On This Day 23 February 1792 "Streatham Worthy" Sir Joshua Reynolds died

Sir Joshua Reynolds PRA FRS FRSA (16 July 1723 – 23 February 1792) was an English painter, specialising in portraits. He was noted for his paintings of the "Streatham Worthies"- a collective description for the circle of literary and cultural figures around the wealthy brewer Henry Thrale and his wife Hester.

Samuel Johnson (another Streatham Worthy), whom Reynolds had met about 1756, was the single most important influence on Reynolds's life during the 1750s and 1760s. 'For my own part I acknowledge the highest obligations to him. He may be said to have formed my mind and brushed off from it a great deal of rubbish' (Hilles, *Portraits*, 66).

Later, in August 1764, when Reynolds was struck with a serious illness, Johnson wrote to him, 'if I should lose you, I should lose almost the only Man whom I call a Friend' (Boswell, *Life*, 1.486).
Reynolds painted Johnson on a number of occasions; the earliest (NPG) portrayed him, as Boswell recalled, 'in the attitude of sitting in his easy chair in deep meditation'.

Later, in a painting for the wealthy brewer Henry Thrale, Reynolds attempted to capture Johnson's short-sightedness, which resulted in the celebrated retort, 'He may paint himself as deaf if he chuses … but I will not be *blinking* *Sam*' (H. L. Piozzi, *Anecdotes of the Late Samuel Johnson, LL.D*, 1786, 248).

In 1759 Johnson commissioned Reynolds to write three essays for *The Idler*, thus launching his literary career. The essays addressed the concepts of beauty, imitation, and nature, and prefigured arguments that were to underpin his *Discourses on Art*, begun some ten years later.
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(Source Michael Postle and Image a self portrait, Reynolds c.1750)

On This Day 22 February 1930 this appeared in the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News.
A Tennis Wedding: Miss Evelyn Colyer and Mr Hamish Munro at Christchurch, Streatham. Hamish Munro was a Tea Planter and soon after they moved to Assam Evelyn died of complications after giving birth to twins

First class lawn tennis player Evelyn Colyer, daughter of Sir Frank (an eminent Dental Surgeon) and Lady Colyer married Mr Hamish Munro- a Tea Planter from Assam.

Best known for her doubles partnership with Joan Austin. In 1923 "the Babes", as the press dubbed them, excited both public and press by fighting their way to the doubles final. Colyer went on to represent her country at the 1924 Olympics.
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Image © Illustrated London News Group

On This Day 22 February 1935 this article appeared in the Norwood News- AGM and presentation of cups and prizes of the Streatham Golf Club at St Mary's Church Balham

The Streatham Golf Club played on Tooting Bec Common.

Robert Doyle will be leading a walk across the Tooting Commons on 11th June 2022 at 2 pm as part of the Wandsworth Festival which this year has a "Sporting" theme. Tickets will be available on Eventbrite in due course. Follow us on Eventbrite to be the first to know when the tickets are available https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/streatham-society-31488784265
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Source: Golf's Missing Links and Kevin Kelly

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Members of the choir of St Leonard's church performing 'The Coming of the Monks to Tooting Bec' at the first Streatham Pageant on 21st & 22nd February 1936.

Edwina Cynthia Annette Mountbatten, Countess Mountbatten of Burma died On This Day 21 February 1960

She died at the house of Robert Noel Turner Chief Secretary in North Borneo of unknown causes while on an inspection tour for the St John's Ambulance Brigade.
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Robert Turner's London address was 13 Amesbury Ave Streatham.