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The McKellar Family
of Wandsworth Lodge
Research notes

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Henry McKellar made his first fortune in India as a tailor to the East India Company, with premises in Old Burlington Street. Between 1848 and 1853 he bought land from Earl Spencer on the east side of the Common: all the fields along to Burntwood Lane, including what is now Trinity Fields, and the stretch of Common between St James’s Drive and Bellevue Road, ever since called “McKellar’s Triangle”.

He lived at Wandsworth Lodge, off Trinity Road, until his death. After the house was sold it passed to the de Selincourts.

The main page so far is The McKellar Family of Wandsworth Lodge. These are working notes; the newest findings are in the research log.

Contents

• The family in outline
• Henry McKellar
• McKellar’s Triangle and Trinity Fields
• Wandsworth Lodge
• “Tailors”: the campaign of the 1860s
• After Henry
• Open questions
• Research log
• Sources

The family in outline

The name appears as McKellar, M’Kellar, Mackellar and, on one poster, Kellar.

Henry McKellar

He made his fortune “dressing the East India Company”. confirmed A court case of 1853 shows his Indian business affairs: Henry McKellar v. John Wallace. confirmed

McKellar’s Triangle and Trinity Fields

McKellar bought from Earl Spencer, between 1848 and 1853, the land along to Burntwood Lane, including the fields now covered by Hendham, Wandle and Brodrick Roads, Trinity Fields, and the twenty-odd acres of Common between Trinity Road, Bellevue Road and St James’s Drive: “McKellar’s Triangle”. These fields were not built over until after his death. (Chronicles, June 2022) confirmed

Trinity Fields was bound by a covenant of 1852, which is why it is still a playing field. to check

Wandsworth Lodge

The house stood off Trinity Road, on the site of today’s Crockerton, Dalebury and Hendham Roads. confirmed It was advertised for sale in February and May 1863 and was sold that July. confirmed

“Tailors”: the campaign of the 1860s

A poster of the 1860s campaign to save the Common attacks the encroachers, among them “Tailors”. This is probably not a sneer at the trade but a pointed reference to McKellar (“Kellar” on the poster). (Chronicles, May 2025) lead

A “Mr M’Kellar” spoke at a meeting about cricket on the Common in 1864. Since Henry had died the year before, who was he? to check

After Henry

His widow Ann sold Wandsworth Lodge in 1863 and moved to Richmond Lodge, Streatham Hill. She died in 1885. confirmed The story that the McKellars let gypsies camp on their land is so far unproven. to check

Open questions

• Did Henry die in 1862 or 1863? The estate was advertised in February 1863. to check
• Where and when was he born, and when did he come back from India? to check
• Children and heirs; the “Mr M’Kellar” of 1864. to check
• The 1852 Trinity Fields covenant: wording and present owner. to check
• The gypsies story. lead

Research log

Sources

• The McKellar Family of Wandsworth Lodge (this site)
• Henry McKellar of Wandsworth Lodge (this site)
• India-related court case, 1853 (this site)
• Chronicles, June 2022: Earl Spencer’s land sales and McKellar’s Triangle
• Chronicles, May 2025: the “Tailors” poster
• Chronicles, May 2022: Wandsworth Lodge cleared, 1885
• The de Selincourt family (this site)

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