Our ThrowBackThursday for this week.
"Rag and Bone Man" Eardley Road, Streatham
(Photo Graham Gower Collection-1972)

​On This Day 28th May 1890 George Leslie Pratt was born
Eldest son of George Pratt who owned a department store in Streatham, George Leslie Pratt was tragically killed in WW1
He attended Dulwich 1903-1906 and the address given for him is Camden House, Bank Buildings, 426-450 Streatham High Road
Born on May 28th 1890, George was the eldest of four children of George and Florence Pratt; his father ran George Pratt & Co., a gentleman’s outfitters and early department store on Streatham High Road which was, at the time, the largest shop in Streatham and later became part of the John Lewis Partnership.
In September 1914, the month after Britain declared war, he volunteered for military service, at first as a member of the University and Public Schools Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers. That December George was granted a commission in the 3rd Battalion of The Queen’s and spent the next four months stationed at Chatham before, in March 1915, being attached to the 2nd Battalion with whom he went over to the front for the first time. After just two months in France however he was dead, having been killed in action near Festubert on May 16th.
(Extracts Dulwich College)

​On This Day 28 May 20015 Oliver Longley died. He was born in Streatham
Oliver Gyles Longley CBE MC (30 September 1918 - 28 May 2015) was a British Army officer of the Second World War who won the Military Cross in 1943 for his actions in Italy while commanding a squadron of 44th Reconnaissance Regiment near Battipaglia. Longley had a number of narrow escapes during his military service, including stepping on a mine that failed to explode
Telegraph Obituary 15 June 2015- Renonnaissace Officer who survived machine-gun fire and grenade attacks in Italy https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/11675477/Gyles-Longley-Reconnaissance-officer-obituary.html
On September 16 1943, after the Allied landings at Salerno, Italy, Longley was commanding a squadron of 44th Reconnaissance Regiment (44 RR) which was holding a position south-west of Battipaglia. At dawn, they came under intense shell, mortar and machine-gun fire. His command car was riddled with bullets and was knocked out.
The wireless sets were not working properly and as he ran over to contact one of the positions he saw a German taking aim at him. He dropped to the ground and the bullet missed him but a shell burst behind him wounding him in the foot.
The battle raged all day. One of his armoured cars was set ablaze, killing all the crew. The enemy made determined efforts to surround the squadron but thanks to stiff resistance and the support from the Allied artillery, they withdrew before dark having taken severe losses.
Longley was awarded an Immediate MC. The citation paid tribute to his courage and inspirational leadership.
Oliver Gyles Longley, the son of an officer (Charles William Longley) in the Honourable Artillery Company who was also awarded an MC in the First World War, was born at Streatham on September 30 1918.
He was educated at Tonbridge and then spent some time working in the family business at Smithfield before joining Gestetner, manufacturers of stencil duplicators, in 1936. He married Ginette Edith Wilson on 15th January 1949 at Le Vesinet. She worked in General de Gaulle’s private office in London

On This Day 27 May 1887 Francis Fuller died
A surveyor and land agent. the son of John and Sarah Sayer Fuller. His father was then a substantial farmer
Fuller married Mary Ann, daughter of George Drew, a solicitor, at Streatham on 27 July 1837 at St Leonard's; a son, Francis John, was born in 1838, followed by other children, including the suffragist Dora Frances Barrow Montefiore
(Source Hermione Hobhouse)

Image by unknown engraver, pubd 1851 (after Richard Beard)
© National Portrait Gallery, London

On This Day 26 May 1711 Wriothesley Russell died
Only son of Rt. Hon. William Russell, Lord Russell, and Lady Rachel Wriothesley. Paternal grandson of William Russell, 1st Duke of Bedford, and Lady Anne Carr. Maternal grandson of Thomas Wriothesley, 4th Earl of Southampton, and Rachel de Massue.

Wriothesley married Elizabeth Howland in 1695, who was a rich heiress and the daughter of John Howland of Streatham. His grandfather the Duke of Bedford, was created Baron Howland shortly after their marriage, with special remainder to Wriothesley and his heirs.

Six children were born of the marriage, with their first two sons dying in infancy. Of the remaining children, both surviving sons became dukes of Bedford, while their daughters were the Duchess of Bridgewater and the Countess of Essex.

Wriothesley died of smallpox at the age of 30, and rests in the Bedford Chapel of the parish Church of St. Michael, Chenies.

​On This Day 25 May 1756 Sir Dudley Ryder died
Lived at "Wood Lodge" Stretham. Lord Chief Justice of the King's bench

Today was the planned Streatham Society tour of the gardens of "Park Hill", home of Sir Henry Tate and the "original' Tate gallery
The tour will be rescheduled and here are some photos of Park Hill on Streatham Common North (now Henry Tate Mews) taken c.1919 for auction catalogue - Bedford Lemere collection

​On This Day 24th May 1813 St Leonard's School opened at the back of the White Lion Public House with 40 boys
The plan was to open the school on Tooting Bec Common next to the Streatham Workhouse. Subscribers were the Duke of Bedford, Earl Coventry, John Kymer, Reverend Hill, Mrs Thrale and the Streatham Cricket Club.
In 1837 there was concern regarding the suitability of a school adjacent to a pub and £1000 was raised to build a new school in Mitcham Lane near to Mrs Kymer's Girls School
In 1961 the school moved to its current location, on the site of Streatham Grammar School.
(Source Tony Pizzoferro and John Brown)