Tag Archives: London Road

1959 : Monte Car hits a boulder but finishes run

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From the Mitcham News and Mercury
30th January 1959

Damaged steering failed to prevent three men from completing the dangerous mountain circuit of the Monte Carlo rally.

Mr Colin Sproxton, 39-year-old owner of Home Radio, London Road, Mitcham, said on Monday : “We are very pleased with the result. We finished the course 66th in the general classification and 19th in our own class. We did better than several champions.”

Mr Sproxton – it was the third time he had entered the rally – was co-driver of a Ford Zephyr belonging to Streatham garage owner Mr Gordon

Danger spot for the enthusiasts was in the mountains. They hit a boulder which had fallen into the road.

“The road was too narrow to avoid it and too icy for us to stop. We were very lucky – it could have had us out of the rally.”

SPINS

“As it was, it damaged the steering rod and steering was very difficult, but not impossible. We later had it straightened, but steering was not perfect.”

The Zephyr came through the course almost unscratched.

“Apart from lamps which were smashed by falling stones we had little trouble. We spun round once or twice, but somehow always ended up pointing in the right direction.

Conditions were pretty good, although we did experience a bit of everything including fog and ice,” said Mr Sproxton.

He returned home on Sunday. On Monday he was back behind the counter of his shop.

For photo, see Merton Memories.

Mitcham Preparatory School and Kindergarten

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clip from Merton Memories photo, reference Mit_Buildings_23-1, copyright London Borough of Merton.

This photo is of a pair of buildings north of, and adjacent to the Tom Francis London House stores, on London Road. The right hand one may be the Mitcham Preparatory School and Kindergarten. This OS map of 1910 shows London House on the west (left hand) side of the London Road, opposite Langdale Avenue (where the ’67’ is shown at the bottom of the map). A pair of buildings can be seen north of London House.

1910 OS map

Another clue is the entry in the 1911 street directory. This describes the buildings on the west side, going south from Tooting Junction station to the river Wandle. It lists no buildings after Upper Green until the Kindergarten and Primrose Cottage before getting to Thomas Francis, outfitter.

extract from the 1911 street directory

A further clue is what looks like a notice board near the entrance to the right-hand property.

Merton Memories also has a photo of the rear of this building.

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