Wunderbau - Old Cedars - Kirkdale

[Duffy]

Hi,

Can anyone help with the above. The house i am interested in is now called "Kirkdale Care Centre", before that it was a hotel called "Old Cedars" But that's all I can find out.
I am looking for further information on who built it and called it "Wunderbau", any photos.

Also there is some mention about W.G. Grace when it was called "Old Cedars".

Just anything at all, I would be really greatful.

Thanks

[Eagle]

Good luck with this and I do hope someone knows the facts.

Have known the building for 60 years and was , as you say , Old Cedars.

Would be very interested in previous History

The name you mentions sounds German which would indeed tie in with the large German community in SE26/3 in the C19th.

[Thomas]

Joan Alcock mentions it briefly in "Sydenham and Forest Hill" - the middle bit is the original house, built in the 1770s (you can see this more clearly from the back), the left hand side is an 1870 extention and the right hand side is a more modern extention.

I don't know how long it was known as "wonderbau" for - but that was its name on the reprinted map from the 1890s I've got.

[brian stimson]

By way of an aside, my Father rented a garage at the Old Cedars in the late 1940's early 50's for 3/6d a week, I suppose the block of garages would have been stables at one time. His car was his pride and joy and if he put it away wet he would leather it off and then walk home to Wiverton Road in the pouring rain! Hope I've not bored you too much.

[Eagle]

There must have beeb loads and loads of parking on Wiverton in the 50's. What is the point of a car and walking all that way.