St. Helier, London
Encyclopedia
St. Helier is a residential estate in the London
boroughs of Merton
and Sutton
. The portion of the estate north of Green Lane and Bishopsford Road is in Merton, the rest is in Sutton.
for the re-housing of people from decaying inner London areas. Landscaping on the large-scale town planning scheme was by landscape architect
Edward Prentice Mawson
.
Its development was spurred by the opening of Morden Underground station
in 1926, and the Wimbledon to Sutton railway line
in 1930, with a station at St Helier. These services provided rapid links into central London for the residents.
The estate was named in honour of Lady St. Helier
, who was an LCC Alderman
from 1910 to 1927. It was the second largest (after the Becontree
-Dagenham
estate) of a series of 'out-county' estates and was based on the Garden City
ideas of Ebenezer Howard
. The area had previously consisted largely of lavender
fields, the last remnants of the famous Mitcham
lavender industry.
In remembrance of the area's historic ownership by Westminster Abbey
, the roads are named in alphabetical order after Monasteries
and Abbey
s starting in the north-west with Aberconway Road and ending with Woburn Road in the south-east.
The imposing St. Helier Hospital
was opened in 1938. John Major
, UK Prime Minister
from 1990 to 1997, was born there.
The estate's Bishop Andrewes Church, in Wigmore Road, was designed by the architect Geddes Hyslop
in 1933.
since the 1970s. The hospital still exerts an imposing presence on the estate, both economically and physically. Most of the buildings are original and many are still being used for their original purposes. There has been a little amount of infilling around the outskirts, and the estate now merges into the suburbs of Sutton, Carshalton
and Morden
.
The area is served by London Bus routes 80, 151, 154, 157, 164, 280, S1, S4, N44.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
boroughs of Merton
London Borough of Merton
The London Borough of Merton is a borough in southwest London, England.The borough was formed under the London Government Act in 1965 by the merger of the Municipal Borough of Mitcham, the Municipal Borough of Wimbledon and the Merton and Morden Urban District, all formerly within Surrey...
and Sutton
London Borough of Sutton
The London Borough of Sutton is a London borough in South London, England and forms part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the 80th largest local authority in England by population. It is one of the southernmost boroughs of London...
. The portion of the estate north of Green Lane and Bishopsford Road is in Merton, the rest is in Sutton.
History
The estate was built between 1928 and 1936 by the London County CouncilLondon County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
for the re-housing of people from decaying inner London areas. Landscaping on the large-scale town planning scheme was by landscape architect
Landscape architect
A landscape architect is a person involved in the planning, design and sometimes direction of a landscape, garden, or distinct space. The professional practice is known as landscape architecture....
Edward Prentice Mawson
Edward Prentice Mawson
Edward Prentice Mawson was the eldest of the nine children of Thomas Hayton Mawson, and, like his father a British garden designer, landscape architect, and town planner..-Education:...
.
Its development was spurred by the opening of Morden Underground station
Morden tube station
Morden is a London Underground station in Morden in the London Borough of Merton. The station is the southern terminus for the Northern line and is the most southerly station on the Underground network. The next station north is...
in 1926, and the Wimbledon to Sutton railway line
Wimbledon and Sutton Railway
The Wimbledon and Sutton Railway was a railway company established by an Act of Parliament in 1910 to build a railway line in Surrey from Wimbledon to Sutton via Merton and Morden in the United Kingdom. The railway was promoted by local landowners hoping to increase the value of their land...
in 1930, with a station at St Helier. These services provided rapid links into central London for the residents.
The estate was named in honour of Lady St. Helier
Susan Jeune, Baroness St Helier
Susan Jeune, Baroness St Helier, DBE , born Susan Stewart-Mackenzie, was a London County Council alderman and the wife of Francis Jeune, 1st Baron St Helier.-Background:...
, who was an LCC Alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
from 1910 to 1927. It was the second largest (after the Becontree
Becontree
Becontree is a place in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, east north-east of Charing Cross.-Becontree estate:The area was developed between 1921 and 1932 by the London County Council as a large council estate of 27,000 homes, intended as "homes for heroes" after World War I. With a...
-Dagenham
Dagenham
Dagenham is a large suburb in East London, forming the eastern part of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and located east of Charing Cross. It was historically an agrarian village in the county of Essex and remained mostly undeveloped until 1921 when the London County Council began...
estate) of a series of 'out-county' estates and was based on the Garden City
Garden city movement
The garden city movement is a method of urban planning that was initiated in 1898 by Sir Ebenezer Howard in the United Kingdom. Garden cities were intended to be planned, self-contained communities surrounded by "greenbelts" , containing proportionate areas of residences, industry and...
ideas of Ebenezer Howard
Ebenezer Howard
Sir Ebenezer Howard is known for his publication Garden Cities of To-morrow , the description of a utopian city in which people live harmoniously together with nature. The publication resulted in the founding of the garden city movement, that realized several Garden Cities in Great Britain at the...
. The area had previously consisted largely of lavender
Lavender
The lavenders are a genus of 39 species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. An Old World genus, distributed from Macaronesia across Africa, the Mediterranean, South-West Asia, Arabia, Western Iran and South-East India...
fields, the last remnants of the famous Mitcham
Mitcham
Mitcham is a district in the south west area of London, in the London Borough of Merton. A suburban area, Mitcham is located on the border of Inner London and Outer London. It is both residentially and financially developed, well served by Transport for London, and home to Mitcham Town Centre,...
lavender industry.
In remembrance of the area's historic ownership by Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
, the roads are named in alphabetical order after Monasteries
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
and Abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
s starting in the north-west with Aberconway Road and ending with Woburn Road in the south-east.
The imposing St. Helier Hospital
St. Helier Hospital
St Helier Hospital is a hospital in the London Borough of Sutton. It is owned and run by Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust....
was opened in 1938. John Major
John Major
Sir John Major, is a British Conservative politician, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990–1997...
, UK Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
from 1990 to 1997, was born there.
The estate's Bishop Andrewes Church, in Wigmore Road, was designed by the architect Geddes Hyslop
Geddes Hyslop
P[aul] Geddes Hyslop was a 20th century British architect, trained at the British School in Rome. Linked with the Bloomsbury set, his work, mostly in the classical style, was fashionable amongst the British upper classes and intelligentsia in the years immediately surrounding World War II...
in 1933.
Today
Today ownership of housing on the estate is split between private and local authority, with many people taking advantage of the right to buy schemeRight to buy scheme
The Right to buy scheme is a policy in the United Kingdom which gives tenants of council housing the right to buy the home they are living in. Currently, there is also a right to acquire for the tenants of housing associations...
since the 1970s. The hospital still exerts an imposing presence on the estate, both economically and physically. Most of the buildings are original and many are still being used for their original purposes. There has been a little amount of infilling around the outskirts, and the estate now merges into the suburbs of Sutton, Carshalton
Carshalton
Carshalton is a suburban area of the London Borough of Sutton, England. It is located 10 miles south-southwest of Charing Cross, situated in the valley of the River Wandle, one of the sources of which is Carshalton Ponds in the centre of the village. The combined population of the five wards...
and Morden
Morden
Morden is a district in the London Borough of Merton. It is located approximately South-southwest of central London between Merton Park , Mitcham , Sutton and Worcester Park .- Origin of name :...
.
The area is served by London Bus routes 80, 151, 154, 157, 164, 280, S1, S4, N44.
Nearest places
- MitchamMitchamMitcham is a district in the south west area of London, in the London Borough of Merton. A suburban area, Mitcham is located on the border of Inner London and Outer London. It is both residentially and financially developed, well served by Transport for London, and home to Mitcham Town Centre,...
- MordenMordenMorden is a district in the London Borough of Merton. It is located approximately South-southwest of central London between Merton Park , Mitcham , Sutton and Worcester Park .- Origin of name :...
- CarshaltonCarshaltonCarshalton is a suburban area of the London Borough of Sutton, England. It is located 10 miles south-southwest of Charing Cross, situated in the valley of the River Wandle, one of the sources of which is Carshalton Ponds in the centre of the village. The combined population of the five wards...
- SuttonSutton, LondonSutton is a large suburban town in southwest London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Sutton. It is located south-southwest of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. The town was connected to central London by...
- WallingtonWallington, LondonWallington is a town in the London Borough of Sutton situated south south-west of Charing Cross. Prior to the merger of the Municipal Borough of Beddington and Wallington into the London Borough of Sutton, it was part of the county of Surrey.- History :...
- HackbridgeHackbridgeHackbridge is a suburb in London Borough of Sutton, Greater London. It is situated 9.07 miles south-west of Charing Cross. Hackbridge was home to the first Country dogs home opened by the Duke and Duchess of Portland...