Tag Archives: Fair Green

1961 obituary of Jack Gillard, newsvendor at Fair Green since 1920

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From the Mitcham News & Mercury, 10th March 1961

NEWSVENDOR JACK DIES

Sixty-nine-year-old Jack Gillard, who died suddenly in hospital on Tuesday (7th March 1961), was one of Mitcham’s more famous landmarks.

For 41 years, he had sold newspapers at Fair Green, and was known by thousands of local people.

Mr. Gillard, of Henry Prince Estate, Earlsfield, had been in poor health for some time and had not been at his usual pitch for about four months.

He often talked about the changes in the district since he became a newsvendor in 1920.

“When I first moved in to Mitcham – I lived in Love Lane – it was like a small country village,” he would recall.

And he remembered shouting the big news over the years . . . The General Strike, the R101 disaster, the outbreak of war, the first atom bomb over Japan . . .

Three years ago Jack had a serious accident and later a leg was amputated. He was fitted with an artificial limb.

For years he tried to persuade Mitcham Council to let him put up a covered stand, but was never successful.

Jack Gillard

Fair Green Bandstand

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Built in 1924 and demolished in ????, the bandstand at the Fair Green was at the western end, across the road from the Nags Head pub.

photo taken possibly before the 1930s

From Mitcham Urban District minutes in July 1924, the bandstand was built by Messrs McFarlane, Mr Hann connected the drainage to the culvert, and Sayers & Son was awarded the contract to paint it with anti-corrosive paint, for £20 18s. The County of London Electric Supply Company was paid £28 16s. for the installation of lighting for the bandstand.

The nearby Zion Congregational chapel objected to a bandstand being built. The council responded that it would

do all in their power to endeavour to secure quietude during the hours of service at the Church.

Source: council minutes 9th May 1924, page 24.

Minutes of meetings held by the Mitcham Urban District Council are available on request from the Merton Heritage and Local Studies Centre at Morden Library.