Tag Archives: 1926

1952 : A Park in his Care

Leave a reply

From the Mitcham Advertiser, 2nd October, 1952, page 5.

A familiar figure in Mitcham is Mr George Finch, for 26 years in the employ of the the council and now gardener and charge-hand at Tamworth Farm recreation ground.

His first job with the council – there was no separate parks department in those days – was “mowing Figges Marsh.” After that he became a driver and remained at that job until about three years ago.

He joined the council in 1926, a week after his discharge from the Army.

Mr Finch, who comes from an old Mitcham family, was born in Phipps Bridge Road. As a youth of 17, he ran away from home to join the Army, but at the recruiting centre he was told he was under age. A few days later he went back to the recruiting officer and told him he was 18.

“Haven’t you been here before?” he was asked. “Never,” replied Mr Finch. He was accepted and served until 1926.

Mr Finch, who is 50, joined the council’s service a week after his discharge from the Army. He lives in Sibthorp Road.

1926 : Lower Mitcham Schoolboys’ Novel Jazz Band at Christmas

Leave a reply

THE DUSTMEN’S CART SYMPHONY.

Schoolboys’ Novel Jazz Band.

“The Bath Road Symphony,” a musical medley descriptive of life in one of the poorest quarters of Mitcham, London, was publicly performed for the first time by Lower Mitcham schoolboys, whose instruments were made up of things found in the dustmen’s carts.

The boys were dressed as dustmen, and the instruments were old saucepans, knives and forks, combs, biscuit tins, pieces of bamboo, curtain rods cut into the form whistles, glass jam jars, and a bass drum made out of galvanised iron bath.

For Christmas Gifts.

The youthful conductor beat time with soup ladle, and, it is said, really excellent music was produced from the extraordinary assortment of instruments. The medley was arranged by Mr H. C. Toller, one of the masters.

Mr F. C. Stone, the headmaster, arranged the concert to provide Christmas cheer for the 350 boys school, of whom, he said, had never received a Christmas present in their lives.

In addition to the symphony orchestra, there was a boys’ mouth organ band, which played popular songs like experts, and bone duets by other boys.

Source: Dundee Evening Telegraph – Thursday 16 December 1926 from the British Newspaper Archive (subscription required)