Author Archives: Wade

1922 : Mitcham Common Aerodrome plan dropped

Leave a reply

From the Shields Daily News – Friday 22nd December 1922, via the British Newspaper Archive

AIR TERMINUS PLAN DROPPED.
TOO EXPENSIVE: £1,000,000 INVOLVED.

It is understood that the Air Ministry has now abandoned definitely the scheme to replace Croydon aerodrome as the London Air terminus by another and more central site.

After searching the surroundings of London the only credible alternative has been found to be Mitcham Common. The local authorities here, however, would definitely oppose any scheme to turn this Into an aerodrome. It would necessitate diverting the Croydon Corporation tramways, which connect with Tooting by way of the common, and would also necessitate the removal of Tooting Bec golf course, which is one the wealthiest and most popular courses in South London.

COMPENSATION DEMAND.

A new site would have to found for the club and Mitcham residents would require a corresponding piece of common land that which they would asked to vacate. Moreover, Mitcham Common is in the river fog area, which Croydon just escapes. It would cost the Air Ministry about £1,000,000 with the compensation money and the money they would have to spend in equipping Mitcham as an aerodrome, building sheds, cleaning and levelling, and installing lights, etc. For a quarter of that sum the present Croydon terminal could be made the finest aerodrome in the world, and the only advantage of Mitcham would be the saving of fifteen minutes car journey between the heart of London and the aerodrome.

SPEEDING-UP PLAN

As the air journey saves several hours to passengers coming from the Central European towns, this is merely a negligible saving.

If it is found necessary, however, to save these minutes, the terminus can move after March 30 next to the Aircraft Disposal Co.’s site on the Waddon side of the aerodrome, where there is already a railway siding.

By arrangement with the railway company electric trains could run on to the aerodrome from Victoria in 20 minutes.

This is the only possible solution of the problem, and the Air Ministry will almost certainly adopt it.

Note that the Tooting Bec golf club had previously been on the land that became the Links Estate.

The Links Estate

Leave a reply

Housing built on a former golf course, and named after it, south of the river Graveney and north of the railway line the connects Tooting and Streatham stations. The area was in the urban district of Mitcham and, despite the SW17 postcodes, is part of the London Borough of Merton today.

The area was part of the Furzedown Estate, owned by Sir Charles Seely, whose name was given to one of the roads. The golf course had been rented by the Tooting Bec Golf Club, who declined Sir Seely’s offer to sell it to them. Source: Golf’s Missing Links.

1894 OS map

From the Birmingham Mail – Thursday 15 February 1906

WHERE CHARLES PEACE WAS A VISITOR.

Furzedown Park, one of the few remaining country estates within the county of London, has been sold by Sir Charles Seely to a gentleman who intends to cut it up for building purposes. It lies between Streatham and Tooting, and its mansion commands an extensive view of the Surrey hills. Among notable visitors to the mansion was Charles Peace, who went uninvited, and carried away many interesting souvenirs in the form of plate and other valuables. Instead of entering by the front door, Charlie climbed a tree, and took advantage of a branch that almost touched window. The tree is regarded as one of the curious things of the neighbourhood, for Charles Peace was great man —in his way.

Maps are reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.