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Maxi Martin (died April 6, 2016) was a local Labour Party councillor and former mayor of the London Borough of Merton. However it was in her role as the Borough’s Armed Forces Champion and councillor of the St Helier’s estate for 18 years that this road was dedicated to her, since the development, which was completed in 2019, was part of the Haig Housing Trust’s Headquarters’ estate for veterans and their families. The charity’s chief executive, Brigadier James Richardson said at the time: “Our new development of 68 energy efficient homes in Morden is the Trust’s largest project in several decades commissioned to meet the growing demand for housing for Veterans and their families in London and the South-East of the country. These homes have been built for the future, designed to fit within our existing Conservation area as a mix of one to four bedroom homes with some adapted for wheelchair and disabled use. We are particularly proud of the names we are assigning to the new homes: firstly Queen Elizabeth Terrace in honour of our Patron and groups of homes to honour Victoria and George Cross winners from all three services and SOE and a tribute to a local councillor who as Armed Forces Champion did much to support the Veteran Community in Morden. We will be opening these homes in the Summer and seek to welcome new Veteran families as well as re-homing many of our existing beneficiaries to homes more suited to their current needs.” The names of the properties are: Queen Elizabeth Terrace, the charity’s patron; John Cornwell House, named after 16 year-old Boy (First Class) John Cornwell VC of HMS Chester; Albert Dugdale House, named after Bombardier Albert Dugdale EM (Edward Medal – now the George Cross); Cyril Barton House, named after Flying Officer Cyril Barton VC who went to school locally; Odette Sanson House, a French-born woman who moved to Britain in 1931 and worked undercover as an SOE in France during World War 2, she was captured, interrogated and tortured, but refused to betray fellow agents. She survived and became the first woman to be awarded both the George Cross and to be appointed a Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur; Kubir Thapa House, after Havildar (Sergeant) Kulbir Thapa Magar VC. He was the first Gurkha recipient of the Victoria Cross.
