Blog Archives - The Streatham Society

George Phillip Jackley-Hirsch

26/1/2023

George Phillip Jackley-Hirsch died On This Day January 26, 1950 in Horsell, Surrey.

He lived at 26 Tooting Bec Gardens and was the father of Nat Tristam Jackley

George Jackley was a comic actor who was the leading comedian for the Melville Brothers at the Lyceum Theatre during the interwar years. George, himself, was the son of Nathan Jackley who, with his own troupe, The Jackley Wonders, performed in circuses throughout Europe and the United States
(George on right in photo)

Dennis Dring

26/1/2023

On This Day 26 January 1904 Dennis Dring was born

Dennis William Dring, RA a portrait painter who lived at 33 Kingscourt Road

Count John McCormack-The World's Greatest Singer of Songs

26/1/2023

#ThrowbackThursday for this week Norwood News 26 January 1940 Count John McCormack at the Streatham Hill Theatre.

John McCormack moved from a flat in Torrington Square to 16 Cricklade Avenue with his wife and child.

Descendants of McCormack still live in Streatham.

Image © Reach PLC. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Sir Ronald Wates

25/1/2023

On This Day 25 January 1986 Sir Ronald Wallace Wates died

Sir Ronald Wates was part of the Wates construction firm, the family are also linked to E and A Wates in Mitcham Lane. He lived with his wife Phyllis nee Trace of Woodbourne Avenue in Ockley Road and also at "Chenies" Garrad's Road, Streatham.

Frederick Charles Charsley

25/1/2023

Frederick Charles Charsley was born On This Day 25 January 1844. The Charsley family were domestic staff to the Gabriel family who lived in Norfolk House in Streatham.

The 1891 census records the famiy of 6 living over the stables with Frederick a coachman, Herbert a page boy and Walter a whitesmith

Photo courtesy David Preston via public access to Ancestry

2nd Lieutenant Hugh Reginald (Rex) Freston

24/1/2023

2nd Lieutenant Hugh Reginald (Rex) Freston was killed On this day 24 January 1916. Lived "Oriel", 54 Barrow Road, Streatham Common

Born on July 25th 1891, Rex was the son of solicitor Reginald Freston and his wife, Elizabeth. Despite being their only son, he was not the first member of the family to come to Dulwich, as two of his cousins, Reginald and William Wilson, had both already attended the College. In 1912, several years after having left Dulwich, Rex went up to Exeter College, Oxford, and whilst there contributed writings to many magazines, in particular having his poems published in Oxford Poetry.

In April 1915 he gave up on university in order to take a commission in the Royal Berkshire Regiment, and around this time also began to find a much wider audience for his poetry, with a sonnet appearing in The Times, and a series of short poems appearing in the Daily Mirror.

In December of that year he went out to France for the first time, joining up with his battalion near Albert just before Christmas. Just over a month later, on January 24th, he was inspecting a dugout when he was struck by a German shell, being killed almost instantly.

Two volumes of his poetry were published; one, entitled The Quest of Beauty, and other poems was published in mid-1915, the other, The Quest of Truth, consisting largely of war poetry written both during his time training in England and after having been sent to the front, was published posthumously.

(Dulwich College)

Streatham MPs

24/1/2023

On This Day 24 January two former MPs of Streatham were born

Sir William Lane-Mitchell JP born 24 January 1861.

NPG x122937 © National Portrait Gallery, London

A Scottish Conservative Party politician and businessman He was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Streatham in 1918, and held the seat until his resignation in 1939 by becoming Steward of the Manor of Northstead

Baron Duncan-Sandys CH, PC born 24 January 1908.
NPG x44907 © National Portrait Gallery, London
A British politician and minister in successive Conservative governments in the 1950s and 1960s. He was a son-in-law of Winston Churchill.
He became Conservative Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Norwood in a by-election in March 1935, at which he was opposed by an Independent Conservative candidate sponsored by Randolph Churchill. He was elected to parliament once again at the 1950 general election for Streatham and, when the Conservatives regained power in 1951, he was appointed Minister of Supply.

Prima ballerina- Anna Pavlova

23/1/2023

Anna Pavlova died on this day 23rd Jan 1931 in The Hague. She appeared at the Streatham Hill Theatre in September 1930

She graduated in 1899 from the Imperial Ballet School in St Petersburg and on 19th Sept 1899 she made her company debut, dancing in a group of three in La Fille Mal Gardée at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg.

She gained the rank of 'danseuse' in 1902, 'première danseuse' in 1905, and 'prima ballerina' in 1906.Her most famous solo, The Dying Swan, was created for her in 1905 by Mikhail Fokine.
She appeared briefly with the Ballets Russes but preferred to star in her own company and began to tour from 1908 - making her New York and London debuts in 1910.She died of double pneumonia at the early age of 49.

(Painting in Light)

Photo Image: NPG Ax160382 © National Portrait Gallery, London.

Bids for cleaning Streatham Common pond in 1885

23/1/2023

Building News On This Day 23 January 1885. Bids for the cleaning of the upper pond Streatham Common- awarded to T Blackmore for £30- Bottoms Brothers quoted £187

Leslie Sarony

22/1/2023

Leslie Sarony (born Leslie Legge Frye) was born On This Day 22 January 1897

British entertainer, singer, actor and songwriter who lived at Telford Court and 18 Kirkstall Gardens