He turned down half a million pounds
Channel: Mitcham Notes
Date: 2023-05-22

Gilliat Hatfeild died aged 77 in 1941. He had inherited his father's estate including the 60-roomed Morden Hall. 

When the Northern Line underground was extended to Morden, there was a land boom as developer rushed to build houses on what had been mostly farmland. The St Helier estate was one of these estates.

Gilliat Hatfeild turned down offers of £500,000 and chose instead to turn his large house into a convalescent home for patients from the London Hospital.

This video tells this story from an article that appeared in the Daily Express newspaper in February 1941.

He left the park and buildings to the National Trust.


See also Mitcham History Notes
https://mitchamhistorynotes.com/2016/03/11/gilliat-hatfeild-obit1941/
https://mitchamhistorynotes.com/2021/07/07/1941-agreement-between-mitcham-and-morden-councils-to-keep-morden-hall-park-open-to-the-public/

Myrtle Grove ad from the British Newspaper Archive issue of The Graphic - Saturday 26th February 1898  https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/9000057/18980226/038/0025
Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.  

Daily Express article from UK Press Online https://ukpressonline.co.uk/ukpressonline/

Morden Hall Park on the National Trust website
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/london/morden-hall-park