Sutton elections – what you need to know
👉 You are not voting for an MP or Prime Minister 👉 You are choosing the people who run your local area day to day The local elections on Thursday 7 May 2026 are for you to vote for the person you think best represents your concerns and issues in your road and immediate area, […]
Peace perfect peace – intricate memorial dedicated to the man who loved Carshalton
This is a beautifully carved wooden grave catching the last of the evening sun rays – at All Saints, Carshalton. 🗝 The words ‘Peace Perfect Peace’ were carved into the hardwearing English Oak in 1922. The memorial is for Dr Albert Victor Peatling, who was the local GP. He was born in Wisbech in Cambridgeshire, […]
End of the line for popular publicans
Sadness is in the air as Judy Dodson announces that she and Mike Jesset will soon leave The Railway Tavern in North Street. Judy announced the departure on 1st April 2026 – exactly 12 years after she signed up as landlady, and nearly 15 years in total serving behind the bar. Mike joined just two […]
The local businessman who built and dedicated almshouses to his lost child
*Historical* You may have assumed these buildings by the Pay and Display car park in Carshalton High Street were built by the council. However it turns out they were most likely commissioned by Sir Samuel Barrow, the landowner living next door at The Grove mansion. The plaque on the front suggests that Palliser Homes were […]
Love, marriage and a lost fortune: The last private owners of The Grove
*Historical* From the height of Victorian success in London’s leather trade to their role as the last private owners of The Grove, the Barrows shaped Carshalton through business, family, and community – including founding the local cricket club and welcoming historian Dr Peatling into their family circle. This charming photo shows Sir Samuel Barrow and […]
The surprising link between Downing Street’s Red Box and a Carshalton mansion
This leather Red Box is traditionally seen in Downing Street at the announcement of the Budget. It represents the Chancellor of the Exchequer and has been a familiar symbol of government finance since the 1860s. The box itself is currently made by Barrow, Hepburn & Gale, a leather manufacturer with some roots in Carshalton. One […]
A history walk around Brockham village
Brockham is a quintessential Surrey village. Flanked by tall hills providing a scenic backdrop. If you’ve not been, you really should. Many old and historic buildings maintain an old-world charm. It has a church, two pubs, a small shop and a cafe. Take a brief photographic wander around the village with us, seeing what we […]
Heads or Tails? The Carshalton coin toss that named America’s most famous Horse Race
The Kentucky Derby is the biggest and most prestigious horse race in the United States, but its origins trace back to a small region in England. In 1872, Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr, the man behind the Kentucky Derby, travelled to Surrey, England. There, he witnessed first-hand the famous horse race called The Derby and was […]
Beeches Pharmacy is to close as in-person options continue to decline across the borough
It’s sad to hear that Beeches Pharmacy is to close. Stock is being run down and it will merge with the other branch in nearby Banstead Road. There is a trend across the UK for pharmacies to close due to lack of investment, rising costs and digital competition. This branch at 2b Beeches Avenue in […]