This is the first of four mills located on this part of the River Wandle known as Mitcham Bridge.
This was probably the site of one of the two Domesday mills of Mitcham. Grove is the oldest of the four mills. The mill started life as a corn mill and continued to be operated as a corn mill until nineteen o three. It was then taken over by the Patent Horse Hair Company Limited, makers of artificial horse hair. This material, used for the filling of mattresses and upholstery, was made from treated vegetable fibres, and was promoted as being more hygienic than the animal product it replaced. It was given the name Lyxhayr, and in nineteen o five the company was renamed Lyxhayr Limited. They also took over Crown Mill on the same site. They leased Grove Mill, in about nineteen thirty, to R. F. White and Company Limited, toilet soap and perfume manufacturers.
R. F. White and Company Limited vacated the Grove Mill in January nineteen seventy five with the loss of seventy jobs, and moved production to Peterborough. In nineteen seventy seven Footman and Company Limited, which manufactured chiropody equipment and accessories, moved into Grove Mill. They were there until two thousand and three when a redevelopment scheme was begun to provide housing accommodation over the whole site. The Grove Mill was retained for conversion into flats.
It should be noted that the building you see today was built after a fire destroyed the previous mill in nineteen o seven.
