Parallel to
Princes Road is
Mitcham's Albert Street, the main street of the village in times past. It was named for Queen Victoria's consort Prince Albert. Today, many historical buildings still remain along this street.
Old Mitcham Hotel
At the corner of Taylors Road, across from
Sutton Gardens, you'll find the old Mitcham Hotel restored to its original grandeur. Built in 1869, the hotel had a second storey added about ten years later. It operated with a liquor license until 1909. Thanks to the Temperance Movement, its license wasn't renewed and the sale of alcohol became a thing of the past. The Temperance Hotel continued to offer light refreshments and general goods as well as accommodation. Later, the building was used as a betting shop, boarding house and flats before being converted into a private residence.
On the eastern and western corners of High Street stand the former Harris Greengrocer and
Edinburgh Cellars.
Former Harris Greengrocer
The Harris family worked in the greengrocery store for three generations. Their small shop had a family home attached to it. At the rear was a paddock where the vegetables were grown. Nowadays, children play in the outdoor area which forms part of
Mitcham Village Kindergarten.
Edinburgh Cellars
As for Edinburgh Cellars, the building is rather young being just rebuilt in the early 1990s after an arson attack. Before that, it served as a general store for approximately 120 years as well as an art and crafts centre.
Cobbler's Cottage
Further down the street is one of the oldest cottages in the area. As its name suggests, Cobbler's Cottage was where bootmaker Watters ran his business from. He would have made all the shoes by hand.
Allison's Apothecary Bed & Breakfast
The shop next door was owned by chemist and apothecary J W Allison. Although it changed hands a couple of times, the building remains pretty much the same today as it was in 1880. Look through the windows and you'll be pleasantly surprised at what you see.
Baptist Church
Lastly, the village's Baptist Church can be found across the road near
Welbourne Street. Built in 1858, its original structure is unfortunately no longer visible. A piece of history, although small, has been hidden behind a new facade. Nevertheless, the building still stands to this day.
