Place Name
Originally named Station Road as it led to Merton Park Station (originally Lower Merton Junction). How it came to be was the result of local gentry complaining that they could not drive their carriages up to the station, but instead were forced to walk the final “130 yards down a narrow footpath for an approach”. Giving evidence at a Railway Commissioners’ hearing held in 1875, Sir Richard Garth, described at the time as formerly member of Parliament for Guildford and the recently appointed Chief Justice of Bombay, explained the problems, as the John Innes Society explained in its 2014 issue. “Speaking as the owner of extensive property in the district, he corroborated generally the evidence of Mr Innes… he said it would be a great advantage to have a common approach to it. It was impossible to reach it by a carriage. He had been a considerable traveller, and certainly did not know any other station in the kingdom which he could not approach by carriage. It was useless to build good property in the neighbourhood, although he had planned to build some in Morden Park. No person would consent to drive to Merton Station in a carriage; he would sooner drive on three miles further. Had spent £3,000 in constructing a road with the view of building first-class suburb an residences, but the outlay was comparatively useless unless better railway facilities were provided.” The report continues: “The carriage approach was eventually agreed in the LB&SCR Engineering Committee Minutes for 26 July 1892. They and the LSWR gave up to John Innes portions of their land for the purpose of a new road. This was then called Station Road and now Rutlish Road. However this was subject to John Innes agreeing to construct a bridge over the line and to make up the road free of charge to the companies. This he did and also managed to get the station renamed Merton Park from 1 September 1887.” As for the name change, it took its new name sometime around the 1930s presumably because there were so many Station Roads it was confusing. It was named after William Rutlish (1605 – 1687), court embroiderer to Charles II, who owned two copyhold properties in Merton – the White Hart, and Braxtons, on the site of the later Nelson Hospital, now the Nelson Health Centre at Merton Rush. As the appointed Court ‘Imbroyderer’ to King Charles II in 1661, and Master of the Worshipful Company of Broderers in 1686 he became incredibly wealthy. He died the following year and left £400 in trust from these properties “for ever, for and towards the placing of such poor children, born in Merton, Apprentices whether male or female as to my said Trustees their heirs or assigns or the major part of them shall appear to be the worthyest and meetest objects of Charity, without having any sinister or indirect respect or regard to interest relation favour or any other mean consideration whatsoever”. In 1887 John Innes, was appointed Chairman of the Rutlish Trustees, and agreed to use the charity’s money to set up Rutlish Science School, this opened in 1894. The charity is still active, providing grants for local young people entering places of higher education.
