Newton House, 1 Commonside West

A Memory of Mitcham.

Opposite the pond was my mum Lois's family home. My grandfather was a master builder and his name was Thomas Baker. My grandfather had his office in Newton House and as children my brothers and I liked to explore it but we were not allowed in the cellar. My ancesters the Slaters lived in Love Lane and grew lavender on their land. William Slater was a distiller for Potters & Moore and then he emigrated to Australia in 1858 and took with him Mitcham lavender which he grew on his land in Nunawading, near Melbourne, Australia and he named his homestead after his place of birth Mitcham Grove.