This week we take a look at the history of

Cheamside. The following extract is taken from

David Rymill's heritage book, Worcester Park and

Cuddington: A Walk Through the Centuries,

published by The Buckwheat Press.

Cheamside consisted of five shops on each side of Longfellow Road, probably built soon after the development of that road began in the late 1860s.

Gerald Woods vividly recalls the shopkeepers here in the 1920s.

Number 10 Cheamside, now number 128, was Tom Mearing's cycle shop. He took a full-page advertisement in the 1930 Kelly's Directory of Epsom, describing his Imperial Cycle and Gramophone Works as agents for all the leading makes of cycles, makers of the all-British Imperial cycles, authorised dealer in HMV and Columbia gramophones, records and radio sets, also indicating "prams repaired and retyred".

He later moved to number 126 - later Firmin's and now The Conservatory florist and garden centre - where part of the name Mearing is still visible on the parapet.

On September 8, 1934, under the headline "an eventful week for Mr Tom Mearing", the Worcester Park Times reported that his new premises were nearing completion, he had won the singles final in the Worcester Park Athletic Club bowls section, and a presentation had been made to him, recognising his twelve years' service as treasurer of the Worcester Park Choral and Dramatic Society.

Number nine, now Ross' Fruiterers, has been a greengrocers for many years, but was once Mrs Glanville's wool shop.

This was succeeded in 1926 by George Crockford, a draper, and by 1930 was Frederick Howell's fishmongers.

Number seven, until 1999, had a consistent use as a wine merchants. In the 1920s and 30s it was owned by J T Smith.

On the corner, number six (now Summers Insurance Services) was a grocery shop run by a Mr Randall.

Maurice Upperton recalls "being sent to Randall's at the very end of the Great War with a jug, and Mr Randall went to a big wooden barrel and drew off a pint of treacle.

"That was a wonderful find in wartime, which he let good customers have, and I carried this treacle all down Longfellow Road to Lincoln Road with great joy."

o Anyone who would like to find out more about the history of Cheamside, Worcester Park, Cuddington, Stoneleigh or Nonsuch, can buy David's book at Sutton library.