Norman Allin died On This Day 27th October 1973
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Norman Allin (19 November 1884 – 27 October 1973) was a British bass singer of the early and mid twentieth century, and later a teacher of voice.
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He appeared in Richard Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and toured at the Streatham Hill Theatre.

​ In 1921, he became a founder-member of the British National Opera Company.

On This Day 27 October 1952 "A Fiddle at the Wedding" was performed at the Streatham Hill Theatre" starring Olga Lindo
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Olga Lindo ©National Portrait Gallery- photo by Streatham resident Madam Yevonda of Leigham Court Road

Grand Concert at the Streatham Hill Theatre with Bruce Forsyth as compere On This Day 27 October 1957.
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Many Streatham residents, Roy Hudd (professional stage debut) Dorothy Squires (Mrs Roger Moore), Lesley Sarony, Bernard Spear and Air Marshall Sir Philip Woolcott Game.
Tickets from Streatham and Norbury Police Stations

TROOPER DOUGLAS ELDRIDGE SHARP BORN ON THIS DAY 26 OCTOBER 1896. LIVED AT 2 WAVERTREE ROAD, STREATHAM

Douglas was born on October 26th 1896, the only surviving son of civil servant Frederick Sharp and his wife, Ellen, who were originally from Leicestershire.

He came to the College in January 1910, having previously been at the Prep, and was a pupil for almost three and a half years. After leaving in April 1913 he began working as an insurance broker, first with Willis Faber & Co. for a short time before joining the Northern Assurance Co. In early 1914 he joined up as a territorial member of the Westminster Dragoons where he was soon acknowledged as a particularly strong horseman.

When war broke out that summer Douglas was called up along with the rest of his regiment and a month later they were sent to Egypt.

Although he was only 18, and therefore should have been too young to serve abroad, he received special dispensation from his parents to do so. After a year or so in Egypt the regiment was sent to Gallipoli in the summer of 1915 where they were involved in heavy fighting around Suvla Bay until withdrawing to Egypt shortly before the evacuation that December.
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Soon afterwards he was sent into the Western Desert where he was involved in heavy fighting with the Senussi tribes, before subsequently being attached to the Imperial Camel Corps, with whom his duties mostly consisted of desert patrols. Whilst on patrol that September he fell seriously ill with fever, passing away on September 15th at Gharak, near Fayoum.
(Dulwich College)

Robert Brown died suddenly at his home, "Fersley", Rydal Road, Streatham, on this day 26 October 1895 and was buried at West Norwood cemetery on 30 October.

A Geographer, the only son of Thomas Brown of Campster, Caithness, was born at Campster on 23 March 1842. He is sometimes known humorously as Robert Brown ‘Campsterianus’ to distinguish him from the other geographer and botanist Robert Brown (1773–1858)

With the mountaineer Edward Whymper, he visited Greenland in 1867 to investigate its natural history and glaciers. His views on the glacial origins of fjords (described in the Journal of the Royal Geographical Society)

He is commemorated by Brown's Range, Mount Brown, and Brown's River in Vancouver Island, and by Cape Brown in Svalbard and Brown Island north of Novaya Zemlya, as well as by two flowering plants, two lichens, and a fossil plant.
(Thomas Seccombe and Elizabeth Baigent)
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Dundee Courier 29 October 1895 Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Jimmy Forte and James Darren at the Peacock, Streatham
On This Day 25 October 1973
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Image © The Stage Media Company Limited

Maurice Burton was born On This Day 25th October 1955

Maurice Burton was the first black British champion in cycling. His first taste of success came when he won the Junior Sprint national title in 1973. He won the amateur scratch title the following year, raced over a 20 km distance although he was booed as he crossed the line. He went on to represent Britain at the 1974 Commonwealth Games,

He rode 56 professional Six Day events, and retired from competitive cycling after a serious racing accident at the Buenos Aires Six Day in 1984.
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In 1987, he took over De Ver Cycles, a thriving bike shop in Streatham.

​On This Date 24th October 1911 the Foundation stone at the Streatham Congregational church was laid by Miss Derry, daughter of Charles Derry

The Streatham Congregational Church was less than 10 years old when the photograph of the church was taken.

This grade II listed building was erected in 1900 and was designed by James Cubitt FRIBA. Charles Derry, who was a partner in the famous Derry and Toms department store in London, He lived at Woodlands, a large detached house facing Tooting Graveney Common which had formerly been the residence of the famous Victorian potter, Henry Doulton.

The Congregational Church was dedicated on 11th June 1901. Another prominent retailer who was a member of the congregation here was Frank Bentall, who owned a large department store in Kingston, called Bentall's. He lived in a large house in North Drive, Streatham Park.
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The church survives today as the United Reformed Church. To the north of the church in the postcard can be seen Streatham Conservatories, a garden business run by H G Burrows, the site of which was subsequently occupied by the church hall which was demolished in September 2011 to make way for a Tesco supermarket.
(John Brown and photo Frances Partridge)

Frank Albert Collins was born On This Day 24th October 1908. he and his family lived at 22 Nimrod Road Streatham.
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Frank Collins was the Chairman of the Caravan Club
(Photos Courtesy Elaine Young)