​On This Day 31 December 1875 this appeared in the Lincolnshire Chronicle

Streatham racecourse and in 1868 races with steeple chases were first held in the area under the Jockey Club rules.
​
The race course was between Rowan Road and Norbury Station and incorporated a jump over the River Graveney.

Norwood News 30 December 1955 Image © Reach PLC. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

On This Day 30th December 1828 Albert Coleman was born

"Holly Lodge" 29 Streatham High Road (opposite Woodbourne Avenue) was occupied by Alfred Coleman an eminent Dental Surgeon, Lecturer at St Bartholomew's Hospital and the London Hospital Dental School and President of the Odontological Society.

Also living in the house were his wife Fanny, 5 daughters and two sons together with 5 servants
(Source 1881 Census)

The image below is of his family in their garden - June 1884

After the family left to live in Epsom the house was occupied by Vavasour Earle, a manufacture agent, his wife Elizabeth, 4 daughters and 4 sons together with 4 servants
(Source 1891 Census)
​
The house was demolished in the 1930's

On the night of 30th/31st December 1966 eight paintings were stolen from the Dulwich Picture Gallery with a few being recovered from Streatham Common a few days later

The stolen paintings included three pictures by Rembrandt, A Girl at the Window, Portrait of Titus and Jacob de Gheyn III. There were also three pictures by Rubens (Three Women with a Cornucopia, St. Barbara, The Three Graces), a Gerrit Dou (A Lady Playing on the Clavicord) and a painting by Adam Elsheimer (Susannah and the Elders). The paintings were worth at least £3 million. Despite the value of the paintings, only £1,000 was offered for their safe return.

An investigation was quick to find out the truth about the theft. Detective Superintendent Charles Hewett found that Michael Hall an out of work ambulance driver was one of the thieves. All of the paintings were recovered and Michael Hall was sentenced to 5 years in prison. None of the other thieves were caught but all of the paintings were returned to the picture gallery within a few days of the theft.
​
This was not the only time that the Jacob de Gheyn III painting was taken from the Dulwich College Picture Galley and it has been listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the most frequently stolen artwork in the world. It has been recovered in a number of strange ways including in a left-luggage office in West Germany, on the back of a bicycle and under a bench in Streatham.
​
With the popularity of the painting with thieves it is now protected with an upgraded security system.
(History Collection)

South London Press 29 December 1888

Streatham Amateur Orchestral Society
​
Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

On This Day 29 December 1919 David Nixon was born
​
TV Magician and King Rat - resident of Leigham Cottage, Leigham Court Road Streatham.

As well as a celebrity magician he was a keen Chess Player presenting "Checkmate" on TV