly stated) after Lord St Leonards; he became Lord High Chancellor of England in 1852 and lived at Boyle Farm, Thames Ditton.
During the 1920s and 1930s much infilling along existing roads took place, together with the development of new roads and housing estates such as Meadow Road, Torrington Road, Dalmore Avenue, Cornwall Avenue and Hillview Road. Building came to a stop during the Second World War, and did not get underway again until the 1950s when the Slough Farm council estate between Telegraph Lane and Oaken Lane was built, as also were the much smaller estates of Rosehill and Fairlawn Close which took their names from the old houses they replaced.
Thames Tutorial College
Thames Language and Tutorial College was run from 8 Oaken Lane. With Mr MJ Moreton as principal, this establishment provided tuition on an individual basis for scholarships, Common Entrance, 'A' and 'O' levels, and catered for pupils with dyslexia and mathematical problems.
The Clay Pits at Oaken Lane
Two clay pits and brickyards were located on either side of Oaken Lane:
- The smaller of the two, with a section or thickness of laminated clay and sand of about 15 feet, was on the west side of Oaken Lane in the area that was eventually occupied by the Oaken Lane Garden Centre. In 1838 the pit was owned by John Waterhouse and worked by James Stevens. James Stevens owned quite a lot of property in Claygate at that time in his own right, including some hot houses near the junction of Red Lane and Stevens Lane. As he was one of Claygate's more prominent citizens, it is probable that Stevens Lane was named after him.
- The larger pit, to the east side of Oaken Lane on the western slope of Telegraph Hill opposite the junction with Manor Road South, had a section of about 50 feet. This pit was opened up, or more probably reopened, by the Sims family around 1850. As regards the suggestion that it was reopened, in 1838 a Mr. Street leased a pit from the Banks family at a rating value of £16 per annum. The limited evidence available points to it being this particular pit. Another interesting feature of the eastern pit is that it was used during the First World War as a trial ground to test out tunnelling machines which were used at the front to mine enemy trenches. An indenture of 1851 reveals that a 21-year lease of the western pit and adjoining land was sold by Mrs Stevens, William Eldridge and John Waterhouse of Hampstead, to Thomas Casey, a builder from Kensington. A subsequent deed states that in 1893 the brickfield was occupied by William Catling, brickmaker, under a lease from the Waterhouse family. It would also seem for a period sometime between Casey and Catling's occupation, this pit was worked by a firm called E Francis & Co.
Wingham
Naafi is still a very active and important pan of peacetime service life, but is now headquartered once again in Kennington. Ruxley Towers was sold to the General and Municipal Workers' Union in June 1962 for £80,000 after it had been empty for about a year. However, Naafi continued its association with Claygate: Wingham, in Oaken Lane, was acquired by Naafi on 28th June 1946, and together with its outbuildings, served as Naafi's principal residential training centre.
Wingham itself has had a varied history over the years. The first known title deed is dated 24th November 1852 when some five acres of land were conveyed from Joseph Diggle to James Burslow for £500. An Ordnance Survey map of 1866 indicates that the residence on this land was called South Hill House at that time. This is confirmed in a tax certificate of 1879 and in subsequent conveyances.
These changes of ownership are interesting if only from the point of view of illustrating how property values moved over the period in question.
- 1888 from TD Burslow to R Deacon for £2,500.
- 1896 from Mrs CM Deacon to RF Godfrey for £2,600.
- 1902 from RF Godfrey to Herbert Knight for £2,900.
- 1903 property mortgaged, and now known as Wingham, for £5,500.
- 1908 from Herbert Knight to W Fairclough for £7,000.
- 1931 from Mrs Fairclough to Lord Bradbury for £6,500.
In April 1943, Lord Bradbury sold the property to Woodlands Park Hotel. It was then used as a private hotel until it was sold to Naafi in 1946. John Bradbury (1872-1950) spent most of his working life at the Treasury, where he became joint permanent secretary in 1913. In that capacity his name became synonymous with treasury notes issued during World War I: he was created 1st Baron Bradbury of Winsford where he was born, in 1925.
When Lord Bradbury purchased Wingham in 1931 he acquired at the same time some adjoining land from Mrs M Speer.
Although Wingham, previously South Hill House, only dates back to the first half of the 19th century, and the present house to the beginning of the 20th century, the original name has much more ancient connections. It is thought that South Hill House took its name from an earlier dwelling, or dwellings, that existed on this site in previous centuries dating back probably to circa 1200 when Gilbert de Suthill, a Norman knight, is reputed to have set up home in the vicinity.
The Scouts
Claygate's first Scout Troop was formed in 1909 by FA Barratt, son of Rev Allan Barratt, Vicar of Holy Trinity, just two years after General Robert Baden-Powell started the movement with a camp for youngsters on Brownsea Island, Dorset. Barratt continued as Scoutmaster until 1917 when Tom Barnfield of 60 Coverts Road took over; a Wolf Cub Pack (now called Cub Scouts) was added in 1921. Meetings were held at various locations in Church Road, in a wooden hut in Stevens Lane and elsewhere, before the headquarters in Station Road, built largely by the scouts and their supporters, was opened in 1960. The 1st Claygate Scout Group is the largest and oldest of the 15 scout groups in the Esher district.
Notable Addresses
Wingham Court Care Centre 🏠 Oaken Lane, Claygate KT10 0RQ ☎ 01372 464612 ⬜ www.bupa.co.uk/care-homes. A BUPA home offering various types of care: palliative, respite, convalescent, nursing and young physically disabled.
References
- Peebles, Malcolm (1983). The Claygate Book. (Millennium edition). Stockbridge: by BAS Printers Ltd. ISBN 0-9508978-0-9.
- Many thanks also for the photos, many supplied by Terry Gale, from the Claygate Local History Facebook group.
