Blog Archives - The Streatham Society

Daniel Day

30/4/2023

Hampshire Independent On This Day 30 April 1842

Daniel Day was invited by the President of the MCC to take over the running of the South Hants CLub and Ground at Southampton.

The seventh son of a builder/ carpenter Tom and his wife Sarah. Tom died when Daniel was a baby.
Daniel is recorded living at "The Rookery" and was baptised at St Leonard's Church on 19th July 1807
He learned his cricket on the local common and at a school where his fellows included Alfred Mynn, the future ‘Lion of Kent’.

In his teens he was engaged by the Lord's groundsman, Cobbett, as a practice bowler and went on to play for several leading Surrey clubs, notably the Camberwell Clarence side, through which he became friendly with the celebrated Nicholas Felix, a cricketing schoolmaster of many talents, whose innovations included a ‘Catapulta’ bowling machine and items of protective gear.

(Source Sotonopedia and John W Brown and Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)

Day patented a protective cricket glove with Mr Wilson at the India Rubber Company in Streatham.

Tony Williams

30/4/2023

One of Britain's leading Reggae music DJs, Tony Williams, died On This Day 30th April 2018. For many years he lived in Covington Way in Streatham and was one of our town’s most famous disc jockeys along with the veteran broadcaster David Jacobs who died in 2013.

From 1978 up to the late 1980s, through his Sunday afternoon ‘Reggae Rockers’ show on BBC Radio London, Tony made a major contribution in promoting reggae music in the capital and is widely recognised as playing an important and significant role in establishing black music in Britain.
(John W Brown Streatham Society)

Plane Crash in Streatham On This Day 29 April 1917

29/4/2023

Frank Nelham Clark's plane crashed in Leigham Court Road, Streatham on 29th April 1917 and was killed. Educated at Dulwich College he had completed his pilot training 3 days previously
He clipped some trees and the chimney of his parents house as he was flying low trying to find somewhere to land. The family lived at the "Knowle" which had a 1 acre garden so it was possible he was trying to land in the garden.
He was taken to St Peter's Nursing Home where he died from his burns. His father who was on the scene after the crash had severe scorching, but survived
Frank was born in Streatham (family lived at that time "Guestling", Thornlaw Road) and he is buried at West Norwood Cemetery in a CWGC plot.

1926 Time capsule

29/4/2023

A Time capsule was buried on the site of Streatham baths On This Day 29th April 1926 by Alderman AW Mathias, the Mayor of Wandsworth, and before boundary changes brought most of Streatham into the London Borough of Lambeth.

During the demolition of the old Streatham Baths the time capsule was found on the site.
Among the artefacts found inside were copies of contemporary local newspapers, the Streatham Times and Wandsworth Borough News. The Streatham Times front page article from April 23rd 1926 reported the success of shop window dressing competition organised by the council to encourage people to shop at local businesses

Other stories included the conviction of a man from Balham for the theft of a metal engine case, suggesting that scrap metal theft is not just a modern problem. The latest silent film of Lambeth born Charlie Chaplin, The Gold Rush, was the show not to miss at the Broadway Palace in Tooting the newspapers reveal, and an advert reveals that a new semi-detached house in Telford Avenue, Streatham, was on sale for what today seems an unbelievable bargain, at £995.

The capsule also contained detailed council papers documenting the minutes of meetings to decide upon the building of the Streatham Baths – later renamed Streatham Leisure Centre – which opened in 1927. The contents are stored at the Lambeth Archives an important historical record of Streatham’s past.

The Deptford Electric Palace

28/4/2023

The Deptford Electric Palace opened on 24th December 1910. The first directors included JW Tilley of 7 Becmead Ave

Tragedy struck during a children's matinee performance On This Day 28th April 1917 when a false alarm of 'Fire' sent an over capacity crowd of 1,007 in panic towards the exits. After order had been established, the bodies of four children were found crushed to death.
(Old Deptford History)

#WorldArtDecoDay and the architect Thomas Wallis.

28/4/2023

Happy #WorldArtDecoDay and the architect Thomas Wallis. (Wallis, Gilbert and Co) responsible for numerous iconic art deco buildings
He was born in Norwood and lived at a number of addresses in Streatham, icluding Holmwood Gardens, Streatham Place and Woodbourne Ave. His first marriage was at Christ Church.
He trained with Sidney R J Smith architect of Tate Britain, the Tate Library in Streatham and St Thomas' Telford Park

Conchita Montes- Spain's leading actress

27/4/2023

Spain's leading actress Conchita Montes to star at Streatham Hill Theatre in El Baile. In the papers On This Day 27 April 1956
Image © Reach PLC. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

On this Day 27 April 1908 the 1908 Olympics started in London at Shepherds Bush (later called White City)

27/4/2023

Streatham connections:

1.John James Webster (9 June 1845 – 30 October 1914) a resident at 81 Mount Nod Road who was a Civil Engineer.
He had worldwide reputation for bridge and pier building. He designed Britain's first transporter bridge early in 1900 and built the Shepherds Bush Stadium for the 1908 Olympic Games.
Among other structures he carried out were; Conway Suspension Bridge; Portsmouth bascule bridge; Littlehampton swing bridge and Widnes-Runcorn Transporter Bridge.
His last work was the Warrington Bridge at Bridgefoot which was one of the earliest examples of a reinforced concrete bridge.
He died at home 30 October 1914 and is buried at West Norwood Cemetery

2. Joe Deakin (6 February 1879 – 30 June 1972) was born in Stoke on Trent and as a young man he lived at Chaucer Road, Herne Hill.
Joe Deakin won a Gold Medal for the 3 Miles team race and lived with his daughter and family at 21 Hitherfield Road, Streatham in his later years

3. Stanley Vivian Bacon, (13 August 1885- 13 October 1952) an Olympic Gold medal winning wrestler A resident of 76 Christchurch Road and 38 Palace Road
Stanley Bacon was the eldest and most successful of five brothers who were in the top-flight of British wrestling for more than a decade. Between them, the Bacon brothers won almost 30 British championships, with Stanley winning 15 titles.
To reach the middleweight freestyle final at the 1908 Games, Stanley Bacon defeated three British wrestlers and then met a fourth Briton, George de Relwyskow, in the final.
The two were very evenly matched, but Bacon won the first two bouts on points, after the expiration of the fifteen-minute time limit and the scheduled third bout was not contested. He also competed in the Greco-Roman middleweight event in 1908, but lost in the first round and in 1912, when there were no freestyle events, he again suffered an early defeat in the Greco-Roman style competition.
At the 1920 Olympics, his third, he returned to the freestyle events, but he was by now 35 years old and lost his first bout. Bacon was a civil servant and an enthusiastic supporter of their sports club.
He was the Civil Service diving and middleweight boxing champion and played rugby for their first XV for ten years. He was held in high regard in wrestling circles and was a judge at the 1928 Olympic Games.

#ThrowbackThursday is 2 'Fathers" of sport

27/4/2023

#ThrowbackThursday is 2 'Fathers" of sport connected to Streatham pictured here in 1900 and courtesy Society member Kevin Kelly.

WG Grace," Father of Cricket" who played on the Streatham Cricket ground and hence we have Gracefield Gdns to honour him

Charles Alcock, "Father of Modern Sport" who lived in Stanthorpe Road. An influential English sportsman and administrator, and is credited as being a major instigator in the development of both international football and cricket, as well as being the creator of the FA Cup

"The Royal Conjurer" Charles Bertram

26/4/2023

Charles Bertram was born On This Day 26th April 1853 A resident of 41 Christchurch Road
He was a British magician known as "The Royal Conjurer" as he performed for royalty