Blog Archives - The Streatham Society

Sir Richard Plender

23/5/2022

Sir Richard Owen Plender

Richard Plender LLD LLM JSD QC died On This Day 23 May 2020 aged 74. Lived at 64 Woodmasterne Road and attended Woodmasterne School and Dulwich College

He was called to the Bar in 1972 as one of the earliest and foremost EU practitioners.
He took silk in 1989, joining what is now 20 Essex in 1990, and was appointed a Recorder in 1998. He combined work at the Bar with a distinguished academic career, including as Director of Research at the Hague Academy (1987-1988) and directing the Centre for European Law at King’s College, London (1988-1991).

Credited with coining the phrase ‘European citizenship’, he had a prolific output of scholarly publications in numerous languages, starting with International Migration Law at the age of 27. Master Richard Plender served as Judge of the High Court of Justice, Queen’s Bench Division from 2008 until 2011. He was elected a Bencher of The Inner Temple in 1996. (Source Inner Temple)
(Thanks to Wendy Roberts )

Professor Reg Mitchell

23/5/2022

Professor Reg Mitchell died On This Day 23 May 2021

Born in 1943, Mitchell was educated at Battersea Grammar School in Streatham before moving on to Cambridge, where he obtained his BSc and PhD under the direction of Franz Sondheimer. After a post-doctoral position at the University of Oregon with Virgil Boekelheide, he briefly went back to England to work at Formica before he returned to his beloved West Coast and a post at UVic in 1972.

Mitchell rose rapidly through the ranks, becoming associate professor in 1975 and professor with tenure in 1982. He had a world-wide reputation from his research in the aromaticity of large ring systems which resulted in 160 publications, three books and many invited and plenary lectures. His many successful undergraduate and graduate students, along with his post-doctoral fellows, would attest to his love of research and the attention he paid to it—and to their education and advancement in their chosen field.

(University of Victoria)

The Sculptor Conrad Dressler

22/5/2022

On This Day 22 May 1856 Conrad Dressler was born

Conrad Dressler (22 May 1856 – 3 August 1940) was an English sculptor and potter.

He was born in Streatham and the family lived at "Broadlands" Streatham High Road. His father Gustavus born in Germany, mother Suzanne born in France plus 2 brothers , a sister and 5 servants
Dressler studied sculpture at the Royal College of Art. He was later influenced by the Arts & Crafts Movement. He worked in partnership with Harold Rathbone between 1894 and 1897 at the Della Robbia Pottery, and then moved to Marlow Common in Buckinghamshire, where he established the Medmenham Pottery specialising in architectural tiles and large wall panels, created from small sections

Dressler was the inventor of a tunnel kiln known as the 'Dressler oven'.

(Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture Robert Prescott-Walker)
Image John Ruskin by Conrad Dressler bronze bust, 1888
© National Portrait Gallery, London. Reproduced under the Creative Commons License

#OTD 21 May 1951 a week long production of Dracula started at the Streatham Hill Theatre starring Bela Lugosi as Count Dracula

21/5/2022

Edith Copley - a servant at the Burnage

21/5/2022

Edith Mary Copley (1892-1993) died On This Day 21st May 1993

She was a servant with her sister Elizabeth Rose Copley at the "Burnage", Streatham Common.
The "Burnage" was occupied by the Cave-Brown-Cave family. Edith was a VAD Red Cross Auxillary Nurse and Cook during WW1.

The Copley family lived at 41 Wellfield Road in Streatham.

George Elliott Lowes Bowlby

20/5/2022

This appeared in the Graphic 20 May 1916 (Roll of honour Britsh Soldiers who have fallen)
George Elliott Lowes Bowlby, born in Meerut, India. Educated Colet Court and St Pauls School. After School worked at Lloyds and then Cox and Co. The son of the Reverend A Bowlby of St James' Streatham.

8th Batallion Lincolnshire Regiment killed by a German Sniper whilst crawling along a spate to inspect a part which had been blown in

The colonel of the 9th Batallion wrote:
"I had the pleasure of serving with your son in the 8th Batallion and again in this and manfully appreciate what loss to you will mean

The Chaplain wrote:
Your son was always tremendously keen in his work and we all considered him one of the most zealous officers

Garden Fete of the Streatham Depot, Central Hospital Supplies Services

20/5/2022

On This Day 20th May 1942 Garden Fete of the Streatham Depot, Central Hospital Supplies Services, at 45 Leigham Court Road, Streatham.

Canon Salmon, Rector of Streatham, seated at the rear table with the roses.

(Collection:Streatham Antiquarian Society

Dr Norman Levinson founder of the Furzedown Project

19/5/2022

On This Day 19th May 2015 a celebration to the founder of the Furzedown Project took place

Dr Norman Levinson and his wife Margery lived at 42 Woodfield Avenue.
Norman Levinson moved to London and took up a partnership in Streatham, where he remained for more than 40 years. He was an associate specialist in ear, nose, and throat (BMJ Obituary December 2008)

Dr Levinson was the Senior partner at the Greyswood Surgery in the Furzedown area of Streatham
On Tuesday 19th May 2015, 120 members and guests crammed in to the Furzedown Project to attend a celebration of our 40th Year.

The Project was formally constituted in 1975 by Dr Norman Levinson, his widow Margery Levinson and son Andrew, both came along to help us mark the anniversary. Other special guests included the famous actor Sylvia Syms OBE and the Mayor of Wandsworth Cllr Nicola Nardelli.
The Mayor and Sylvia Syms handed over the keys to our wonderful new minibus and ceremoniously cut the birthday cake proclaiming the Furzedown Project to be 40 Years Young. (Furzedown Project)

Christopher Chittell

19/5/2022

Christopher Chittell was born on May 19, 1948 in Aldershot, Hampshire. An actor, known for Emmerdale (1972), The Avengers (1961) and To Sir, with Love(1967). He has been married to Lesley Dunlop since June 18, 2016. He was previously married to Caroline Hunt. (IMDb)

He lived in Glenister Park Rd Streatham Vale and went to Hillcroft School

Our #ThrowbackThursday for this week takes us back to 1926 and the building of the Northern Line Extension

19/5/2022

Our #ThrowbackThursday for this week takes us back to 1926 and the building of the Northern Line Extension to Morden through Clapham, Balham and Tooting using the "Greathead shield" named after Streatham resident James Greathead

View showing two types of excavator shields used during tunnelling. This was the first tube railway upon which such shields were used on an extensive scale. James Henry Greathead, the inventor of the Greathead tunnelling shield lived in Leigham Court Road, Streatham and is buried in Norwood Cemetery. From 'Opening of the Morden Extension'.

Next Meeting

Our next event is on 7th June 2022 a talk on the Streatham Ice Rink, The Early Years (1931-1946) by Saki Hajnal which follows the AGM is at 6:30pm

Newsletter 248 has been delivered to all members

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