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Category Archives: David Morgan
‘Young people out of hand’: perennial problem of street crime
CROYDON CHRONICLES: Mobs of young people roaming the streets, stealing from shops and terrorising the neighbourhood – just an everyday episode in Croydon, not from last month but during the Edwardian era. DAVID MORGAN delves into the Minster archive The … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, David Morgan, History
Tagged Croydon, Croydon Chronicles, Croydon police, David Morgan, Hooliganism, Hooligans, London, Magistrates' Court
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Croydon Minster choir on the road to Windsor and the Abbey
Today marks the centenary of the birth of Elizabeth Windsor, who as Queen Elizabeth II set records as the United Kingdom’s longest reigning monarch – 70 years and 214 days – until her death in September 2022, aged 96. So … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Church and religions, Croydon Minster, David Morgan, Music, Whitgift School
Tagged Croydon, Croydon Minster, Croydon Minster choir, David Morgan, HM Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Elizabeth II, St George's Chapel, Westminster Cathedral, Whitgift School, Whitgift School Choir
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Duke survived death after he hunted with Croydon’s hounds
CROYDON CHRONICLES: Two hundred years ago, the Derby Arms off Handcroft Road ran a well-regarded livery stables and was a centre for local hunts that were attended by princes and dukes, butchers and shop-keepers. From a single gravestone in the … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Minster, David Morgan, History
Tagged Alfred Bignell, Croydon Hunt, Croydon Minster, Croydon Parish Church, David Morgan, Duke of Cumberland, Fox-hunting, Joshua Bignell, King George II, Old Surrey Hunt, Parsons Mead, Pitlake, Rabies, The Derby Arms, The Old Surrey and Burstow Hunt:, West Croydon
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The day Dr Bookless took the wicket of the great WG Grace
CROYDON CHRONICLES: A long career in medicine based at Croydon General Hospital and on Harley Street followed for a sporting young man who, when a student at Guy’s Hospital, once enjoyed a cricket moment of a lifetime. DAVID MORGAN explains … Continue reading
Posted in Church and religions, Cricket, Croydon Minster, David Morgan, Health, History, Mayday Hospital, Purley Hospital
Tagged British Medical Journal, cricket, Croydon, Croydon General Hospital, Croydon Minster, Croydon Parish Church, Crystal Palace, Crystal Palace Park, David Morgan, Dr John Bookless, Guy's Hospital, London, London County Cricket Club, Mayday Hospital, Purley Hospital, WG Grace
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From flames to fame, Waddon’s Knox family made their mark
CROYDON CHRONICLES: From the night of the Great Fire of Croydon, DAVID MORGAN tells the story of a family of vicars and bishops, of writers and editors, and Enigma codebreakers The fire which destroyed Croydon Parish Church in 1867 had … Continue reading
The wartime night that the ‘first lady of jazz’ sang for Croydon
CROYDON CHRONICLES: Adelaide Hall performed at the Cotton Club, sang with Duke Ellington and took to the stage in the Berlin of Sally Bowles. And she was a star of the old Croydon Empire, as DAVID MORGAN explains It was … Continue reading
Music Hall performer whose potato song helped the war effort
CROYDON CHRONICLES: Musical director of the Croydon Empire theatre enjoyed a colourful career and played a part in the community, writes DAVID MORGAN A century ago, long before we had mass media in our living rooms and at our finger … Continue reading
Posted in David Morgan, History, Music, Theatre
Tagged Croydon Empire, David Morgan, History, Jack Morgan, Music Hall, Second World War, Theatre
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From a few lines in Henry V, actor stood alongside the greats
CROYDON CHRONICLES: An outstanding producer-director at The Old Vic who performed alongside the likes of Sir Henry Irving and Sir Laurence Olivier, and appeared in some of the most notable films of the 1940s and ’50s, Harcourt Williams’ acting talent … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Cinema, David Morgan, History, Theatre, Uncategorized
Tagged Around The World In Eighty Days, Audrey Hepburn, Croydon, David Morgan, Gregory Peck, Hamlet, Harcourt Williams, Henry V, John Gelgud, Laurence Olivier, Ralph Richardson, Roman Holiday, Sir Henry Irving, The Old Vic, Whitgift Grammar Shool, Whitgift School, William Shakespeare
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Cycle Carnival saw thousands lining the streets for good cause
CROYDON CHRONICLES: There was a time when the town’s streets were not such a hostile environment for cyclists as they are today. They even had an annual event to celebrate, and raise large amounts for charity. DAVID MORGAN takes up … Continue reading
Posted in Cycling, David Morgan, History
Tagged Croydon Cycle Carnival, Croydon Minster, David Morgan, Wulfruna
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Gertrude Massey’s masterstrokes showed Royalty in best light
CROYDON CHRONICLES: A prize-winner at Croydon School of Art went on to become one of the most sought-after portrait artists in Edwardian London, and taught Evelyn Waugh and the Wizard of Oz’s Scarecrow. DAVID MORGAN recalls the stellar career of … Continue reading
Charity Nickel Support is providing people with real life skills
CROYDON CHRONICLES: This week, DAVID MORGAN pays a visit to an organisation operating very much in the present, providing a future for dozens of young people It is rare that any of us don’t require some help to learn a … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Charity, David Morgan
Tagged Carshalton, charity, Cheam, Croydon, Croydon Chronicles, David Morgan, Merton, Nickel Support, Sutton, Whitehall Cheam
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Palace winger Harrison’s Match of the Day at Croydon Minster
DAVID MORGAN uses the Minster archive to trace the life and career of former Hampshire batsman and Crystal Palace winger Bernie Harrison, who played at Selhurst Park in the era when footballers earned a maximum £20 per week What was … Continue reading
All downhill for Odlings after they dismantled London Bridge
CROYDON CHRONICLES: A dynasty began in the late 1800s with a family living at Lennard Road whose relatives would build a global business empire from marble, played roles in running the British team at the 1936 Winter Olympics, helped to … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Croydon Minster, David Morgan, History
Tagged 1936 Winter Olympics, Anselm Odling, Anselm Odling and Sons Ltd, Broadcasting House, Cedric Odling, Croydon Minster, D-Day, David Morgan, Dunkirk, London Bridge, Marble, Michelangelo, Michelangelo's David, Portland Place, Prisoner of war, Royal Artillery, Switzerland, The Eiger, The Odling Cup, Wengen, World War I, World War II
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Minster choir to sing world premiere of Wallen’s latest work
CROYDON CHRONICLES: Minster archivist DAVID MORGAN looks to the futurethis week and a world premiere performance by the church’s choir to take place at Southwark Cathedral Croydon Minster’s choir, which already has a substantial list of musical achievements, will add … Continue reading
Posted in Bishop of Croydon, Church and religions, Croydon Minster, David Morgan, Music, Rosemarie Mallett
Tagged BBC Proms, Bishop of Croydon, Croydon Minster, Croydon Minster choir, David Morgan, Errollyn Wallen, Jerusalem, Last Night of the Proms, Master of the King's Music, Missa Brevis, Rt Rev Dr Rosemarie Mallett, Southwark Cathedral
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The curious case of the Croydon curate and his woman stalker
CROYDON CHRONICLES: For six years at the end of the 19th Century, church services and the lives of clergymen in Croydon and in Southend were disrupted by the behaviour of one woman. DAVID MORGAN with his latest discovery from the … Continue reading
This teacher’s Foss way always led her back to South East Asia
CROYDON CHRONICLES: In his latest delve into the archives, DAVID MORGAN recalls the life of a missionary, the daughter of a former Mayor of Croydon, who worked in China, Malaysia and South Africa, and survived almost four years in the … Continue reading
PANTO WARS! Which shows are worth seeing this Christmas
OUTSIDE CROYDON: Ken Towl has reviewed the pantomimes being performed in Croydon and Bromley this festive season. But there’s lots more family shows available across London. Here’s DAVID MORGAN’s suggestions
Mead’s Minster time to end after 32 years of church service
CROYDON CHRONICLES: Denise Mead became verger at Croydon Parish Church in 1993. This week, after working with three Vicars of Croydon, organising countless church events and welcoming Archbishops and a Princess Royal to Croydon, she will take her leave for … Continue reading
This was a pub landlord who never needed any bouncers
CROYDON CHRONICLE: The Crown on North End, demolished in 1950, was a coaching inn with a history that stretched back 500 years, and whose many landlords included Jack Martin, a bare-knuckle boxer from the Regency era whose fights would attract … Continue reading
Posted in Boxing, David Morgan, History
Tagged Boxing, Croydon, David Morgan, Jack Martin, Jack Randall, KIng George IV, North End, Prince of Wales, Regency England, The Crown
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10 shillings to join the Goose Club and lay on a Christmas feast
CROYDON CHRONICLE: Christmas is coming, as the old saying goes, and the goose is getting fat… DAVID MORGAN looks back to the Dickensian era, when financial planning for the end-of-year revels was serious business for the likes of Surrey Street … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Minster, David Morgan, History, Surrey Street
Tagged Charles Dickens, Christmas, Crown Hill, David Morgan, Goose Club, Marmaduke Willis, Phiz, Surrey Street, West Croydon
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Oh yes she is! Victorian dancer who became a pantomime star
CROYDON CHRONICLES: One of the great British traditions of this time of year is the family visit to the theatre, or to a church hall for the local am-dram performance, during pantomime season. DAVID MORGAN traces the career of Caroline … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Comedy, Dance, David Morgan, Fairfield Halls, History, Music, Stanley Halls, Theatre
Tagged Caroline Parkes, Charles Fenton, Croydon, Croydon Chronicles, Crystal Palace, David Morgan, Dick Whittington, Fairfield Halls, Panto, pantomime, Sanderstead Dramatic Club, Stanley Halls, The Brothers Grinn, Theatre Royal
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The casualties of war are not always killed on the battlefield
THE CROYDON CHRONICLES: There is history all around the Minster, not only in the archive, as shown this week as DAVID MORGAN provides the story behind one of the church’s plaques, which dates from more than 120 years ago, and … Continue reading
Posted in Church and religions, Croydon Minster, David Morgan, History
Tagged 12th Royal Lancers, Arthur Conan-Doyle, Battle of Modder River, Boer War, Croydon, Croydon Minster, David Morgan, General Kitchener, James Laver, Kimberley, Lord Roberts, Natal, Queen Victoria, Second Boer War
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The heretic bishop who recanted to avoid burning at the stake
SUNDAY SUPPLEMENT: Reginald Peacock was consecrated as a bishop in a service conducted in the Archbishop’s palace in Croydon, but had to survive a show trial and ritual humiliation on the streets of Medieval London, as DAVID MORGAN writes The … Continue reading
Posted in Archbishop of Canterbury, Church and religions, Croydon Minster, David Morgan, History
Tagged Agincourt, Archbishop of Canterbury, Archbishop Thomas Bouchier, Bishop of Chichester, Bishop of St Asaph, Bishop Reginald Peacock, Chichester, Croydon Minster, Croydon Parish Church, David Morgan, Dick Whittington, Hundred Years War, John Wycliffe, King Henry V, King Henry VI, Lollards, Old Palace, Pope Calixtus III, Reginald Peacock, St Asaph, Wars of the Roses
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Remembrance and History: a special Croydon Insider episode
Can you help in our appeal, with the Deputy Lieutenant of Croydon, in providing details of personnel from Croydon who have been killed on active duty in the years since the end of World War II? On Remembrance Sunday, our … Continue reading
Posted in Bourne Society, Croydon Airport, Croydon Insider, Croydon Minster, Croydon Natural History and Scientific Society, David Morgan, History, Inside Croydon, Johnny Dobbyn, Under The Flyover
Tagged Battle of the Somme, Caterham, Croydon, Croydon Airport, David Morgan, Deputy Lieutenant of Croydon, Fiona Satiro, First World War, Johnny Dobbyn, London, Menin Gate, Phil Swallow, Remembrance Day, Remembrance Sunday, Royal West Surrey Regiment, Second World War, Warlingham, World War I, World War II, World War One, World War Two, Ypres
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