Streatham Facts
The name Streatham means the ‘Hamlet on the Street’ — Street Ham. This shows the origin of the town as a small cluster of houses along the ancient trackway that now forms part of the A23 London to Brighton road. For centuries the village was to remain a small and relatively insignificant community situated roughly halfway on the road between London and the Archbishop of Canterbury’s palace at Croydon
By 1670 a local spa, Streatham Spa, had been developed into a major attraction. Within a short space of time Strearham became a fashionable location and a number of wealthy merchants had established their country homes in the parish. Streatham’s popularity as a select residential area continued long after the craze for medicinal waters had passed. By the mid-nineteenth century a number of fine mansions had been built by wealthy residents who were attracted to the parish by its rural charms and close proximity to London. The opening of Streatham Hill railway station in 1856 brought the area within easy commuting distance of the capital (about five miles away) and led to an influx of a large number of middle-class residents. Roads of large Victorian villas provided these new inhabitants with comfortable homes and firmly established the neighbourhood as a much sought-afrer locality in which to live. Within the space of a generation the area changed almost beyond recognition. As the twentieth century dawned, Streatham had been transformed from a small country village into a bustling southern suburb of London.
From the late 1920s Streatham gradually evolved into a major entertainments centre with the building of the Streatham Hill Theatre in 1928 and the Locarno Dance Hall in 1929. This development has continued right up to the present day with a major cinema, a skating rink, several night clubs, over twenty pubs and more than thirty restaurants offering a variety of cuisines. Transport links are good. The Streatham Hill and Streatham Common stations provide a fifteen minute journey time to Victoria while London Bridge, Blackfriars and Luton Airport can reached directly from Streatham station. About eight bus routes serve the High Road with links to most parts of London, including Central London.
There are over three hundred shops along the length of the High Road many of which are locally owned and independent. There is a wide variety of housing ranging from handsome Victorian and Edwardian houses, to 1930s apartment blocks to terraced housing built during the 1920s and 1930s.
The area is blessed with a rich heritage with many buildings and streets of historic interest. These include Christ Chuirch, a Grade 1 listed building and Park Hill, the former homw of Sir Henry Tate, benefavtor of the Tate Gallery. Streatham also benefits from 70 acres of open space including the well known Rookery Gardens at the top of Streatham Common.
Streatham High Road, at 2km in length, is believed to be the longest high road in Europe.
Doctor Who spent his early childhood in Streatham in the incarnation of actor Peter Davison. He lived in Canmore Gardens and attended the nearby Granton Road School.
OO7 spent his early married life in Streatham in the form of actor Roger Moore. He lived in Buckleigh Road with his in-laws following his marriage in 1946 to Lucy Woodward, the daughter of a Streatham taxi driver. They later moved to Wavertree Court in Streatham Hill.
The Queen's late dressmaker, Norman Hartnell, was born in Streatham. He was the son of the publican of the Crown and Sceptre public house at Streatham Hill.
A tape worm said to be eight feet three inches long was "voided" by the Streatham locksmith after he drank water from the Streatham Mineral Wells in the 17th century.
The oldest transvestite in Britain died in Streatham. When "Bet" Russell passed away at the age of 104 on 14th April 1772 it was discovered that she "was always known under the guise or habit of a woman, and answered to the name of Elizabeth as registered in this Parish on November 21st 1669, but at death proved to be a man".
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