On This Day 11 June 1967 Bombadier Billy Wells died William Thomas Wells, better known as Bombardier Billy Wells (31 August 1889 – 11 June 1967) Billy Wells lived at 99a Streatham Hill and Nimrod Road, Streatham. His two sons attended Streatham Hill College. He joined the Royal Artillery as a gunner and was posted to Rawlpindi where he thrived in the army boxing matches He is best known as the man hitting the gong at the start of Rank films Billy was an English heavyweight boxer. Fighting under the name "Bombardier Billy Wells", he was British and British Empire Champion from 1911 until 1919, defending his title fourteen times. In 1911 he became the first Heavyweight to win the Lonsdale Belt, which had been introduced for British champions at all weights in 1909. Wells, who was 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) and was between 182 and 192 lb (83 and 87 kg), fought with an orthodox style. He died at home 1A Florence Road Ealing. (Billy Wells was distantly related to Vanessa lee - see post 18 June 2020) Writer Peter Stephens (brother to Hollywood star Richard Waring) died On This Day 11 June 200210/6/2020 On This Day 11 Jun 2002 Peter John Stephens died at home in Streatham Peter John Stephens was born at Chalfont St Peter and known for writing historical fiction books and books for teens and children. His brother was Richard Waring, a US-based Hollywood actor and the son of Thomas Stephens, whose portrait of Dwight Eisenhower hangs in the Smithsonian Gallery of Presidents Terrence Higgins was born on 10 June 1945. A former resident in Streatham Terrence Lionel Seymour Higgins, (1945–1982), first publicly identified AIDS victim in the United Kingdom, was born on 10 June 1945 in Priory Mount Hospital, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, the son of Marjorie Irene Higgins (formerly Phillips), a railway porter in Haverfordwest. Remembered through the manner of his death, and the work of the trust that bears his name, the life of Terrence Higgins reflects at every turn the shifting history of the gay male community in late twentieth-century Britain. Higgins moved to London, where the changing climate of the 1960s, the partial decriminalization of homosexuality in 1967, and the work of the Gay Liberation Front from the early 1970s had created a rapidly expanding, commercial scene of gay clubs and bars. Entering into this world he lived first in Notting Hill and Streatham, eventually settling in a flat with friends in Barons Court Road, Kensington. He worked as a telex and computer operator and as a barman in the best-known gay club, Heaven. (Source Matt Houlbrook) On This Day 9 June 1845 John James Webster was born. 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 Streatham resident and Streatham Society member Barbara Wright is doing a Lockdown Virtual Tour of the Village of Marylebone, "Marvellous Marylebone" on Thursday 18th June at 8pm.
This promises to be a fascinating talk. Please email Barbara if you wish to take part On This Day 7 Jun 1843 Julia Geraldine Mortimer Fuller was born in Streatham. She was the daughter of Francis Rayley Fuller and Mary Anne Drew who was a member of the influential Drew family in Streatham. Julia was baptised at St Leonard's Church 1 October 1843 and in 1891 is recorded at the Sister of Mercy in Wantage Berkshire where she died in December 1918 Painting by Sant Today is the anniversary of D-Day 6th June 1944- we remember the fantastic contribution by Wates of Streatham During the Second World War, Wates Ltd built aerodromes, army camps, factories and most notably, developed a speciality in constructing pre-cast and in situ reinforced concrete barges and floating docks. The company supplied major parts of the code named "Mulberry" Harbours which supported D Day invasions, assisting the supply of goods and military equipment for the invasion. Two harbours were established, Mulberry A, to support the beaches on which US troops landed and Mulberry B at Arromanches, in the British invasion area. Mulberry A was largely destroyed in a powerful storm on the 19th to the 20th of June 1944. Prime Minister Winston Churchill wrote a memorandum headed, ‘Piers for Use On Beaches’, to Lord Mountbatten, the Chief of Combined Operations, on the 30th of May 1942, “They must float up and down with the tide. The anchor problem must be mastered. Let me have the best solution worked out. Don’t argue the matter. The difficulties will argue for themselves.” With this order a team of engineers were called upon to work out ways in which this could be achieved. Between 1943 and June 1944 Wates Ltd. became one of a number of companies which set about putting the idea of an artificial harbour into reality. Wates Ltd. carried out their work on the Mulberry components at yards and docks across the country including at Goat Road in Mitcham and the West India Docks. Wates in Streatham Wates built a number of properties in the Streatham area. In one estate Wates advertised their more expensive houses as “the finest homes in the finest suburb” and pointed out that Streatham was “London's most favoured, healthy and convenient suburb”. Wates also built a number of properties on the Woodfield Estate centred on Abbotswood Road in Streatham. After the War, the company used this knowledge of pre-cast concrete to develop high-rise and low-rise industrialised housing systems and built over 60,000 houses and flats using these techniques. Property development was also added to the core housing, contracting and plant businesses. The Wates family of Streatham: E A Wates was formed in 1900 by brothers Edward and Arthur Wates- There is still one shop trading today in Mitcham Lane, Streatham. In 1897 Edward Wates and his three brothers set up the first Wates Company. During the 1920s and 1930s Edward's sons, Norman, Sir Ronald and Allan, expanded the Company by speculative house building and then extending their activities into general contracting. They built thousands of houses in the area Edward Wates Builder born in Ipswich and his wife, Sara from Essex, lived at 87 Mitcham Lane and in 1911 are also recorded at 39 Thrale Road *Sir Ronald Wallace Wates (1907–1986), builder and benefactor born in Streatham *Norman Edward (b 1905 Streatham),. *Allan Charles (b 1909 Streatham). In 1939 Sir Ronald Wates lived with his wife Phyllis in one of the mansions in Garrad's Road, Streatham at "Chenies" Arthur Wates Arthur, born in Dulwich, is recorded as living at 1 Brookview Road, Streatham in 1911 with his wife Edith. (extracts of this article are from Emmanuel School - Allan Charles Wates (Emanuel 1919-1927) Norman Edward Wates (Emanuel 1917-1921) and Sir Ronald Wallace Wates (Emanuel 1917-1923. The wartime images are © Wates Ltd The cyclist Jim Hinds was born in Streatham on the 6 June 1937. His record is contained on this site below and includes representing Great Britain at the Summer 1960 Olympics. http://www.cyclingarchives.com/coureurfiche.php?coureurid=15182 Image below from the 1961 Milk Race: Proving once again that cyclists are simply a breed apart, Olympian and four-times-stage-winner Jim Hinds tries to bandage himself up after what looks like a bad crash. Hinds came third overall in the following year’s race, picking up a stage win in Weston-Super-Mare. He rode for Britain at the 1960 Rome Olympics in the road race and individual time trial, but came away without a medal.(Cycling Weekly) |
AuthorMark Bery, Secretary Streatham Society Archives
March 2024
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