Tag Archives: Dr Love

Mitcham Common news items 1920 to 1929

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These news items are not complete, and will be added to when more are found.

Contents

1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929

1920

1921

1922

1923

Daily Express, Wednesday 13 June 1923, page 7

POND MYSTERY.
YOUNG MAN’S BODY FOUND FLOATING.

The body of Sidney Quarrington, aged nineteen, a barman at “The Manor House,” Clapham, was found yesterday morning floating in the middle of Three Kings Pond, on Mitcham Common.

His relatives suspected foul play, although the police theory is accidental drowning or suicide. “There was no reason for my brother to kill himself,” said Mr. Thomas Quarrington to a “Daily Express” representative. “I am sure that when he left Florrie Gill, his sweetheart, he was lured away and done to death.”

1924

1925

The Mitcham Advertiser, Thursday 5 March 1925, page 6

MEETING OF THE WATERS.
In Three Kings Pond, Mitcham.

When Mitcham folk walked abroad on Friday morning, that section of them, at least, that pass by the Three Kings Pond, were astonished to see the more or less ornamental sheet, which had been painfully pumped dry for repairs by the unemployed, shimmering in the fitful sunshine again as full of water as it would hold.

It was not an expensive joke, as some people at first thought. Neither was it a dirty trick on the part of anybody. But it was a dirty trick of Old Dame Nature’s. For forty days and forty nights, or thereabouts, it had been raining and raining, with the result that water accumulated on the Common and round about in extraordinary volume and at last, unable to control itself any longer, burst through its bonds and rushed into its natural reservoir.

Fortunately an alert workman engaged during the day in rebottoming the pond with reinforced concrete noticed the water pouring in about eight o’clock on Thursday morning and at once informed Mr. Rook, the foreman in charge. That gentleman immediately hurried to the pond and collecting several more workmen concentrated on saving six or seven tons of cement, which were in danger. This they accomplished, but several barrows and other pieces of plant were totally immersed.

The pond filled to the brim during the night and next morning Mr. Burnett Bullock, the Surveyor, was under the regrettable necessity of “standing off” nearly a score of the men until the pond was emptied again. The remainder of the men were put to the pump and buckets once more.

Every precaution had been taken against such a contingency, which happened once before, but long after the pond had refilled there was enough water left on the Three Kings Green near the railway to fill it again.

It rushed over the roadway opposite the Three Kings Inn and past all barricades. The pond has been cleaned out and the bottom is being prepared for a bed of concrete with retaining walls at the sides. These were well advanced when the deluge descended.

1926

1927

1928

1929

Daily Mirror, Saturday 19 January 1929, page 17

£20,000 FOR HOMES.
Man Who Gave £60,000 Hospital Now Provides for Aged Poor.

Mr. Isaac Wilson, of Mitcham, who recently provided the town with its first hospital at a total cost of £60,000, has now set aside £20,000 for the provision of thirty-six cottage homes for the aged poor at Mitcham.

Plans were submitted to the urban council yesterday. The homes will be built on a corner site facing the most beautiful part of Mitcham Common.

A few months ago Mr. Wilson gave £20,000 for the aged poor of Milton, Cumberland (his native village) and neighbouring villages.

Mr. Wilson began his business career as a small draper and made a big fortune from building small house property.

Norwood News, Friday 26 April 1929, page 10

COUN. TURNER THE NEW CHAIRMAN.
VESTRY HALL SCHEME.

The annual meeting of the Mitcham Council was held on Tuesday night, when all the members attended, the newly-elected ones signing the declaration of acceptance of office.

Pending the appointment of a chairman, Coun. C. Higgs presided.

Coun. T. E. Earl proposed that Coun. J. P. Turner be raised from the vice-chair to the chairmanship of the Council. He remarked that Mr. Turner had thoroughly earned the honour by his general affability on the Council, and particularly his campaign in regard to the electricity charges. He (Mr. Earl) hoped that during his term of office he would see a successful issue to his campaign.

Coun. G. T. Heard seconded, and it was carried unanimously.

Assuming the chair, Coun. J. P. Turner thanked the members for their confidence. He was especially glad his election was absolutely unanimous, because it was helpful to know one had the support of his colleagues. He appreciated the honour most highly. It was no mean thing to be chairman of the Mitcham Council to-day, because it was progressing at such a rate that the chairmanship was becoming very important.

In following such an excellent chairman as Coun. Higgs, he realised that a difficult task beset him. However, he promised to do his best, and to try and uphold the prestige of the Council. He knew that in their clerk (Mr. Stephen Chart) he had an able lieutenant and a sure guide. He would like to see progress made with the Vestry Hall during his year of office, and the Council staff all housed in one building. (Cheers.)

THE VICE-CHAIRMAN.

Dr. Love proposed Coun. S. L. Gaston as vice-chairman, observing that he had served the district well, and his value could not possibly be exaggerated.

Coun. Higgs seconded, and it was carried unanimously.

Coun. Gaston returned thanks.

The Chairman then formally welcomed the new members—Capt. Smith, Messrs. Small, Harris, and Farraday.

The various committees were appointed, and the following representatives:—

Wandle Joint Hospital Board—Dr. Love, Couns. Cusden, Curtis, and Turner.

Wandle Valley Joint Sewerage Board—Couns. Beaumont, Owen, and Field.

Mitcham Common Conservators—Couns. Richards, Dalton, Gaston, and Carlton.

Old-Age Pensions Committee—Mrs. Hallowes.

The ordinary monthly business of the Council was then proceeded with.

The Advertiser, Thursday 17 October 1929, page 2

MITCHAM NOTES.

The construction of a modern open-air swimming bath on Mitcham Common was the bright thought that came to Mr. W. T. Willcocks, chairman of Mitcham Common Conservators, months ago. If anybody else thought of it before him, God help them! They will never get the credit for it. It was duly recorded in the “Advertiser,” but Mitcham was not excited. Years before Mr. Willcocks had his brain wave Mitcham Council explored the parish for a site for an open-air swimming bath and then abandoned it on account of the cost.

The Chairman of Mitcham Common Conservators proposes to construct the open-air bath on the Common at Mitcham ratepayers’ expense. At first his original proposal sounded like that. As he rightly says in his excellent report on the playing of golf on the Common, Mitcham Common does not belong to the people of Mitcham, which is an excellent reason, I take it, why Mitcham ratepayers should pay for the recreation of Tom, Dick and Harry. It is argued, I know, that some of the schemes now before us will in time pay for themselves. The rest will pay only in eternity.

1890 Shocking Murder At Mitcham

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From the Illustrated Police News – Saturday 07 June 1890

MURDER AT MITCHAM.

ON the 30th ult., at the Croydon County Bench, before Dr. Alfred Carpenter (in the chair) and other magistrates, George Bowling, fifty-one, a labourer, of Miles’s-cottages, Mitcham, was charged, on remand, with the wilful murder of Elizabeth Nightingale, a widow, with whom he lived, by smashing in her skull with a hammer, at Mitcham, on the 17th. ult.

Sophia Collins, sister of the deceased, had her previous evidence read over, and in reply to further questions said it was a four-roomed house. The prisoner and the deceased occupied the two front rooms, one up and one down. Witness and her brother occupied the other rooms. The deceased and Bowling had the exclusive use of the front door, of which they had the key, and they generally shut the door when they went out. Bowling and deceased lived together for ten or eleven years. Witness and her brother always used the back-door, which was bolted inside at night time. Of late the prisoner had been drinking very much, and quarrels between the pair were frequent. The deceased was of sober habits generally. Witness was on good terms with her. Had never seen her the worse for liquor. Witness usually saw her sister every day, if she did not the prisoner. The deceased worked at a marketgarden, and used to get there at eight o’clock. She would get up between five and six to do her housework. At this point Police-constable Butler, 488 W, produced a plan he had made of the premises, the bedroom being drawn to scale. The witness Collins went on to say that she last saw her sister alive on the 16th ult. The prisoner came in about eight o’clock. Witness did not see him, but she knew his step. She was surprised at his coming home so early. The deceased came in at half-past nine, and remarked to wltness as she was going upstairs, “Aint it cold? Directly she got in her room witness heard deceased and Bowling quarrelling. She heard the prisoner threaten her a good deal. He said, “I will be the death of you.’ She did not hear any blows, nor did she hear any scuffling. Soon after that prisoner came downstairs and seemed to go in his front room, and remained in there about five minutes. Witness heard him go up again. There was more swearing, but she heard no blows. This lasted five or six minutes, and all was quiet after- wards. Witness then went into the washhouse to get water and chop some wood, being absent about a quarter of an hour. Witness heard nothing more during the night. Witness’s brother came in about eleven o’clock, and stayed up about half an hour, and then went to bed. No one else went in or out of the house that night. Next morning, between five and six o’clock, she heard the prisoner come downstairs. Between five and six the same evening she went Into her sister’s bedroom and found her lying on the bed dead, with her skull battered in. Witness had seen a coal hammer in Bowling’s coal-cellar, but not during the past six months. Witness had used it for nailing pictures up. The hammer (produced, stained with blood) was not the one in question, in fact, she had never seen it before. She had several times heard the prisoner threaten to settle her sister. Cross-examined by Mr. Dennis: The last sound she heard was at ten minutes past ten o’clock. She did not know that Bowling went out at ten o’clock, and was drinking at the Buck’s Head public-house shortly before eleven. Witness was not surprised to hear them quarrelling, as it so frequently occurred. Her sister was rather a warm-tempered woman.

Dr. Henry Love repeated the evidence he gave before the coroner as to the death of the woman being caused by repeated and violent blows on the head by a heavy instrument such as the hammer produced. The fact of there having been no struggle showed that the woman was stunned by the first blow.

Inspector Butters, who arrested the prisoner, stated that on the way to the station Bowling said, “I suppose they fetched you ?” Witness replied in the affirmative. Police-constable Banfield, 277 W, deposed that the prisoner said to him, “It was in my temper I done it in.” Other evidence having been called, Mr. Dennis, in reply to the Bench, said he had nothing to say. In answer to the usual caution, the prisoner, speaking with some emotion, said, “Not guilty, and I reserve my defence,”

The prisoner was fully committed for trial at the next assizes on the capital charge. He was removed to Holloway Gaol to await his trial, his departure being witnessed by a large crowd.

Surrey Independent and Wimbledon Mercury – Saturday 2nd August 1890

The Mitcham Murder.

The execution of George Bowling, for the wilful murder of a woman named Eliza Nightingale, with whom he had cohabited for several years at Mitcham, took place on Tuesday morning, at nine o’clock, at Wandsworth Prison.

The prisoner, who was 57 years of age, a labourer, had lived a miserable life with deceased. On the day of the murder the informer had been drinking, and soon after he got home they quarrelled, and the prisoner attacked the unhappy woman with a hammer and literally beat out her brains. The prisoner neither at the time of the horrible occurrence nor since his conviction showed any remorse for his conduct, indeed, he has all along appeared to be impressed with the idea that he was justified in committing the act of violence, on account of the provocation he had received.

He has been visited by a brother and some other relatives, but it does not appear that any attempt has been made, either by memorial or otherwise, to obtain a commutation of the capital sentence. A few days ago the prisoner made out a sort of will by which he bequeathed what he calls his ‘little sticks’ to a brother, and he also at the same time made a formal admission of his guilt.

Mr. Walter Bartlett, of Bedford-row the newly-appointed deputy of Mr. Hudson, the High Sheriff of Surrey, had the responsibility of superintending the carrying out of the sentence, and he arrived at the prison shortly before one o’clock, and went to the prisoner’s cell. The culprit was then pinioned by Berry and walked firmly to the scaffold. He was a short, thick set man, and a drop of over five feet was allowed. He appeared to be dead in an instant.