Picture this. You are standing before Leigham Lodge. Not as it stands now perhaps but as it was in 1842. A grand new home on newly laid Leigham Court Road.
Leigham Lodge was the very first house built on Leigham Court Road. It was a bold statement in an area poised for transformation. The arrival of the railway in 1856 was about to make Streatham a desirable location for wealthy London businessmen. Leigham Lodge sat proudly at the crossroads of Leigham Avenue and Leigham Court Road. Its very location foretold its future as a prestigious residence.
The first residents of Leigham Lodge were John William Liddiard a retired linen draper and his wife Maria. Mr Liddiard had been head of a London firm. He passed away at Leigham Lodge in 1858 at the age of 80. His death notice appeared in The Times newspaper.
Following the Liddiards the Whistler family made Leigham Lodge their home. Frederick Whistler a wine merchant with links to Portugal lived there with his family. His business was located in the City of London. His death was also reported in The Times newspaper in 1871.
Later Leigham Lodge became home to Lynch White an iron merchant. Mr White served as a Justice for the County of London Sessions. He significantly expanded the property’s grounds to approximately four and a half acres. He even added stabling outbuildings a glasshouse and a lodge at the entrance. His art collection may have included a coastal scene painted by John Brett. Mr White’s death in 1907 marked another chapter in Leigham Lodge’s history.
The impressive nature of the house’s decor was hinted at in auction notices. These notices were printed in The Times newspaper advertising the house and its contents. Sadly Leigham Lodge was demolished in the 1920s. It was replaced by the Conifer Gardens housing estate.
Today all that remains of Leigham Lodge is its legacy. It served as a testament to the changing fortunes of Streatham. It represents a bygone era of elegant homes and prosperous families. Even though it’s gone Leigham Lodge continues to fascinate. It remains an important part of the local area’s history.