Beddington Watercress Beds, Guy Road
| Partial / Incomplete Date | c.1952 |
|---|---|
| Area | Mitcham |
| Picture Reference | Mit_Work_Industry_62-3 |
| Original Format | Photo |
| Notes / History | Watercress was grown along the River Wandle from about 1850. The cress bed would be flooded raising the water level by 20cm (4 inches). This would protect the plants from frost and encourage growth. Watercress was one of the few salad foods that could be brought for most of the year. The number of cress beds increased greatly until the 1930s. Then in 1937 there was an outbreak of typhoid in Croydon and the cress beds were blamed. In fact a polluted well in Addington was the cause but by then the damage had been done. |
