Blog Archives - The Streatham Society

Weapons Scientist and First Female Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering

9/9/2020

On This Day 10 September 1924 Elizabeth Audrey Killick was born to George Wellstead Killick and Winnifred Rose Killick who lived at 51 Woodbourne Avenue, Streatham

George was a Chartered Accountant and Director of Finance of the Cotton Board and was granted an OBE in 1954.

Elizabeth studied at Streatham and Clapham High School and St Andrews University where she received a Doctorate

In 1982 the Royal Academy of Engineering elected its first female fellow, Dr Elizabeth Killick, an expert in novel radar and sonar systems who was head of the Weapons Department at the Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment at the time of her election.(The Engineer)

Miriam Licette at Streatham Hill

8/9/2020

On This Day 9 September 1885 Miriam Licette was born. In 1932 she appeared with the Covent Garden Opera Company at the Streatham Hill Theatre in Strauss' "Der Rossenkavalier"

Miriam Licette (9 September 1885 – 11 August 1969) was an English operatic soprano whose career spanned 35 years, from the mid-1910s to after World War II. She sang the Marschallin in Richard Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier, with Norman Allin, under John Barbirolli.

Daughter of the Duke of Marlborough and grand-daughter of the Duke of Bedford who is buried at St Leonard's

8/9/2020

On This Day 8th September 1775 Amelia Sophia Spencer was born in Northamptonshire

Her father was George Spencer, Duke of Marlborough, (26 January 1739 – 29 January 1817), styled Marquess of Blandford until 1758. He served as Lord Chamberlain between 1762 and 1763 and as Lord Privy Seal between 1763 and 1765. He is the great-great-great grandfather of Sir Winston Churchill.

Her Grandfather was John, Duke of Bedford.

Amelia married Henry Pitches Boyce on 22 September 1812 and she died on 30 January 1829.

She was buried at St Leonards, Streatham on 7th February in 1829

Rifle Club

7/9/2020

The Streatham Rifle Club was formed On This Day 8th September 1914 by local men who wanted to help the war effort and within a month of its foundation over 1,500 men had joined up. Akin to the "Home Guard" in the Second World War, the club mainly comprised men who were too old for active military service.

The Club had its original headquarters at 9 Mitcham Lane, and drilled on Streatham and Tooting Bec Commons, as well as the Streatham Cricket Club ground in Pendennis Road.

The Club later became the Streatham Volunteer Training Corps which were initially based at the Drill Hall in Estreham Road. A drum and bugle band accompanied the volunteers on church parades and marches, the instruments being donated by the Corp's Hon. Commandant, Mr. G. H. L. Parsons, of Aldrington Road, Streatham Park.

"Dring Hall" Streatham & Clapham High School named in honour of Madeleine Dring

6/9/2020

On This Day 7 September 1923 Madeleine Dring was born

Madeleine Winefride Isabelle Dring (7 September 1923 – 26 March 1977) was an English composer and actress
Madeleine Dring spent the first four years of her life at Raleigh Road, Haringey when the family moved to Streatham. She is recorded at 7 Woodfield Avenue, Becmead Avenue and "The Haven" Mount Ephraim Lane (the same house where Dame June Whitfield was born)

The dining hall at Streatham and Clapham High is named after her.

She showed talent at an early age began lessons in the junior department of the Royal College of Music beginning on her tenth birthday. She attended the school with scholarships for violin and piano. As part of their training, all of the students performed in the children's theatre. She formally began composition studies at the RCMJD with Stanley Drummond Wolff in 1937, continued the next year with Leslie Fly, and the next two with Percy Buck. She continued at the Royal College for senior-level studies, where her composition teacher was Herbert Howells.

Simon William Lord, Dring's grandson, used some of her compositions for tracks on his solo 'Lord Skywave' album.

Full details of her extensive work is contained under her wikipedia entry
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madeleine_Dring

Her life was celebrated at Church of the English Martyrs on April 4, 1977 and she was buried at Lambeth Cemetery, Blackshaw Road, Tooting. She was a classically trained pianist and composer and published many works during her lifetime.

A great deal of her music has been published since her death, many pieces by her husband, Roger Lord. More of it has been published with the assistance of Alistair Fisher, Ro Hancock-Child, Wanda Brister, and Courtney Kenny.

September 06th, 2020

6/9/2020

Diplomat and member of Shipping owner family

6/9/2020

On This Day 6 Spetember 1895 the diplomat Sir Adrian Holman was born in Streatham. A member of the shipping owner family from Topsham, many of whom lived at various locations in Streatham.

His father was Richard Haswell Holman, a Shipowner and the family are recorded at "Chesnuts" Leigham Cout Road. Adrian was the Uncle of Herbert Leight Holman, a barrister who also lived in Streatham and first husband to Vivien Keigh

Sir Adrian Holman KBE CMG MC (22 December 1895 - 6 September 1974) was a British diplomat. He was educated at Copthorne Preparatory School, Harrow School, and New College, Oxford.
He served in British Army with the Royal Artillery during the First World War, from 1915 to 1918, and received the Military Cross and was mentioned in despatches.

In 1920, he joined the Diplomatic Service as a Third Secretary, serving in Brussels from 1921 to 1924 (promoted to Second Secretary while there, 1922). In Rome, 1924–1926, then Paris, 1926 to 1931, (becoming First Secretary in 1931) then at HM Legation in Peking from 1931 to 1935.
Image
©National Portrait Gallery

Roof repairs by Royal Navy

5/9/2020

On This Day 6th September 1944, sailors of the Royal Navy help to repair homes damaged by flying bombs. Able Seaman E J Rawlins (left) and Able Seaman A Walton strip a damaged roof in Streatham before re-slating it. © IWM (A 25482)
(Imperial War Museum)

The Original Tate Gallery- Park Hill

5/9/2020

Today (6th September) was the planned Streatham Society tour of the grounds of "Park Hill", home of Sir Henry Tate and the "original' Tate gallery

The tours will be rescheduled as soon as possible when the crisis is over.

For now some photos of Park Hill on Streatham Common North (now Henry Tate Mews) taken c.1919 for auction catalogue - Bedford Lemere collection

Stationer- Horace Brooks

4/9/2020

Next Meeting

Our next talk is on 7th April2026. A double-bill of talks on The Effects of Climate Change on Open Green Spaces and Oceans by Kevin Martin of the Royal Botanical Gardens Kew and Tom Bolton of the Marine Society.

Our latest copy of the newsletter (263 Winter 2025) is out for delivery or has been posted

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