Place Name
Charlotte Antonia Sulivan (1824 – April 3, 1911), was the last occupant of Broom House, a large villa that was knocked down shortly after her death. Like her father (she was the third daughter) she was a generous benefactor to the local area, in 1876 she had the St Dionis’ Mission Hall built in his memory and in 1893 she offered the site of St Matthew’s Church, and also that of the first Sand’s End Library. She never married and lived alone (apart from her servants) at the house for more than half her lifetime. According to the Charlotte Antonia Sulivan Charity: “She was, however, not a recluse but spent her time pursuing her interests: travelling and painting, natural history and gardening, as well as philanthropic projects in the area. She was a committed Christian and so took a great interest in the local churches. She was also concerned with the welfare of the poor and founded the Parson’s Green Club for working men. She was held in awe by the people of Fulham and remembered with affection by her family.” Broom House, which had been bought by her father, Laurence Sulivan (1783 – 1866), in 1823, came with a huge estate covering land from Bells Alley down to the River Thames. A statesman and philanthropist and, in 1809, Deputy Secretary at War, Sulivan founded the Elizabethan Schools which he named after his wife, the younger sister of the Prime Minister Lord Palmerston in 1855. Sulivan family’s fortune came from his grandfather Laurence Sulivan MP, who was chairman of the East India Company. Broom House, and its nine acres of grounds were acquired by the Hurlingham Club in 1912. This road, which was laid out over a former orchard, was named in 1913.
