Tag Archives: Preshaw Crescent

Bombardier Ivor Collin Victor Hawkins

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From the Mitcham News & Mercury, 1st September 1944, page 1.

BOMBARDIER HAWKINS WON’T CARE IF IT RAINS

News comes this week of Bombardier I.C.V. Hawkins, son of Mr and Mrs Hawkins, Preshaw-crescent, Lower Green West Mitcham, who for four years has been serving with the RA in the Middle East.

Bdr. Hawkins joined the Territorials in 1936, and was mobilized the day war broke out. Since then he has seen many new parts of the world, has fought in the Eritrean campaign, then in the Western Desert, and was in the Siege of Tobruk.

Later he was in Iraq, Persia, the Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and Egypt. Bdr. Hawkins thinks he has seen quite enough of the world.

His one ambition is to get home. ”Four years overseas in the Army is four years too much,” he remarked to a Military Observer, ”particularly in an area like the Middle East. I should be glad to get home and stay home – even if it does rain all summer.”

From the Royal Artillery Attestations 1883-1942

Ivor Collin Victor HAWKINS
Service Number : 862125
Attestation year : 1936

From the British Army Casualty Lists 1939-1945

Gunner I C V Hawkins
144 Fd.Regt.
Wounded Eritrea 3rd February 1941

Percy Mayhew

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Confectioners, newsagents and stationers, from early 20th century to possibly the late 1960s.

A number of postcards of scenes in Mitcham have his name on them, such as this undated one of London Road.

‘Mayhew’ in bottom left hand corner.

This photo of Preshaw Crescent has ‘Mayhew Mitcham’ on the left and ‘2721 Johns’ on the right, who might have been the photographer.

Preshaw Crescent

This photo of the Blue Houses has ‘Percy Mayhew’ on the left.

Ravensbury Arms and the Blue Houses

There is a collection on Merton Memories.

In the 1919 electoral register, Daisy Maud and Percy Mayhew are listed at number 8, The Parade. In the 1925 street directory, listed as a confectioner at number 4 The Parade, which was renumbered as 231.

Listed in the 1929 Where to shop in Mitcham advert as at 239 and 231 London Road.

This ad, possibly from 1935, shows 237 – 239 London Road:

This ad from 1947 has the Monarch Parade address and refers to the previous address of 237 – 239 London Road.

1947 ad

In the programme for the 1952 Sports and Shopping Week his shop is listed as having contributed a pen and pencil set, worth 13s. 11d., as a prize in the lucky programme number competition. The address of the shop then was 72 Monarch Parade. The shop can just be seen on the right of Davant Ltd (the furniture shop at number 73), in this 1950 Tuck postcard:

1950 Tuck postcard

Listed in the 1954 telephone directory as newsagent, tobacconist, 72 Monarch Parade, London Road, MIT 2478.

Listed in the 1967 edition of the Mitcham Chamber of Commerce Yearbook, but not in the 1969 edition.