TREASURE DESCRIPTION: Gilliat Hatfeild might be considered a treasure owing to his philanthropy within the local community, especially towards children. He also ran a hospital, at his own expense in Morden Hall.
Gilliat Hatfeild was the last owner of the Snuff Mills and was typical of the benign dictator, lord -of- the-manor type of early 20th Century landowner. Although he was a fair employer, both on the estate and in the snuff industry, he did not expect to be crossed and following a strike in 1921 at The Minories factory he closed down the factory and Snuff Mills. He did however re-employ the snuff workers on his estate. In 1914 Gilliat Edward turned Morden Hall into a military convalescence hospital and it was run as an outpost of the London hospital. Following the war the building continued as a hospital for women and children. He also constructed the beautiful Rose Garden c.1930. On his death, Gilliat Edward left the Morden Hall estate to the National Trust and ensured there was sufficient money to keep the estate in good order.
These treasures were made as part of The Building Exploratory, Wandle Treasures project. This project was part of the wider Living Wandle Landscape Partnership Scheme, funded by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund.
