File - The Streatham Society

STREATHAM
SOCIETY NEWS
Published quarterly
No. 218 Autumn 2014
LAMBETH ARCHITECTURE A BRAVE NEW WORLD 1945 - 65
These Streatham photographs
of Elgar House (1960), to be
renamed Copyright House*,
and Streatham Telephone
Exchange (1949), are taken
from the new book by Edmund Bird and Fiona Price
with photographs by John
East. *See ‘A new business
for Streatham’ p.4.
STREATHAM SOCIETY MEETINGS & EVENTS
RECENT LOCAL HISTORY
DISCOVERIES Various speakers
Monday 5th January
8pm
J. ARTHUR RANK AND THE
STREATHAM CONNECTION
Talk, David McCausland
Monday 2nd March
8pm
THE EBONY HORSE CLUB Brixton Youth Project
Talk
Monday 19th January
8pm
A HISTORY OF THE DARBY &
JOAN CLUB
Talk, Daphne Marchant
Monday 16th March
8pm
THE SUBURBANISATION OF
SOUTH LONDON
Talk, Len Reilly
Monday 2nd February
8pm
DOULTONS, GREENS AND STIFFS
The South London Pottery Industry
Talk, Brian Bloice
Monday 2nd April
8pm
CRYSTAL PALACE MUSICAL
PREMIERES
Talk, Adrian Falks
Monday 16th February
8pm
All meetings at The Woodlawns Centre 16 Leigham Court Road SW16 2PJ
CONTENTS
Front; World War II; Streatham Hill;
Munster Lodge; Lonesome; Floatilla
Streatham News
p3
Megabowl Development; Streatham
Common Coop; PRS for Music; Russell’s Footpath; Insect Hotel; Voluntary work at St Leonard’s
Streatham Society Reports
Miscellany
Publications
Local History Matters
p 8 Dates for your Diary
World War I; Frederick Wilson; Home Society Contacts
p 26
p 32
p 33
p 35
p 36
YOUR 2015 SUBSCRIPTION IS NOW DUE
The Streatham Society welcomes articles of interest to our members, but the editor
reserves the right to edit these. Opinions expressed may not be those of the Society.
Articles and photographs may be reproduced with the editor’s permission.
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STREATHAM NEWS & PLANNING MATTERS
START OF DEMOLITION WORKS AND PRESERVATION OF THE
FAÇADE AT THE STREATHAM MEGABOWL
Brian Bloice
The redevelopment of the Megabowl site on Streatham Hill began on Monday
13 October with the first contractors arriving on site to begin the demolition
process. London Square, the developer, was granted demolition consent for the
works by LB Lambeth’s planning committee on 5 August.
Before any structural demolition can begin the developers need to strip out
all the fixtures and identify and safely remove any asbestos from the site. This
work is expected to take approximately 6 weeks and will be carried out predominantly inside the buildings. Once the soft strip has been completed work will
commence on structural demolition of the buildings, including the retention of
the Megabowl façade.
Following the public exhibition of the plans on 10th and 11th July, the developers have been preparing the detailed documents to enable them to submit a
minor amendment planning application. This application will implement the proposed changes to the existing planning consent, more details of which can be
found on the developers website www.londonsquarestreatham.co.uk
London Square is committed to engaging with the local community throughout the demolition and this includes monitoring noise, ensuring that dust is suppressed on site and that lorries arrive and leave the site in a considerate way. The
Streatham Society is in discussion with the developers concerning the detailed
Art Work on the site hoardings. If you have any questions please contact the developers on [email protected] or on 020 7871 3565
NEWS FROM THE STREATHAM COMMON CO-OPERATIVE
BJB
Now that the organisation is in place for the co-operative to manage the common
and Rookery gardens, the first move is to appoint a new manager. It is intended
to appoint an individual who can demonstrate horticultural knowledge and experience and who can pioneer the development of the new model for managing
the Rookery and later Streatham Common. Once the manager is in post they will
begin planning for taking over services in the Rookery. Initially the services will
be limited to basic maintenance, litter collection and horticultural in the Rookery. For the moment the management of the toilets, playground, café and tennis
courts are not going to change.
The current lease for the Rookery café finishes at the end of December and
Lambeth Council is currently going through the process of putting together the
terms of a new lease.
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Plans are being drawn up for the remodeling and enhancement of the playground and associated facilities. In the draft Lambeth Parks Capital Investment
Plan there is a proposal to spend £1 million on this project. Unfortunately the
consultation period once again on this has been too short for a considered reply.
THE PERFORMING RIGHTS SOCIETY (PRS) FOR MUSIC
A New Major Business for Streatham
Recently we were contacted by the communications manager of PRS, asking if
we could provide a lunchtime walking tour around the High Road for their staff,
who may be unfamiliar with the area. Graham Gower has agreed to lead this.
PRS for Music have had a rather underused office on Streatham High Road
for several decades, which is currently being refurbished. They will leave their
head office in Berners Street WI for a new smaller office in King’s Cross and a
much bigger office in the High Road. This will be located in Elgar House, renamed Copyright House. This welcome move means PRS, with around 300
staff, will be one of the largest employers in Streatham.
PRS represents the rights of 100,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers in the UK. As a membership organisation it ensures creators are paid
whenever their music is played, performed or reproduced, championing the importance of copyright to protect and support the UK music industry. The UK has
a proud tradition of creating wonderful music that is enjoyed the world over and
PRS for Music has been supporting the creators of that music since 1914.
PRS provides business and community groups with easy access to over 10m
songs through its music licences. In an industry worth over £3.5bn PRS for Music is uniquely placed to be a voice for music and music creators. Collecting
£665.7m in 2013, PRS is one of the world’s most efficient combined rights organisations. With over 100 representation agreements in place globally, PRS for
Music’s network represents over two million music creators.
CLEANING UP RUSSELL’S FOOTPATH
For many years the Streatham Society has kept a watching brief on the ancient
footpaths that cut across the area of Streatham. In 2009 Graham Gower wrote a
guide to the principal footpaths which is still available from the Society as one
of our heritage trails. It seems however that, although Lambeth Council promotes healthy living by encouraging us to walk as much as possible, it does not
invest in the maintenance of these ancient paths which can be used by walkers.
In particular Russell’s footpath, used by commuters and leisure walkers leading
from Streatham Station, has become neglected and has suffered vandalism. It
was encouraging to see that a local group is using the Council’s Freshview
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scheme to improve the environment along the path. This scheme is a joint venture of the community and council, who provide the equipment for a clean-up.
The Streatham Society suggests that better lighting and additional CCTV may be
also part of the solution in the first part of the footpath near to the station.
The Society organises a walk along the footpaths from time to time but the
trail for a do it yourself walk can be purchased from the Society via our website
or at a meeting: Streatham Heritage Trail: Streatham Heights, Footpaths and
Woods by Graham Gower, price £2.50 (£3.10 incl.p&p).
BUILDING AN INSECT HOTEL - WHY BUILD ONE?
On October 5th, two newly built insect, or bug, hotels were on view in the
Streatham Common Community Garden in the Rookery. They can be seen when
the garden is open, most Sunday afternoons.
Our gardens are home to a wide range of living creatures. An average garden
could hold over 2,000 different species of insect! With all this diversity of life it
is good to know that very few creatures cause significant damage to our prized
flowers, fruit and vegetables, the ones that gardeners call pests. Even better,
there are many more creatures that help us control the pests.
By providing the right habitats we can greatly increase the number of beneficial insects in the garden. Some wild invertebrates, such as bumblebees and solitary bees, are declining in numbers in the wider countryside, so by providing
homes we can contribute to their conservation. An Insect Hotel is built entirely
from recycled materials. The main structure is discarded pallets, and much of the
additional wood is the product of routine woodland management operations.
Where to site a hotel
Many invertebrates like cool damp conditions, so habitats can be sited in semi
shade, by a hedge or under a tree. Putting the habitat close to other wildlife features, such as an overgrown hedge, a shrubbery or a pond will make it easier for
small creatures to find it. Not all creatures like to be in the shade; solitary bees
like a warm sunny spot, so tubes for bees should be put on the sunniest side of
the habitat, or elsewhere in the garden. The hotel may end up fairly heavy, so a
firm base on level, even surface must be chosen.
The basic structure
Old pallets are best for the basic structure. The more recycled or reclaimed materials can be used, the better. The habitat does not need to be more than 5 pallets
high. If the bottom pallet is place upside down, this should create larger openings at the ends, which can be used for a hedgehog house. The structure should
be stable so each pallet should be secured to the one below.
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Filling the gaps
There are many different ways to fill the gaps in the structure, such as dead
wood. Dead wood is an increasingly rare habitat as we tidy our gardens, parks
and amenity woodlands. It is essential for the larvae of wood-boring beetles,
such as the stag beetle. It also supports many fungi, which help break down the
woody material. Crevices under the bark hold centipedes and woodlice.
Holes for solitary bees should be made. There are many different species of
solitary bee, all are excellent pollinators. The female bee lays an egg on top of a
mass of pollen at the end of a hollow tube, she then seals the entrance with a
plug of mud. A long tube can hold several such cells. Hollow stems, such as old
bamboo canes, or holes drilled into blocks of wood, make good nest sites for
solitary bees. Holes of different diameters mean many different species can be
catered for. Frog holes should also be provided. Frogs eat many slugs and other
garden pests. Although they need a pond to breed in, they can spend most of the
year out of water.
Straw and hay should
be added for invertebrates
to burrow in and find safe
hibernation sites. Dry
leaves provide more homes
for a variety of invertebrates; this mimics the litter
on the forest floor. Loose
bark attracts beetles, centipedes, spiders and woodlice
which all lurk beneath the
decaying wood. Woodlice
and millipedes help to
break down woody plant
material. They are essential
parts of the garden recycling system. Many garden
invertebrates need a safe
place to hibernate in
through the winter so an
insect hotel needs many
One of the bug hotels in the Streatham Community different types of crannies
Garden. Photo taken on the recent very enjoyable and crevices for different
Apple day.
Photo JH species of invertebrate to
hide in over winter.
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CONGRATULATIONS TO FAY WHITING FOR A CLEANER AND
GREENER STREATHAM
John W Brown
Our congratulations to Fay Whiting for being one of three people in Lambeth to
be short-listed for the Lambeth Cleaner and Greener Community Award.
Fay, and her husband Laurie, are well-known members of the Society and
Laurie’s knack of always buying the winning raffle tickets at our meetings is
renowned.
Fay shows the rubbish sacks filled in one session in St Leonard’s Churchyard
For many years they have been members of the Church Watch team at
Streatham’s ancient parish church of St. Leonard. Each Monday they attend the
church between 11.30am and 2pm to keep the building open for members of the
public to visit and have the opportunity of appreciating its beauty and heritage or
for use as a place of peace and meditation.
During this time Fay is to be found in the churchyard, helping clear it of
sacks full of tin cans and rubbish and tending the graves; keeping the weeds under control and encouraging the wild flowers to flourish. It is largely through her
efforts that St. Leonard’s graveyard is such a pleasant and pretty place to visit,
where wild flowers blossom and wildlife thrives.
Congratulations Fay on the well-earned recognition of all you and Laurie do
in helping to make Streatham a cleaner and greener place.
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LOCAL HISTORY MATTERS
COMMEMORATING THE FIRST WORLD WAR
JWB
Streatham’s War memorial, featuring the evocative figure of a bare headed soldier, head bowed and his hands resting on the butt of his rifle, is well known to
most inhabitants of our town.
Streatham War Memorial, Albert Carr Memorial Gardens
Photos JWB
However, the statue we see today was only part of Streatham’s memorial to
the dead of the First World War. In addition a club for ex-servicemen was established in a large house, called the Chimes, that stood on the terrace, overlooking
the memorial gardens.
To compliment the war memorial a Roll of Honour was compiled listing the
730 former inhabitants of our town who made the ultimate sacrifice in the war.
This Roll was on display in the Library and was eventually deposited in Lambeth Archives where unfortunately it has been mislaid and can no longer be
found.
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Fortunately the names of the fallen recorded on the Roll are not forgotten as
John Brown has compiled a list of those featured from various sources in his
Streatham archive.
On the day of the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, August
4th 2014, a new page went live on the Society’s website listing the names of the
730 men recorded on Streatham’s Roll of Honour and we are grateful to our
Web Master, Peter Main, for making this possible. So, although the original Roll
is lost, the names can be remembered and consulted on the Streatham Society
website.
One of the projects the Streatham Society is undertaking to commemorate
the centenary of the First World War is the compilation of a new Roll of Honour
and Marion Gower has kindly agreed to undertake detailed research for this, for
which we are most grateful. In addition, over the past few years, two fellow
members of the Streatham Society, Colin Crocker and Andrew Hadden, have
compiled a list of over a thousand men with Streatham connections, who died in,
or from, wounds received during, the Great War.
Anyone wishing to have the names of their relatives included in the new Roll
of Honour the Streatham Society is compiling should contact John W Brown at
316 Green Lane, Streatham, London SW16 3AS or send details via the message
board on the Streatham Society website.
Another of our First World War commemorative projects is, hopefully, to
have the war memorial at our ancient parish church of St. Leonard reinstated.
Fortunately this was not damaged in the fire which gutted the building in May
1975, as it was in temporary storage in the crypt. It had been moved there following a board detailing the names of the Rectors of Streatham being mounted
in its place in the church. Before the war memorial could be repositioned the fire
occurred. We have raised the memorial’s reinstatement with St. Leonard’s who
are currently considering our request.
We are pleased to report support for these projects from the Leader of Lambeth Council, Cllr. Lib Peck, who said it was important that we remember those
from Streatham and Lambeth who were lost during the war. “It would be fantastic for both St. Leonard’s and the wider community if the war memorial could be
reinstated in their honour,” she said.
Local Green councillor, Ainslie Scott, is also supporting these projects and
believes it is important for us to remember not just for the sake of those who
were killed but because it affects the decisions we make today. “We must remember the horror and the price that so many paid, including those who were
sacrificed against their will. We must remember all who died, both combatants
and civilians, and the humanity of those on all sides. We must remember that
some did not die in vain. If we remember honestly, it not only honours the dead,
but we may also make better decisions now and in the future,” he said.
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FREDERICK WILKINSON AND THE STREATHAM NON CONSCRIPTION
FELLOWSHIP
Colin Fenn
West Norwood Cemetery has 136 graves maintained by the Commonwealth War
Graves Commission (CWGC) from WWI. One reflects the difficult situation of
Conscientious Objectors (CO) at the time.
For nearly a century Britain was home to popular movements opposed to
warfare. Sometimes this originated from the devout members of dissenting
churches, such as the Quakers. Other movements were linked to socialism, on
the basis that it was the workers who fought the statesmen’s wars. If no-one was
prepared to fight, wars would become impossible.
Unlike the continental countries, Britain did not have a conscript army in
1914. Instead, numbers were boosted as retired soldiers, reservists and territorials were recalled into the army. Many thousands more volunteered to join up.
But the Army’s insatiable demand for fighting men ultimately led to conscription of all fit men in 1916. With so many families having someone serving in the
armed services, those men who did not join up might be looked down upon by
those at home and sent white feathers or anonymous intimidating letters by
members of the public.
In 1914 pacifist objections had crystallised into several categories. Some
pacifist groups felt that the German invasion of Belgium and subsequent reports
of atrocities had justified armed resistance.
Nonetheless, some were principled non-combatants, who were prepared to
be called-up but not take up weapons. These alternativists were prepared to undertake civilian work that did not fall under military control. Britain was unique
in trying to accommodate such beliefs, and sent such men as stretcher-bearers to
work in dangerous roles at the Western Front, or allowed them to opt-out into
special non-combatant support organisations such as the Labour Corps.
Others had such principled pacifist beliefs that they refused to support the
war effort at all. These absolutists held that any help they gave to the war effort
in any way was immoral. Some 16,000 men were sent to tribunals to judge their
case. The tribunals were normally staffed by unsympathetic members of the establishment and the military, and granted very few exemptions. About 6,000 non
-exempt men refused to serve and were jailed – about 80 died in prison during
the war.
Fred Wilkinson was one such principled absolutist. London had a number of
branches of the No-Conscription Fellowship, an organisation that objected to
conscription and assisted objectors in tribunals or help them go into hiding. Fred
was the secretary of the Streatham branch. He was then 27 years old and said to
be “ardent, level-headed, an enthusiast with a gift for organisation and a born
leader... he was particularly earnest in seeking to arouse the Churches and the
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professing followers of the Prince of Peace in regard to pacifism.”
Nonetheless a tribunal conscripted Fred into the army in mid-1916 and he
was instructed to report to the West Kent Regiment. Still refusing to serve, he
was arrested and handed over to the military in November. He was sentenced at
Courts Marshal to 112 days hard labour in Wormwood Scrubs. Refusing to join
an opt-out scheme, he was transferred to Wandsworth Prison and was handed
back to the Army in February 1917. Still refusing, he was sentenced by Courts
Marshal to terms in Maidstone Jail. Each time he was released he again refused
and was sent back to Maidstone.
Conditions for ‘conshies’ at Maidstone were harsh. Their cells were
freezing and damp, food was poor and
men were prey to sickness. On the
morning of New Year’s Day, 1919
Fred’s wife was called for as he was
dangerously ill of bronchopneumonia
following an attack of the Spanish ’flu.
He died in jail on 3rd January 1919.
His colleagues at the NCF raised
the £8 2s 6d needed for his wife to buy
a private grave at the South Metropolitan Cemetery at West Norwood, and
his funeral was accompanied by a
large number of his colleagues on 9th
January 1919. (Private grave 35,069,
Square 43.)
There is no original headstone or
monument to be seen there today.
However his death in army service
brings his grave under the CWGC,
even though Fred never wore a uniform. Thus, ironically, his grave is
now marked by a standard white botticino limestone headstone and, in the
usual manner, it is marked by a cross and the regimental badge of his army unit in which he never served (above).
(With thanks to Ben Copsey of the Peace Pledge Union for extra information the PPU maintains a memorial and archive of the NCF.)
This article is based on my guide to West Norwood Cemetery’s Great War Connections, 1914. It is available from the FOWNC bookstall for £1.
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REPORTING THE WWI HOME FRONT IN STREATHAM
BJB
th
Following the declaration of war on the 4 August 1914 the columns of
the local newspapers, in those first few months, began to report the local
reaction to and preparations to meet the new international situation.
On 8th September, the Streatham Rifle Club was formed, an early
form of Home Guard. Their slogans were: ‘More men are wanted, Are
you a man? Fall in’. The first parade of the club took place on Streatham
Common led by their president G.H.L. Parsons. The club subsequently
was given permission to set up a firing range on Lonesome Shoot, Greyhound Lane, which could be used from 9am to 11pm. Other clubs that
were established at this time were the Wandsworth Rifle Club, which had
a range at Garratt Park, the Balham and Southern Rifle Club who had
granted permission to the Balham and Wandsworth Branch of the Home
Defence League to use their range at the Borough Engineer’s office on
Balham High Road
A man claiming to be Rudolf Francis Karl Josef Hapsburg, Crown
Prince of Austria, was arrested and charged for not registering himself as
an enemy alien. His real name was Christian Paul Klave and he had previously claimed to be a Russian count, whilst running a dogs’ hospital in
Streatham.
On 21st August the school log book for Holy Trinity School in Upper
Tooting recorded that the older girls in the school had been allowed to
continue knitting socks for those at the Front instead of taking part in the
General Knowledge lesson
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REMEMBERING THE SECOND WORLD WAR
Colin Crocker
This year marks the 70th anniversary of two major local events in Streatham
relating to the Second World War.
Firstly, the V1 flying bomb campaign
against Britain which saw 41 ‘doodlebugs’ fall
on our town during the summer of 1944. The
first bomb fell on Friday June 16th. Over the
next two months the 41 V1s to land in the area
claimed 86 lives and injured over 900 people as
well as causing considerable devastation to local property.
Secondly, the standing down of the Home
Guard. Our local detachment, the 31st London
(Streatham) Battalion Home Guard, was formed A policeman gathers wreckage
from the first VI to fall
in 1939 and was originally known as the Local
Defence Volunteers. Around 3,500 local men served in the Streatham Battalion
with 1,000 subsequently going on to join the armed forces.
Although some of the activities of ‘Dad’s Army’ are familiar today, through
the BBCTV comedy programme of the same name, much of the work undertaken by the Streatham Battalion was far from funny. Seven members were
killed by enemy action and 63 were injured. The Streatham Home Guard was the
first unit in the country to be mentioned in despatches when Pte. P D Willeringhaus, a despatch rider, was cited for gallantry during an air raid.
As each year passes those who experienced the war decline in number. The
Streatham Society are collecting memories of life in Streatham during the war
and will be pleased to hear from any reader who served, or whose relatives
served, in the Streatham Home Guard or who experienced the V1 campaign.
World War II - Home Guard Final Parade
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REMEMBERING THE VICTIMS OF THE HAZELHURST ROAD V2
BOMB IN 1944
JWB
A special Service of Remembrance for the victims of the V2 flying bomb that
fell on Hazelhurst Road in Summerstown in 1944 at St. Mary’s Church, Summerstown, SW17, was scheduled for 10.30am on Sunday 16th November. 34
people lost their lives and over 100 were injured as a result of this incident and
around half of the houses in Hazelhurst Road and Foss Road were destroyed by
the explosion. A guided walk around the Tooting section will start at 2pm, outside St Mary’s Church, Keeble Street, on Saturday 6th December.
STREATHAM HILL - THE TRUE STORY OF TWO DREWS, A KYMER
AND A KINGDON
JWB
I read with much interest Clare Moore’s item on Eileen Drew and her belief that
the area to the west of Streatham Hill, on which the Beacon Bingo Hall (former
Streatham Hill Theatre), Ceasar’s (former Locarno Dance Hall) and the Megabowl building (the former Gaumont Cinema) now stand, “had been left in perpetuity by the Drews of Streatham to the local residents for their leisure pursuits”.
I remember some years ago this claim being drawn to my attention, it might
even have been by Eileen herself, and therefore researching the matter to ascertain if there was any substance to it. Sadly there was none.
The land was never owned by Beriah Drew and at the time he acquired his
land holdings in Streatham, in the early 1830s, the area of ground to the west of
Streatham Hill was owned by Mary Ann Kymer, the widow of Maximilian Richard Kymer whose family had owned land in Streatham since at least 1791.
The land fronting the western side of Streatham Hill was first developed in
Georgian times with the building of the Paragon Houses southwards from the
Crown and Sceptre public house in the early 1820s. By the mid-19th century
houses completely occupied the western side of the road from the pub to Streatham Hill Railway Station.
The reason why we have a collection of entertainment facilities grouped together along the western side of Streatham Hill was through the vision of a
South African, Hugh Sewell Kingdon. John Cresswell, the former secretary of
the Streatham Society, researched Hugh's life and discovered the key roll he
played in the project.
Hugh was a theatrical agent and one of the artists he booked was a very talented violinist, Mary Law. Mary and Hugh were married at St. Leonard’s
Church, Streatham, in 1915 and they lived at 12 Streatham Hill, which Mary had
leased in 1912. Sadly, both Mary and their 3-year-old son died in the flu epidemic of 1919, but Hugh stayed on in Streatham for the rest of his life, marrying
again twice.
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In the mid-1920s Hugh obtained an option to buy up the leases on most of
the old houses along the west side of Streatham Hill, from Sternhold Avenue to
Telford Avenue. He then obtained planning permission and financial backing to
build a theatre, cinema, dance hall, flats, shops and restaurants on the site. His
plans were breathtaking in their concept and totally transformed this stretch of
Streatham Hill into the streetscape we know today, including the building of the
Locarno Dance Hall, the Gaumont Cinema and the Streatham Hill Theatre.
His story is told in John Cresswell’s book, published by the Streatham Society, called The Streatham Hill Theatre copies of which are available from our
bookstall or via our website on the internet.
MUNSTER LODGE - ‘A GRAND HOUSE IN STREATHAM’ FOR A DISTINGUISHED JAPANESE BANKER
JWB
It was around nine years ago that I first had the pleasure of meeting Professor
Takayuki Tatsumi and his wife, Mari, from Japan who were visiting London on
holiday. During their visit they were researching their family history, and in particular Takayuki’s grandfather, Konojo Tatsumi (also known as Konosuke Tatsumi). He was the Manager of the London branch of the Bank of Yokohama
(now the Bank of Tokyo) in the early 20th century, during which time he lived at
Munster Lodge, 8 Leigham Court Road at Streatham Hill.
The house was situated not far from where the Streatham Society holds its
monthly meetings at Woodlawns, 16 Leigham Court Road. Sadly this once
grand house no longer exists as it was demolished in the mid-1930s to make way
for Dorchester Court. No pictures of Munster Lodge survive, however Takayuki
kindly gave me a photograph of his grandfather’s family relaxing in the garden
at the rear of the house taken around 1912. Some members of the group were
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holding tennis rackets suggesting that the garden, which was one of the largest in
Leigham Court Road, had its own tennis court.
The house was used for over 25 years as the London residence for the managers of the Bank of Yokohama and was selected for this purpose by Konojo
Tatsumi himself, who was anxious that his family should live in a salubrious
London suburb within convenient commuting distance to the City. He returned
to Tokyo after the First World War and a succession of eminent Japanese bankers continued to live at 8 Leigham Court Road until its demolition.
I had the pleasure of meeting Takayuki and Mari again this August, when
they paid another visit to London and journeyed to Streatham to update me on
their researches and to present me with a wonderful CD Mari had made of their
previous trip, detailing the story of Konojo Tatsumi and his service with the
Bank of Yokohama in London. This film featured an old, fat, bald man talking
about Leigham Court Road in the early 20th century whom I was assured was
me, although I had always imagined I was much younger, slimmer and had more
hair than the man in the film!
Among a number of items Takayuki kindly left with me was an extract from
a book on The Japanese Community in Pre-War Britain by Keiko Itoh which
includes memories of Konosuke Tatsumi by Hisaakira Kano, who worked at the
Bank of Yokohama in London for 12 years, during two periods of service between 1921 and 1942. The account was written in 1947 when Hisaakira was recalling his predecessor at the bank and gives a wonderful insight into Konosuke’s character and achievements. It reads as follows:
‘The first thing that springs to mind from my years in London with the Yokohama Specie Bank is Mr Tatsumi, one of the general managers. He had lived
in London for over 18 years. He is a man who had worked himself up to becoming general manager from a messenger boy. He learned book-keeping with an
English clerk and knew the English banking system inside out. He was a very
big thinker. He bought a grand house in Streatham as the general manager’s official residence, and showed by example the way in which a general manager
should live. His attitude was followed by the Japanese trading companies in
London as well, and we learned to behave with dignity as representatives of Japan.
‘Mr Tatsumi was also a very learned man. As soon as he heard of a new
book, he would get hold of it and absorb knowledge. He was also very generous.
He made large contributions to clubs and also donations to many individuals.
Whatever money he earned, he used to spend it all. He socialised extensively
with westerners, but was also very kind and supportive to the Japanese community. Not only did he buy a building for the Nibonjin Kai, but also ensured that it
was properly looked after.
‘Mr Tatsumi also enjoyed astronomy, and used to gaze at the stars through a
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telescope installed in the garden of the residence. He believed that banks that
engaged in sports would thrive, and so installed, as many English banks did, a
sports ground with a cricket field and six tennis courts. Mr Tatsumi was indeed a
model for the Japanese living in London.
‘His stay in London extended from immediately after the Sino-Japanese War
to about 1920. He was one of the Japanese representatives to the Paris Peace
Conference after the war. Mr Okubo succeeded Mr Tatsumi as the general manager in 1920, by which time Japan’s position in the world had risen and business
for the bank had expanded.
‘The Japanese living in London at the time were able to enjoy a comfortable life
and become ever more familiar with English life. They became more relaxed and
refined, and spent their leisure time going to concerts and the theatre and mixing
socially with their English counterparts. So much of this cultural pursuit among
the Yokohama Specie Bank employees, I believe, is due to Mr Tatsumi’s legacy.’
The ‘grand house in Streatham’ referred to with the ‘telescope installed in
the garden’ was of course Munster Lodge at 8 Leigham Court Road. This large,
Victorian property was built in the mid-1860s for Charles Ernest Nolda who was
living there in 1865. Research undertaken by Christine Jones has greatly helped
us piece together details about his life. Charles was born in Munster in Germany
and named the house after the town of his birth. His wife, Elizabeth Ann Nolda,
died in January 1866 and was buried in the parish graveyard at St. Leonard’s
Church. Shortly after her death, Charles moved from the house. He died in May
1870, aged 44, and was interred with his wife. The grave survives today and
comprises a large brown headstone laying on the ground which once was surrounded with railings. These were no doubt removed during the Second World
War when many such railings were taken for use as scrap metal for the war effort. There is an inscription on the stone which reads as follows:
Sacred
to the memory of
ELIZABETH ANN
wife of
CHARLES NOLDA ESQUIRE
Born 24th June or July 1827
Died 26th January 1866
Also to the memory of
CHARLES ERNEST NOLDA
husband of the above
who departed this life
May 3rd 1870
in the 44th year of his age
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Charles Nolda was in partnership with William Henry Plummer and they
operated a firm of Commission Agents together which traded as Nolda Plummer
and Co. This partnership was dissolved in August 1854, shortly before Nolda's
marriage to his first wife, Elizabeth Anne Brown, at St. Alphege’s Church,
Southwark, on the 18th October 1854. The marriage entry shows Nolda’s father
as Charles Nolda, a Government Officer and Elizabeth’s father as Charles
Brown, a merchant. Elizabeth was living at 74 Wood Street at the time of her
marriage and Charles address is simply given as Islington.
Following Elizabeth's death in January 1866, Charles married for a second
time in 1867, taking as his wife Effie Ida Campbell. It was around the time of
this marriage that he moved, probably to St. Norman’s Hall in Forest Hil, where
he died on the 3rd May 1870.
In 1867, Thomas Fish Marson, a wealthy solicitor, moved from Rogell (or
Royell) Cottage at Upper Tulse Hill, to Munster Lodge with his wife, Catherine,
and their family. He played an active part in the local community and was
Churchwarden of St. Peter’s Church, Leigham Court Road. He was to occupy
Munster Lodge for the next 33 years and the 1881 census shows he and his wife,
their seven children, his mother in law, Martha Wilson, and five servants residing in the house at that time.
Around 1901 Jane Richard Bennet moved into the property and is listed in
the 1903 and 1905 directories as still living there. However, by 1910 Konjo Tatsumi had acquired the property as the official residence of the Manager of the
London Branch of the Bank of Yokohama. It was subsequently occupied by a
succession of managers, including Toshitaki Okubo, Kanji Yano and Daisuki
Nohara, until the houses was demolished in the mid-1930s to make way for Dorchester Court which now occupies the site.
As previously mentioned no pictures of Munster Lodge survive. However,
from map evidence we know it was one of the biggest dwellings at the western
end of Leigham Court Road, as can be gathered from the size of Dorchester
Court.
The house would have been of a size and status worthy of the residence of
the London manager of one of Japan’s largest banks and as such Konojo Tatsumi would have ranked among Leigham Court Road's prestigious residents
which also included Sir Arnold White, Queen Victoria’s solicitor; George and
Joseph Trollope, members of the building firm now known as Trollope and
Colls; Frederick Palmer, publisher of The Church Times, Dr. Arthur Oxley, doctor to Princess Beatrice; William Axtens, partner of Quin and Axtens the famous
Brixton department store; George Higgins, partner in the Peckham department
store of Jones and Higgins; Sir Frederick Hall, MP for Dulwich; Thomas Wilkinson, President of the Magdalene Hospital; William Saunders, MP and news18
Streatham Society 218
paper proprietor; and Charles Robertson, State Page to Queen Victoria.
Between 1910 and the mid-1930s many influential and important members
of the Japanese community in London would have visited Munster Lodge where
they would have been entertained by Konojo Tatsumi, no doubt including the
Japanese Ambassador. We do know that the famous Japanese artist, Takeuchi
Tsurunosuke, stayed at the property as Konojo’s guest.
It was wonderful to meet Takayuki and
Mari again and to share with them their ongoing research into the life of Takayuki's grandfather. Much has been discovered since they
tentatively knocked on my door in 2005
clutching a print out of a page from the Streatham Society's web site translated into Japanese!
It was a real pleasure to be able to identify
for them the place where their eminent forebear once lived in Leigham Court Road. My
next challenge is to master the use of the beautiful Japanese chop sticks they kindly gave me
and I fear the old, bald, fat man that appeared
in their film almost 10 years ago is now a lit- Professor Takayuki Tatsumi and
tle fatter after enjoying the delicious box of his wife Mari visit to John Brown
Photo JWB
Japanese sweets they also kindly left with me!
With many thanks to Christine Jones for her valuable contribution in researching the life of Charles Nolda.
DOWN LONESOME WAY - SUNDAY MORNING WALK TOWARDS
MITCHAM
E. Brinsmead Gough
The Merton Historical Society Bulletin No. 190 (June 2014) published a feature
by Keith Penny, following the receipt, from John Brown, of a copy of the following item from the ‘Streatham News’ of 10 February 1922. We thank John for
supplying the text of this newspaper article and the Merton Historical Society
and Keith Penny for permission to reproduce his notes.
My Sunday morning walk took me through the byways round Lonesome, a descriptive name to an off-shoot of Streatham, lying towards Mitcham. The sun
shone gloriously.
Down Greyhound-lane then - a road not so long ago an avenue of stately
elms, traces of which are seen in a single row of stumps in a shabby hedge, past
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cottages and flats - as if in
broad fields there had been
little room for building.
Humble to a degree,
these homes, yet not without pride to the dwellers,
many of whom were out
furbishing frontages. Toddling youngsters made their
way to the iron mission hall
for Sunday school.
The itinerant vendor of
vinegar (of all things) vied
in crying his wares with
him who sold news. A man
in collarless ease was exhorting a terrier to go indoors when the sight of
footballers turned me to
their direction, and I was
soon ploughing my way
across turf to a forest of
goal posts, for the targets of
many clubs are hereabouts.
SMOKE FROM A FACTORY
Not caring to wait till a match began, I wended my way to a chemical factory,
whose shaft belched forth smoke in a work-a-day fashion. So far the serenity of
an old-time Sunday had been absent, nor was it lessened when a little later a
steam exhaust hissed in unison to pulsating engine.
Further on were the remains of that derelict enterprise of spacious houses
begun and never finished. No longer stand imposing columns supporting stone
lintels to ambitious porches, which, in their broken state, remotely remind of
ruined Pompeii.
Nearby was Streatham Park Cemetery, comparatively new, but already much
begraved. Truly the population of London is great, and with each ‘God's Acre’
attached to her churches closed, nothing remains but to dot the fringe of her domain with capacious burial grounds.
Adjacent, lay a last resting place for those of the Jewish faith. Here one observes the head stones bear sculptured hands where a Christian would engrave a
cross.
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£50 WARNING
Soon I came to piggeries, market gardens and an isolated firework factory.
Reading the warning to trespassers that a penalty of £50 would be incurred
by a breach of this prohibition, I kept strictly to the outer fencing and was rewarded by coming on a veritable sanctuary for birds.
Here rose a riot of trills from feathered songsters, particularly that of the
thrush.
Through the clear air came pleasing tones of distant chimes. For the moment
I thought St. Leonard’s or Immanuel of Streatham was calling, but it proved to
be the old church of Mitcham, to which, in delight of listening, I turned my
steps.
Over fields and across the railway between modest dwellings whose gardens
received that weekly attention which the leisure of Sunday affords and so on I
crossed the highway for Sutton.
The bustling contrast could not fail to be arresting. Here motors in all varieties were southward bound. “Who will o’er the downs with me?” was writ large
on the face of each happy traveller.
Cyclists in goodly numbers could not resist the call of so fine a day. Walkers
with set stride found the joy of life in every step; they knew they might journey
far, for the ubiquitous omnibus would bring them back.
Stopping merely to glance at this familiar sight, my way lay beyond an old
mansion - Mitcham House - now up for disposal (a sure sign of its giving way to
the onrush of London’s myriads, for, I dare swear, serried rows of houses will
rise in its stead) and on past small shops till the Parish Church stood stately and
alone.
Service was well advanced when I seated myself in one of the spacious galleries, the seventh person only in those many pews. Opposite was evidently the
Sunday school of three dozen children and a few seniors. So struck was I by the
small attendance, that I counted the congregation instead of chanting the psalm.
A liberal estimate was three hundred, and “it gives one to think furiously”, as
the French say, as to what has come over our church that its hold has so weakened.
Here was a beautiful edifice, its stained glass, chancel, altar, and vaulted roof
all breathing that atmosphere of higher things. The rich toned bells, competent
choir and melodious organ, added their influence, and there was an excellent
rendering of the service by its clergy yet all combined could attract but a fourth
of its seating capacity.
WHAT’S WRONG?
Are we gardeners, footballers, motorists and pedestrians so obsessed by hobbies
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that we cannot spare an hour or so for reflection in quietude remote from our
world?
Service over, I paused to verify my watch by the century-and-a-half old sundial near by. Then I plunged into a poorish neighbourhood, where, oh irony, a
shop blared forth a gramophone. That was enough! My rambling and ruminating
were at an end.
I sprang on an omnibus and was quickly back in Streatham, after a morning
of unusual pleasure in an exploration of Lonesome and beyond.
NOTES ON 'DOWN LONESOME WAY'
Keith Penny
Remembered in 1936, Streatham Vale had been a narrow, muddy track: ‘on each
side of the lane were fields of flowers, chrysanthemums and pansies, with large
patches of turnips, mangold-wurzel, carrots and other root crops’. ‘A Cottage
Tenant’ remembered ‘the unlighted fields and market gardens’ of Lonesome.
The chemical works belonged to Messrs Forster and Gregory. Established in
1852, it lasted to the mid-1930s, after which the six-acre site was used to complete Rowan Crescent. The 50 or so employees made pigments and solvents,
some of which were hazardous and obnoxious, for the India rubber industry.
With urbanisation and owner-occupation came complaints: one made in May
1928 to the Urban District Council led to an inspection which concluded that
procedures would be in place by June to limit the chances of [ammonia] fumes
escaping from the ‘red antimony and arsenic sulphur plant’.
Lonesome had been home to commercial activities that would no longer be
welcome in a residential area: into the 20th century bricks were being made with
clay from the north of Meopham Road; nuisance from piggeries to the north-east
of that road was reported as late as 1939; in 1923 there was still a slaughterhouse
in Grove Terrace. Less distasteful perhaps, by 1910 there was a gas-mantle factory between Meopham and Lilian Roads.
After the chemical factory Mr Gough passed the remains of ‘Blake’s Folly’,
ten villas started in the 1860s, structurally complete but never finished inside.
Built for ‘Squire’ Blake of Maiden, they were never occupied. According to R
M Chart, Blake was a ‘fine looking man and a shrewd man generally, but he
chose the wrong site at Lonesome’. The local and national press ‘discovered’
this ruined place at various times before the 1914-18 war. In the Daily Chronicle
article ‘Deserted Village - Lonesome in Name and Character’ the writer finds
the ‘village’ after enquiring from a cycling police-sergeant. ‘Right on the edge of
Lonesome Wood is a double row of big houses, upon whose hearths a fire has
never been lit, and over whose thresholds no footsteps has [sic] ever passed.’ In
1913 the Daily Mirror published pictures, including one of pigs leaving through
a house doorway (above). Demolition preceded housing development in 1927-8,
although the carriageway retained a width not found elsewhere in the new
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Streatham Society 218
streets.
The cemetery, owned by the Great Southern Cemetery and Land Company,
began burials in January 1909. In March 1915 four acres of the land were sold
for the Jewish Cemetery.
Gough’s precise route is not clear, but he mentions Pain’s firework factory
and the Mizen market gardens. Pain’s, accessed from Acacia Road, otherwise
known as Firework Lane (a name with sufficient currency for it to be included in
the legal definition of St Olave’s parish boundary), lasted until 1966, to be replaced by the Eastfields estate. Mizen’s were big local employers, growing culinary herbs, cut flowers and vegetables, mainly on the site now occupied by St
Mark’s Academy. Near the factory and market garden in Eastfields the Mitcham
school board in 1903 opened Lonesome School, at a cost of £4,430, to the designs of R M Chart.
The ‘iron mission hut’ for Sunday school is probably the Mission Hall at the
junction of Lilian and Marian Roads, founded by Streatham Baptist Church in
1887. (The Church of England had the Good Shepherd Mission, then in the parish of St Mark, Mitcham, but always in the direct charge of Captains of the
Church Army.) The building, on land off Lilian Road and to the south of Marian
Road, was opened in 1906; it could accommodate 200 people.
The ‘humble cottages’ seen by Gough were presumably the terraces in Leonard, Lilian and Marian Roads, whilst the flats were later 1-19a Greyhound Terrace. In 1922 the UDC dealt with a ‘nuisance’ at a house in Marian Road
(insufficient water closets), in 1923 with defective ash-pits in Ebenezer Terrace
(built c.1870), and with rats in the same road in 1931.
Gough’s walk in 1922 describes Lonesome as it was before the great urbanisation of about four years later. He sees it as an ‘other’ place, where fields and
market gardens surround factories and undistinguished Victorian workers’ housing; he disdainfully italicises 'lats'. The only adult inhabitant individually mentioned is in ‘collarless ease’ (not Sunday best, but it is his day off); he is
‘exhorting a terrier to go inside’ - a polite version of the actual words?
At least until the 1890s the area, and the lane to Streatham, had a reputation
as a place to avoid, even in daylight, by unaccompanied women or children.
Gypsies used the route, and some Streatham people thought Mitcham people
‘rough’. Visitors were uncomplimentary. The Daily Chronicle in 1906 noted
disparagingly that in the ‘village’ there was one butcher’s shop ‘where meat is
sold only in the form of sausages’. In 1926 a Morning Post writer came to the
‘grimy mid-Victorian barracks, which is Lonesome’. The writer of ‘Mitcham
Notes’ visited ‘the jungle and swamp which is Lonesome’.
Lonesome was reached by the motor-bus by 1913, and London General began a local service from the Greyhound to Lonesome in 1921. The area stopped
being lonesome when rows of houses were built along, and to the sides of, the
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thoroughfare renamed ‘Streatham Vale’ in 1924, and over the clay-soil fields to
the east and south-east, where a pioneer settlement took its name from that of the
field on which it was built - Long Thornton Park.
National newspapers quoted are from cuttings books at Wandsworth Heritage Service. Images courtesy of Wandsworth Heritage Service.
See also E N Montague Mitcham Histories 4: Pollards Hill, Commonside
East and Lonesome (2002) Merton Historical Society in association with Commonside Community Development Trust pp20-32.
FLOATILLA
Umi Baden-Powell
I own a converted milk float called A-Float. In the 1950s it delivered milk, so
it’s called a milk float. I converted it so it can be used for exhibitions, a small
space for groups to meet, covered seating, a little stage, a small office / residency. Since completing the conversion, I have discovered a number of other
individuals who transformed their milk floats into exciting new projects.
Whilst carrying out the conversion at a disused dairy in Streatham, I met a
local resident who described the ‘amazing milk float conventions which took
place inside the dairy during the 1970s with milk floats from all over Europe
present’. This encounter inspired Floatilla - a contemporary milk float convention displaying milk floats that have been adapted to serve new purposes.
Floatilla aimed to bring together the plethora of modified milk floats within the
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UK and explore the multitude of imaginative possibilities that they each demonstrate.
I gave a talk at the Mobile Ecologies Wick Session held on 20th September
at the Queen Elizabeth Park as part of the Art Moves exhibition. This brought
together a diverse range speakers who initiated mobile projects which have a
broader ecological interest. A series of short presentations was followed by a
discussion, highlighting the ecological ambitions behind the projects and exploring the cultures and practices of ‘doing things mobile’. This gathering was in
preparation for Floatilla, an exhibition that will present the milk float network in
physical form.
It would be great if you could send some photographs and information about
your vehicle(s) or any other milk float projects. If you require any further information, please contact: Umi Baden-Powell, Floatilla Admirale at [email protected] or +447412560471
We received this email after Mike Bowtle’s articles were picked up from our
website. We look forward to hearing more about the project.
MYSTERY NEWSPAPER REPORT
Graham Gower has submitted this intriguing item about St Leonard’s Church
which was among a collection of unidentified newspaper clippings he discovered. Does anyone know the source?
A writer to ‘Notes and Queries’ in 1855 makes the following sad lament:
‘In the year 1825, when the old parish church was pulled down, several sepulchral brasses were removed from the walls; and some old armour which was
suspended above the effigy of a knight of the fourteenth century was taken
away. These have never been restored, nor have I been able to ascertain what has
become of them. Of course the natural conclusion is that some sacrilegious
churchwarden has sold them to the highest bidder; but as it is possible they may
still be in existence, will you kindly afford me this means of putting the inquiry?
There also formerly hung in the chancel the arms of Edward Ap John in a
curious old frame; the crest was a man’s head with a serpent entwined round the
neck. Any information respecting this will be gratefully received.’
Neither of these queries brought any reply, at least through the medium of
‘Notes and Queries’. The story makes one’s blood boil. If ever a man deserved
universal censure it was the vicar of Streatham in 1825, who had so little pride in
the structure committed to his charge, that he did not jealously watch over the
treasures within it and see that they were put into a safe place during the rebuilding, and afterwards restored to the church. But it is idle to dwell upon this deplorable instance of clerical carelessness.’
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STREATHAM SOCIETY REPORTS
ENVIROMNMENTAL AND PLANNING MATTERS
BJB
COMMITTEE REPORT
Items discussed at recent committee meetings:
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Dyce Fountain: structure is still in a perilous state and in danger of collapse
New PowerPoint projector to be purchased
Flag banners urgently need ordering
Water penetration at library has been investigated and is caused by drying out
process and will be looked at again in a month or two
Website - Publication orders have increased via this route
New page on website for WW1 Roll of Honour
Society has featured in the latest London Forum News.
Ideas for how to celebrate our 40th birthday wanted
Consultation on the use of the Ice and Leisure centre has taken place
Notice boards in library updated and ready to use
Megabowl site, Streatham Hill: demolition work for development has started
Horticultural Trail for Henry Tate gardens in course of preparation
Society had a bookstall at Ferrers Road street party
Selling books at Streatham Hill Theatre event on October Hallowe’en night.
PLANNING MATTERS
 Tesco’s Store: changes to delivery times; objected to by the Society
 8 Conyers Road: demolition of Victorian house and replacement with block of
flats; objected to by the Society.
 1 Estreham Road: block of flats which conflicts with surrounding architecture;
objected by the Society.
EVENTS REPORTS
BJB/JH
Meetings:
Dementia: What is it? - The work of the Alzheimer’s Society
At the second meeting in July, which was part of our community lecture series,
the society heard from Ann Sadler and Mayra Crean of the work of the Alzheimer’s Society. Members present took part in some simple tests to reassure
themselves that ordinary forgetfulness was not necessary a symptom of Dementia. The speakers went on to illustrate what Dementia is as a physical, medical
and progressive condition. We were also shown the way dementia has a daily
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effect on people’s lives. Finally we were given an insight on how it might feel to
live with dementia. It was stressed that early diagnosis was important and the
speakers concluded by describing the services and support given by the medical
and local government care sector.
Further information can be obtained from the Rotary Dementia Support
Group which meets weekly at the Woodlawns Centre, 16 Leigham Court Road.
The meetings are open to people living with Dementia and their carers. Contacts
are: Mary Madden 07904499080 and Joan Jones 07932067216
Collectables and Antiques
At our regular August meeting, we were once again intrigued to see the various
items bought along by members. Many of them had a WW1 connection.
Amongst the antiques were a number of small ceramics produced during WWI,
or just after, which included models of a cenotaph, a Zeppelin, a tank and one of
a ‘Tommy’in his ‘dugout’. We learnt about the last cricket match before the war
and also that cricket was also played in the trenches. Examples of trench art were
shown and extracts from a war diary read out, while during the break we
browsed over books and magazines. We thank all the members who kept us informed and entertained with descriptions of their favorite collectable.
My Work as a Member of Parliament
We were delighted to have our Member of Parliament, Chuka Umunna, speak
to us in September (on the first day of the new session of Parliament). He described his background and his early political career. Chuka was born in London
in 1978 and went to Hitherfield and Christchurch primary schools locally. His
later education was at a private school in Catford before going to Manchester
University, later taking his MA at Nottingham Law School. He followed a legal
career before entering Parliament as the Member for Streatham in 2010 and being appointed to the shadow cabinet in 2011. After describing his main political
objectives the meeting continued with a lively question and answer session.
The Wonderful World of the Women’s Institute
At our second meeting in September, the speaker Mhairi Grealis spoke about the
history of the WI from its formation in 1915 in Wales to the present day. It was
formed to revitalise rural communities and encourage women to become more
involved in producing food during the First World War. Since then the organisations aims have broadened and the WI is now the largest women’s organisation
in the United Kingdom with 212,000 members. The WI plays a unique role in
providing women with educational opportunities and the chance to build new
skills. We also heard of the activities of the Streatham branch, including a craft
group, quilting project, book reading and talks.
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Militant Activity: Chess in Victorian Streatham and beyond
Martin Smith, who is an active member of the Streatham and Brixton Chess club
and blogger on local chess history and chess art, was our first speaker in October. He described how, in the last decades of the Victorian era, there was an explosion of chess activity, especially in metropolitan London. He described the
story of the chess personalities and clubs in Streatham and Surrey in the period.
The talk also included some references and showed representations of chess in
art. The talk was based on the research by the speaker and a colleague. We were
please to welcome a number of members of the chess club to our meeting.
THE BRAIN OF LAMBETH
Jill Dudman
On Thursday evening 25 September, the annual Brain of Lambeth contest was
held as usual by the Lambethans Society at Lambeth Town Hall. The Streatham
Society had managed to recruit 6 players, of whom Jill Dudman, Liz Furness
and Daphne Marchant made up one team (4 is the maximum allowed in a team)
and Andrew Christos, Richard Marchant and John Smith made up another team.
At the last moment the team of Jill, Liz and Daphne were asked if we could also
accommodate question master John Moore's daughter Elizabeth because the
Lambethans Society team already had the full number, leading to goodhumoured complaints from the other Streatham team of Andrew, Richard and
John that we now had an unfair advantage over them!
In the event, it was a closely fought contest with the lead passing back and
forth, and the team of Streatham gentlemen had been leading after the first round
but unfortunately slipped back later. The final result was a narrow victory for the
team of Streatham ladies (and question master’s daughter) by one point over
the Herne Hill Society team.
Thanks to John Moore and Alan Piper and Doreen Heath of the Lambethans
Society for making all the arrangements, though it would be good if more teams
could be attracted to enter, not just exactly the same societies (Streatham, Lambethans, Herne Hill) who take part every year!
SUMMER EVENTS
We’ve had a very busy summer, finishing with the month-long Lambeth Heritage Festival and our October tour of Henry Tate Gardens. Our books sold well
at several venues and we enjoyed chatting to all the visitors who came to our
stall. The following photographs show something of our activities, in addition to
those published in the last issue. We are delighted that there are an increasing
number of events in and around Streatham, adding to the impressive programme
throughout Lambeth. These are almost all run by an army of volunteers and represent all sections of our community.
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Above, Brian Bloice (Streatham Society chair) chats to Shea Richardson (joint
vice-chair), while visiting the June Open Day in the Streatham Community Garden in the Rookery. Note the large area in the background, now cleared and cultivated or put to another use. The garden is usually open to visitors on Sunday
afternoons and is well worth a visit.
Below, the Streatham Society Stall at
Lambeth Archives
Open Day, the final
event of Lambeth Heritage Festival. The stalls
were situated in a new
and spacious venue, the
Longfield Hall, opposite the Archives and
Minet Library.
L-r John Brown, Janis
Benson and Graham
Gower.
Photo Colin Crocker
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Above, the Lambeth Heritage Festival opening event, held at the Cinema Museum, showing (left) Brian Bloice, chair of the Lambeth Local History Forum
and our Society, chatting to Len Reilly of Lambeth Archives. Below, Brian chats
to Kate Hooey MP, and Bill Linksey, vice-chair of the LLHF.
Photos Alan Robertson
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CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION - CHRISTMAS THEMES MEETING Please note: this is a Members’ Evening
Following last year’s arrangements, we again make the following suggestions
and requests:
 We need about 15 minutes to arrange the furniture; organisers will therefore
arrive earlier, at 7pm, and we request members do not arrive before 7.20pm.
Food and drink need to be unpacked from this time for the 8pm start.
 The tea/coffee team will serve tea and coffee as usual. The raffle and subscriptions payments will be in the back room - please don’t overlook them!
 Members are requested to bring drinks and/or finger food, but in small quantities - perhaps to cover a small plate. Sandwiches are very popular - but any
surplus would be thrown out; so anyone willing to supply these, please check
with Janis in advance. Silver foil platters are available.
 No packets of biscuits or squash, please, as these are usually left untouched.
When possible, bottles of wine should be screw-topped.
 At the end, any unopened packets of food should be removed by donors before we give them to others. If anyone is able to donate any surplus to ‘a worthy
cause’, please collect at the end of the evening.
 Sorry about my bossy organisation but the 2-hour event, plus an hour’s setting-up and clearing, for c.60 members is not easy to organise.
 Finally, the usual team of Brian Bloice, John Brown and Graham Gower will
provide the entertainment.
We shall be holding our bumper Christmas Raffle, with lots of prizes, donated by members.
Thank you for your generosity, support and good will. Your committee and
regular team of helpers wish you a happy, peaceful Christmas and New Year.
MEMBERSHIP
Your 2015 subscription is now due. I shall collect these (cash or cheques) from
now until the end of February (£10 single; £15 household; £180 Life). Alternatively, please send a cheque to the membership secretary (payable to The Streatham Society). I am sorry but I cannot accept any other method of payment as I
am unable to deal with four methods.
Membership cards for those who have paid in advance are enclosed with this
issue. Reminders will be sent out with the next issue.
We close 2014 with 321 paid members, only six fewer than last year. This
includes 12 life members. Generous members donated £560 with their subscription; for which, many thanks.
We welcome new member Martin Smith, our first for 2015. We hope he enjoys his membership.
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MISCELLANY
CONGRATULATIONS!
We feel moved to email to say what a fabulous edition (217) you have all just
published. Just finished reading it and we feel so heartened by all the good news
- the Business Improvement District is already visibly achieving great things and
it’s lovely to hear that the refurbished library and hall are attracting lots of visitors.
Streatham feels to us to be in great heart in recent years and let us all hope
that the various great plans for the area come to fruition. We have been here (and
members of the Society) for 14 years now and it all seems to be going from
strength to strength. Thank you all for the hard work.
Yvonne and Chris Gurney by email
Thank you - it’s very rewarding to know our efforts are appreciated. Please send
more letters or emails - complementary, critical or informative.
We welcome longer items - and, especially, short ‘fillers’ . Our strength lies
in the number of contributors and the variety of topics. - Ed.
BETTY’S CHRISTMAS QUIZ - KNOW YOUR LONDON
Betty Searle
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What is the oldest contested sporting event in London?
Where is the only floating police station in London?
Where would you find the biggest clock face in London?
Where is the largest pipe organ in London?
Where did David Livingstone lie in state before his burial in Westminster
Abbey?
6. Where was Queen Elizabeth II born?
7. How was lake Serpentine in Hyde Park formed?
8. Where did Henry VIII die?
9. Where did Charles I spend his last night?
10. Where were Berry Bros. & Rudd, London’s oldest were merchants, to be
found?
11. Which is the largest Roman Catholic Cathedral (Church)?
12. Where did Frederick Chopin give his final public performance?
Please e-mail or send / give your answers to the editor before 31st December
2014. Betty will donate a small prize to the winner.
Thank you, Betty, for again providing a quiz to test our knowledge.
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Streatham Society 218
PUBLICATIONS
LAMBETH SRCHITECTURE - A BRAVE NEW WORLD
Edmund Bird and Fiona Price
In September the launch of
the above book took place in
the St Paul’s Gallery on the
sixth floor of the Festival
Hall.
The book is the third in a
series on Architecture within
the London Borough of Lambeth by Edmund Bird and
Fiona Price. Like its companion volumes it is fully illustrated with brilliant photographs in full colour by the
photographer John East. It is
a joint publication promoted
by Lambeth Archives and the
Lambeth Local History Forum.
Edmund Bird is quoted as
saying that writing it was
more of a challenge than the
previous two as so little has
been written about the architecture of the 50s and 60s.
This fact makes this book
much more important to have
on one’s bookshelf.
A number of buildings in
Streatham are included ranging from office blocks to
council flats and schools to
Edmund Bird speaking at the book launch
churches. This excellently
researched book enhances our understanding of the merits of this key period in
our recent history.
The book is obtainable from Lambeth Archives and libraries, price £9.99.
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Stockwell Bus Garage built 1951-54
REVIEW
Photo John East
Kevin Kelly
Played in London: Charting the history of a city at play
by Simon Inglis Part of the Played in Britain series by English Heritage
I struggled to lift it but now I can’t put it down
To have the courage to even consider tackling such a massive subject is worthy
of praise but then to achieve it with such a really beautifully produced book, absolutely crammed to the margins with so much detailed and well researched information and so profusely illustrated and presented with wonderful evocative
images of the highest quality and variety, is indeed spectacular.
Undaunted by the enormity of the task, Simon and Jackie seem to have left
no London stone unturned in their meticulous research. It is unlikely that any
other capital city in the world can boast such a wealth of sporting history and for
this rich legacy to be encapsulated in just one splendid volume is a marvellous
achievement.
This really beautifully produced volume of quite extraordinary scope is worthy of a place on the bookshelves of anyone claiming to have even only the
slightest interest in sport or in London but be warned, you will be fully occupied
for countless happy hours.
Cover price £25, but can be purchased for £17 on Amazon
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Streatham Society 218
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
STREATHAM’S FARMERS’ STREET MARKETS
The Streatham Green Market has reopened under new management, with an increased number of stalls. This is held every Saturday 10am - 3pm on Babington
Plaza between Streatham Green and the Manor Arms.
The successful market continues at The Railway, by Streatham Common
Station, held on the second and fourth Sundays of the month 10am - 3pm. The
pub and the Railway Tea Rooms provide refreshment.
Both markets will expand if they are well supported.
NOVEMBER
Sun 23rd
Wed 26th
Concert - Overture and arias from Mozart’s ‘The Marriage of
Figaro’ and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1
St Bartholomew’s Orchestra
7pm
Virgo Fidelis Church, Upper Norwood
Bulbs for all seasons
8pm
Talk, Bill Lockyer
St Luke’s Church, West Norwood Lambeth Horticultural Society
DECEMBER
Tues 2nd
7.30pm
Sun 7th
Handel’s Messiah (part 1) and seasonal music
Concert, The Choir of St Peter’s Church.
St Peter’s Church, Leigham Court Road
Free
Christmas Concert
2pm
St Bartholomew’s Orchestra with St Anrew’s Church Choir
St. Andrew’s Church, Beech Road, Thornton Heath
JANUARY
Thur 15th
Penge - The making of a South London suburb
7.30pm
Talk, Martin Spence
Upper Norwood Library, Westow Hill
Norwood Society
FEBRUARY
Thur 19th
Crystal Palace and the Dulwich Estate
Talk, Ian McInnes
As above
7.30pm
Norwood Society
Dickens - The Norwood connection
Talk, Paul Graham
As above
7.30pm
Norwood Society
MARCH
Thur 19th
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SOCIETY CONTACTS
Chair, History & Planning Enquiries
Brian Bloice
220 Woodmansterne Road
Streatham SW16 5UA
Tel: 020 8764 8314
e-mail: [email protected]
Joint Vice-Chairs
Daphne Marchant Shea Richardson
Secretary
Shea Richardson
7 Barrow Road
Streatham SW16 5PE
e-mail:[email protected]
Other Committee Members
Barbara Beer
Janis Benson
Michael Bowtle
Robert Doyle
Russell Henman
Pauline Hewitt
Local History Sub-committee
Judy Harris
Brian Bloice
John Brown (Publications)
Mike Bowtle
Graham Gower
Kevin Kelly
Daphne Marchant
Social & Programming Sub-committee
Brenda Hargreaves Mike Bowtle
Jill Dudman
Doreen Mackie
Daphne Marchant
Treasurer
Keith Searle
213 Green Lane
Norbury SW16 3LZ
Publications Orders
Barbara Woznica
3 Rowan Crescent, Streatham SW16 5JA
(or via our website)
Membership & Newsletter Editor
Judy Harris
125 Thornlaw Road
West Norwood SE27 0SQ
Contact as Brian Bloice
Webmaster
Peter Main
Programme Organiser
Brenda Hargreaves
50 Staplefield Close
Streatham Hill SW2 4AF
Tel: 020 8674 3196
Society Website
streathamsociety.org.uk
Society e-mail for general enquiries
[email protected]
Local History enquiries for John Brown:
316 Green Lane, Streatham SW16 3AS
or e-mail via Brian Bloice
This newsletter is published by the Streatham Society
Printed by Printinc. Tel: 020 8255 2110 E-mail: [email protected]
Copy date for next issue: 5th January 2015
The aim of the Streatham Society is to maintain and improve
the quality of life for all who live and work in Streatham
Registered Charity 283297
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