Historical information

Designed by Guyon Purchase for Dr. William Walsh in 1886, the building was originally called Wilton. In 1934, following Walsh's death, the Kew Council bought a number of properties near the corner of Cotham Road and Charles Street, including 'Wilton' (by that time known as 'Landene') with the intention of erecting a new town hall. In 1948 the Kew Sub-Branch of the R.S.S. & A.I.L.A. purchased the building for its meeting rooms at a cost of £10,067. The timber structure and sign are the WWII First Aid Post No. 31, built in the front garden as part of Kew’s Air Raid Precautions.

Physical description

Colourised photograph of Wilton, 63 Cotham Road, Kew, taken c.1942. Shows two-storey red brick Victorian house with conical slate tower, two-storey timber verandah, palm tree in front garden, large timber air-raid / first-aid shelter built in front garden, sign on post at right: “FIRST AID POST NO 31”, hedge and Cotham Road / Charles Street corner, Kew Presbyterian church spire in distance at right.