Place Name
Agricultural heritage. This was the original lane between the Lavender fields. It was developed between the wars. The growing and distilling of lavender (Lavendula vera) was an important industry for many years in and around Mitcham from the 1500s. In its heyday during the 19thCentury the area from Mitcham to Sutton was awash with Lavender fields. This idyllic image however was not reflected in the working conditions of the harvesters, many of whom were paid very little. Many only survived because of the charity of some of the wealthier landowners of the community, Ephraim Potter and William Moore. They set up a distillery to extract lavender oil in Eveline Road overlooking Figges Marsh. The business grew and flourished, especially under James Moore grandson of William. James was a shrewd businessman and an expert nuseryman. He bought up surrounding land and by the end of the 19thCentury he had more than 500 acres of land growing lavender and peppermint, which at that time was the larger crop. He also grew other herbs such as camomile, spearmint, roses and pennyroyal. The lavender was harvested in August when the oil was at its best. The women would cut the lavender and bundle it loosely in ‘mats’ which were carried to the still-room. Where the lavender was distilled, the resulting oil was used as the basis for lavender perfume. Moore paid one guinea an acre for cutting and sold the oil at forty shillings a pound. When James Moore died in 1851, the business went to James Bridger, James Moore’s illegitimate son, who ran the business very successfully until his death in 1885. The business was bought by W.J.Bush. In 1968 Bush’s company merged with two other companies to form Bush Boake Allen, the world’s largest supplier of flavours and perfumes.
