Fairytale of Old Croydon
What fairytales could you imagine taking place in Croydon? I think many people would be stumped by this question. Perhaps the Pied Piper of Hamelin or The Ugly Duckling at Waddon Ponds? There are two particular sites in Croydon which evoke fairytale stories of princesses for me, and both were built in the 19th century for the purposes of water supply. Pumping Station, Feb 2020 Following the Public Health Act of 1848, which established local boards of health to manage issues including water and sanitation, Croydon was one of the first areas to set up a Local Board of Health. This article from the Museum of Croydon notes that Croydon had very poor sanitation at this point and suffered deadly outbreaks of cholera and other waterborne diseases. A reservoir was built at Park Hill in 1851, filled by a pumping station just off Surrey Street. Pumping station, Exchange Square, Aug 2017 The pumping station is said to have reused materials originally used in the West Croydon eng...