London Borough of Merton: History
The area of the modern borough broadly corresponds to the four ancient parishes of Merton, Mitcham, Morden, and Wimbledon, all of which were historically in the county of Surrey.
The parish of Wimbledon was made a local government district in 1866. Such districts were converted into urban districts under the Local Government Act 1894. The Wimbledon Urban District was subsequently incorporated to become the municipal borough of Wimbledon in 1905.
Merton was made an urban district in 1907; it was enlarged in 1913 to take in neighbouring Morden, becoming the Merton and Morden Urban District. Mitcham was made an urban district in 1915, and it was incorporated to become the municipal borough of Mitcham in 1934.
The modern borough was created in 1965 under the London Government Act 1963, covering the combined area of the former boroughs of Mitcham and Wimbledon and the Merton and Morden Urban District. The area was transferred from Surrey to Greater London to become one of the 32 London Boroughs.
The name Merton for the borough was chosen as a compromise, following a dispute between Wimbledon and Mitcham over the new borough's name.