Tag Archives: football

Peter Waterman’s refreshment hut by the Red House

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Peter Waterman, British and European welterweight boxing champion and elder brother of the actor Dennis Waterman, later ran a refreshment hut on Mitcham Common beside the Red House — serving football supporters near the dressing rooms off Croydon Road / Red House Road.

Born in Stepney on 8 December 1934, Waterman boxed from boyhood, won the ABA light-welterweight title in 1952, fought for Great Britain at the Helsinki Olympics that year, and as a professional took the British welterweight title (1956) and the European title (1957). After a hard fight with Dave Charnley in April 1958 he underwent brain surgery and never boxed again. He died suddenly in Islington on 16 January 1986, aged 51.

The Mitcham Common Conservators’ minutes pick up his Common story a couple of years later. On 14 September 1960 the Board recorded that Mrs Edwards had transferred the Refreshment Licence to Mr Peter Waterman, of 48 Palace Road, Streatham Hill, and granted him a three-year licence for the hut.

In January 1961 he asked for tarmac near the dressing rooms and drive-in, offering an extra £1 a week. Through the early 1960s the Board dealt with higher fees for car-park and football trade, earlier Sunday opening, and — in places where the OCR reads “Mr Waterson” — almost certainly the same licensee. By 1967–68 there were Public Health complaints about the huts at the Red House; meetings followed with Waterman and Merton Council, and the Council was expected not to press further once remedial work was done.

In May 1969 the licence was to be determined and tenders advertised, with the present licensee free to tender. The café remained a recurring Environmental Health item into the late 1970s. On 8 March 1978 the Clerk spoke to Mr Waterman’s Manager about the café and parking. On 7 June 1978 the licence was terminated: the police were content with closure, citing safety with lorries on Croydon Road. On 5 September 1979 the Board noted that the café had been emptied and that Waterman’s Manager should be told the structure was to be destroyed — the site tied in the index to the disused lorry park by Red House Road.

Local memory still links Waterman’s stand with match-day crowds near the Red House (properly the Jolly Gardeners on Mitcham Road / Croydon Road at the Croydon end of the Common — the “Blue House” opposite being the Ravensbury Arms). The minutes do not mention his boxing career or his better-known brother; they show a long-serving Common licensee whose hut served footballers and spectators until the late 1970s, when road safety and health concerns closed that chapter.

Sources: Mitcham Common Conservators Board minutes (esp. 14 Sep 1960; 11 Jan 1961; 1962–63 fees; 1967–68 Public Health; 14 May 1969; 8 Mar & 7 Jun 1978; 5 Sep 1979); Wikipedia / contemporary boxing notices for career outline; local naming of the Red House (Jolly Gardeners).

Mason’s Place

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Road off the west side of Turner’s avenue in Mitcham. Likely to have been named after Thomas A. Mason, who donated land at Tamworth Farm to Mitcham from which the Tamworth Farm Recreation Ground and allotments were created. The road is not listed in the 1925 street directory but it is likely to have been built before 1930, as it’s mentioned in a newspaper article that year, see below.

1973 OS map reproduced by permission of the National Library of Scotland, reuse CC-BY (NLS)

Houses are numbered odd on the south side from 1 to 11, then 13 and 15 on the end terrace, and even from 2 to 12 on the north side, then 14 and 16 on the end block.

From the Norwood News – Friday 15 August 1930

COLLIERS WOOD F.C.
Confident of Another Good Season.

The Woods were always an optimistic lot, and still hold their own in their particular class in spite of the pull of bigger clubs. a number of whom regard them a nursery for their senior players.

Quite a large number of good first-class players have been recruited from their ranks, but they still hold the nucleus of a good side. and this is the outcome of sticking to players. not only for playing ability, but also for sociability. which factor goes a long way towards keeping the club on a wild foundation.

Some of our men have turned down offers because of pals in the club, and that spirit keeps us financially sound and always in the first three or four of the League table. That same camaraderie also ensures our injured players of club support, which is a great consideration to strict amateurs.

Thanks to our president. Mr. Harry Cusden, and, his colleagues on the progressive Mitcham Council, our dressing accommodation is among the finest of any club in Surrey. and the ground is being gradually brought into first-class condition.

Our prospects are this season exceedingly good, and we hope to lift a “pot” or two. In the Surrey Intermediate we hope to go one better than last year, and win it.

We were not disgraced by being knocked out in the divisional final by the eventual winners, and the League is also within our capabilities. We have a few vacancies for real firstclass Intermediate and Juniors. particularly forwards.

We can field practically the same defence as last season with one great half-back improvement. The club have a team entered in the Premier Division, Wimbledon League. which will require strengthening in all positions. Would any good player desirous of joining a well-run , chummy club, communicate with the hon. sec., Mr. C. H. Lee. 9, Mason’s place, Turner-avenue. Mitcham. We are happy to state wo retain all our old and capable committee, and our trainer, Jim Bird.

Training is now in full swing, and we commence League fixtures at home on September 13. I am sure we all sympathise with Sonny Newhoose in his recent bereavement, the sudden loss of his much respected father. C. H. L.