George Parker Bidder, a civil engineer, acquired the Ravensbury estate in the mid nineteenth century. You have already passed the third Ravesnbury House we have on record, built by Bidder's grandson. However, at the time of George Parker Bidder's purchase in the mid nineteenth century, an older building called 'Ravensbury Park Manor House' stood in this area (otherwise known as the Manor House). It was one of the many houses to have this name, associated with the manor of Ravensbury, which had a history dating back to the 13th century. This particular house was demolished in 1860 by Bidder. He had a new house constructed, called 'Ravensbury Park House', built on the south side of the river near Bishopsford Road.
A branch of the prominent local Merton family, the Garths, seemed to have occupied the old Manor House in the early 17th century. However, more interestingly, it was later occupied by the Arbuthnott family, who operated a textile printing works nearby. The area was a significant centre of the textile and bleaching industry that developed along the Wandle.
In the early 18th century it was reportedly recorded that a Huguenot Calico printer called Peter Mauvillian employed over 280 people at the Ravensbury Print works and in Wandsworth. He did not live in the Manor House, but had another property nearby on the present site of Morden Lodge. Possession of the works passed to the Arbuthnotts in 1755 and the print works were at their peak. There were adjoining crofting grounds, where the calico was bleached, and the fabric then went to the nearby printworks to be artfully processed.
Designs from Asia were very popular with printers and 'Chintz', an Indian style decorative pattern, became a speciality of the printers in the area from the 1700s until the 1970s, when the industry declined. Ravensbury Print Works became particularly well known for its bright paisley printed shawls.
Unfortunately due to developments elsewhere in the country, the Ravensbury Print Works ceased production in the 1860s, as was the case with a number of fabric printers in the area.
Now, continue onwards up the path along the Wandle and come to a stop when our next audio starts.
