Tag Archives: Ravensbury Arms

Mitcham Common news items 1930 to 1939

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

Contents

1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939

1930

1931

1932

Daily Worker, Friday 15 July 1932, page 5

MILITARY TRAINING ON
MITCHAM COMMON
Lame Excuse Put Forward By War Office

(From a Worker Correspondent.)

Following the protest of the Sherwood Park Residents’ Association, against the use of Mitcham Common by the War Office, the Common Conservators have received protests from workers’ organisations over a wide area.

The Co-op. Comrade Circles, and Men’s Guild have been to the fore in these protests.

The excuse of the War Office that the Common is only to be used for range-finding, is not [accepted as adequate]. [The Common] is of strategic importance in the war preparations because of the wireless [station’s] position on the high road from Croydon aerodrome.

Every worker in the locality should double his efforts to stop the War Office using the Common.

Send protests to the Common Conservators, c/o The Vestry Hall, Mitcham.

Streatham News (running head The News), Friday 9 December 1932, page 5

MITCHAM COMMON’S
GOLF PROBLEM
Settlement Likely After Two Years

CONSENT was given on Wednesday by the Mitcham Common Conservators to the preparation of a new licence in respect of golf on the Common. This will mean the end of a controversy which has lasted two years.

Public golf on Mitcham Common [is to resume] after being in abeyance for [two years].

STALL TURNED DOWN.
An application to use a refreshment [stall] on the Common was [refused] because of the inconvenience it might cause [to] the public-house. (Laughter.)

[Reference was also made to] the path leading from the [Fish] House to Beddington-lane, and the Conservators [discussed related Commons business].

It was agreed to meet bi-monthly.

1933

1934

Gloucester Citizen, Wednesday 17 October 1934

CYCLIST’S DOUBLE MISHAP

A double accident befell a cyclist at Mitcham.
Edwin Brown, of Pirbright-road, Southfields, was hurt when his cycle skidded on the tramlines and threw him at Beddington-lane, Mitcham Common. Before he could get up he was run into by a motor-lorry. He was taken to Wilson Hospital, Mitcham, with severe internal injuries.

1935

Mitcham News & Mercury, Friday 4 January 1935

BOMBSHELL FOR MITCHAM COUNCIL
S. W. DUCKETT ANNOUNCES HIS RESIGNATION

Surprise was occasioned at the meeting of Mitcham Council on Tuesday by the resignation of Coun. S. W. Duckett, one of East Ward’s Ratepayer representatives. Mr. Duckett’s resignation is understood to be due to a higher business appointment.

There will be widespread regret in East Ward at the announcement that Coun. S. W. Duckett has been compelled to resign his membership of the Council. He has served on most of the important committees of the Council and was for three years chairman of the Maternity Committee. He is also a school manager and a Conservator of Mitcham Common.

Mitcham News & Mercury, Friday 11 January 1935

GENERATING STATION
Opposition to Transport Board Scheme
MITCHAM COMMON PROPOSAL

There is likely to be strong opposition to the London Passenger Transport Board’s proposal to erect a generating station on Mitcham Common, near Blue House Bridge.

It is understood that the Board will present a Bill to Parliament to obtain the necessary powers.

Mitcham Common Conservators are opposing the scheme, and it is possible that Mitcham Borough Council will take a similar view.

Long Thornton Improvement Association have written to the Conservators offering their full support in any opposition to the Bill and asking how best they can assist in the matter.

Other residents’ associations in the district are understood also to be opposed to the proposal.

Mitcham News & Mercury, c. mid-June 1935 (after Whitsun)

A QUIET WHITSUN
Very Few People on the Common

“I have never known a quieter Whitsun,” said Mr. Joseph Cowley, the Mitcham Common keeper, to a Mercury reporter this week.

“There have been no more people about than on an ordinary week-end. The weather has been all against picnicking, and that accounts for the absence of crowds this Whitsun on the common.”

The coconut shies and swings did little business; in the words of one proprietor: “None of us has made salt.”

Nothing unusual happened except during the storm early on Monday morning, when a huge willow tree behind the Blue House Bridge collapsed. Part of the trunk and branches, weighing over a ton, had to be removed to avoid further damage and danger.

Two more trees at the end of Commonside East have been further endangered.

[Local paper], Friday 5 July 1935

LECTURES ON THE COMMON
MITCHAM REQUEST

An application by the Watch Tower Bible Tract Society for permission to hold open-air lectures from a motor-car on Mitcham Common was [before] the Board of Conservators. [It was noted] that only in May last the Conservators turned down a similar application by the Vicar of St. Jude’s, Thornton Heath, [to hold services] on the Common during the summer.

TENNIS COURTS REQUEST
The Mitcham-road Estate Association wrote [to] request [that the] Conservators should provide tennis courts on the Common.

[After discussion] the Conservators decided to reply that they were not in a position to [do so].

[It was also noted that] the London Passenger Transport Board had unconditionally withdrawn from their Bill in respect of [the Common scheme].

Mitcham News & Mercury, Friday 9 August 1935

PREPARATIONS FOR MITCHAM’S FAMOUS FAIR
THREE DAYS AND NIGHTS OF REVELRY
SHOWMEN’S PRESIDENT TO ARRIVE IN A FOUR-IN-HAND

On Monday Mitcham Fair once again will be open; for three days and nights there will be the usual revelry.

The old-time opening ceremony with the huge grotesque key, which Captain Bertram Mills, the new president of the Showmen’s Guild, will bring in a four-in-hand, will also take place.

Mitcham Fair, the most famous event of its kind in this part of the country, will open with time-honoured ceremonial on Monday at noon.

The show [ground] of Mitcham Common known [as Three] Kings’ Pond, devoted to the Fair, will be gay with bunting by day and brilliantly lit by night; the air will be filled with the blare of hurdy-gurdies, hoarse shouts of showmen, and the excited cries of merry-makers.

Already, from all parts of the country, fair folk have started their way to Mitcham. Throughout the week-end they will be coming from all directions and taking temporary quarters in fields and yards convenient to the Common in readiness to occupy their allotted pitches.

Originally Mitcham Fair was held on Three Kings’ Green, but it outgrew [that site].

Mitcham News & Mercury, Friday 4 October 1935

FATHER ON MURDER CHARGE
Little Son in Filter Tank
EVIDENCE OF A STATEMENT

THE finding of a four-months’-old baby abandoned in a perambulator on Mitcham Common on Saturday, and next morning the dead body of a two-and-a-half-years old boy in a filter tank at Beddington Corner, adjoining Mitcham Common, led to the appearance in the dock at Mitcham Police Court, on Monday, of the father of the two children.

1936

[Mitcham local paper / council report], Friday 31 October 1936

PUBLIC CONVENIENCES.

The Borough Engineer submitted detail plans for the erection of public conveniences—(a) on Figges Marsh, at the junction of Manship and Streatham Road; (b) on Mitcham Common, on the East side of Cedars Road at its junction with Croydon Road; and (c) Meopham Road, near its junction with Rowan Road.

It was resolved that the plans submitted by the Borough Engineer be approved, and in accordance with the recommendation submitted by the Borough Engineer the work be carried out by contract. It was further resolved that the Finance Committee be authorised to make an application to the Ministry of Health for sanction to a loan of £6,400 for the carrying out of this work.

1937

1938

Mitcham Herald, Friday 9 September 1938

FIRES ON MITCHAM COMMON
[Fires] That Were Deliberately Caused.

There were fewer fires [than] in the same [period last year].

It was reported that a fire near Seven Islands Pond was caused by a picnic party and one cigarette end. Another was started by a ten-year-old boy.

Common-keeper Mears had discovered ground at Commonside East beginning to sink rapidly from the road. It was thought there must have been an old well underneath; the sinkage had been filled in. It was decided that the sinkage should be made good.

It was reported that three temporary refuse receptacles were erected on the Common on August Bank Holiday. Two were put up at Seven Islands Pond, and they were half-filled. One at Ravensbury Arms was not so full; keepers spent two days clearing away rubbish. It was agreed that the arrangements were adequate, and should be repeated.

A PATH QUESTION.
Messrs. Wates had written with regard to the opening up of Watneys path. It was resolved that they could see no grounds on which negotiations could be opened. This was carried.

1939

The Advertiser, Friday 16 June 1939

MITCHAM COMMON TRAGEDY
CARSHALTON BOY DROWNED
Jury’s Recommendation About Dangerous Side of Pond

“There is a dangerous side for children at the Seven Island Pond on Mitcham Common,” it was stated at an inquest at Mitcham last week.

The pond is a favourite amusement centre for children in the summer time, and they go there for swimming, boating, paddling and fishing. On Wednesday of last week Leonard Ian Lascelles, aged seven, of 221, Wrythe-lane, Carshalton, was drowned.

At the inquest, which Dr. W. J. Lord conducted with a jury, it was stated that the boy was under water about twenty minutes. The jury, returning a verdict of accidental death, recommended that notices be fixed prohibiting bathing on the south side of the pond.

Mr. Charles J. Chart, clerk to Mitcham Common Conservators, said he would convey the jury’s recommendation to the notice of the Board, which, he felt sure, would take any action possible to prevent a recurrence of such tragic deaths. The Seven Island Pond, he added, had been used as a bathing pool by children and adults since 1868, and there had been only one previous case of drowning, and that was due to cramp.

The Coroner told the jury at the beginning of the inquiry that the accident happened while the boy was bathing with other boys. Efforts to locate him were made. He was wearing a swimming costume.

Mrs. Isabella Lascelles said her son went out to play at a quarter-past two dressed in a swim suit. She did not know where he was going, but he promised to come back early. He could not swim and he had never been in water before to her knowledge. She was unaware that he was going into water then.

An eleven-years-old boy, Charles Frederick Widd, of 13, Wendling-road, Carshalton, said he and Lascelles and other boys went to the pond together and got into the water. They were walking about in it when Lascelles said “Let’s swim to that tree.” It was on an island. The water there was up to his shoulders. They waded and Lascelles suddenly went under the water and started struggling. Witness shouted and a big boy and a big girl came to their aid. The girl went after Leonard, but a boatman got him out.

Florence Rose, of 14, Shaftesbury-road, Carshalton, said she was sitting on the bank of the pond in which a lot of children were playing and were apparently diving. She did not notice Lascelles particularly. Then she saw the struggle.

Notes on Mitcham Common by H.G. Winbow

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Published in the South Warder, the newsletter of the South Ward Residents Association in August 1962.

Recently the question arose about the origin of the footpath near the Garden Village from Cranmer Bridge to Mitcham Junction. This path is on the site of the old road and when the London and Portsmouth Railway was constructed across the Common in 1863, the present Cranmer Road was realigned, owing to the sharp curve made to approach the junction of the Wimbledon/West Croydon line which was constructed in 1844.

Recently cars appeared to be using this footpath as a short cut from Willow Lane to Cranmer Bridge, and it is satisfactory to note that the Conservators agreed to the Preservation Society’s request to erect posts here.

Walking round the Common, you notice several old cart tracks, one just the other side of the bridge at Mitcham Junction led to a farm near the railway, this is now known as Aspen Gardens. Further on we come to the concrete road, which is called Drakes Road but nobody seems to know how this road got its name, except that it was the entry to the gravel pits which were worked here for many years.

A short distance from here we see another rough track across the Common, this is called Arneys Lane. At one time this went across the fields to some old cottages near the River Wandle. This track now stops at the footpath which runs along the rear of the houses; the footpath is believed to be on the site of the Surrey Iron Railway branch to Hackbridge.

Not far from here is the “Goat Inn”. Beyond here this part of the Common is called Mill Green and is maintained by Beddington and Wallington Borough Council. But opposite this inn there is another track which follows the southern boundary of the Common. This track ends at the railway, but there is a footbridge here, so one can continue the walk on to Beddington Lane Halt. This is one of the best parts of the Common, right away from any roads.

Some years ago a small area was added, so one can now walk through the avenue of trees to the footpath to Beddington Lane, a very pleasant walk in the summer. From here there is no need to follow the road to the Windmill House, but walk across the Common past the one-island pond, and across the Croydon Road to Commonside East,

Proceeding westwards, we come to the new factory of Tower Creameries, this is on the site of the old workhouse which was built about 1790 and for many years was used by the Woodite Rubber Company’s works. Sections of the first Atlantic submarine cable was supposed to have been made here.

Just near here we see two old cart tracks crossing the recently reclaimed part of the Common, these were used as the entrance to Sherwood Farm.
Crossing Manor Road we come to the rough road which runs along the Common to Commonside East; many years ago some wooden cottages stood here, which might explain how this road came into existence.

Owing to building development on the boundary of the Common, these old cart tracks present a problem. As they are all on Common land the question of keeping them in repair is a difficult point.

Further along Commonside East there is a small pond, known as “Pinnocks Pond”. Years ago opposite here there was a small cottage and market gardens, owned by a Mr. Walsh and later by a Mr. Pinnock; this explains how the pond became known by this name. The road from here across the Common to the “Blue House”, now called Cedars Avenue, was called the New Road by the old inhabitants. The end of this road, of course, brings us to the roundabout and the old wooden cottages, shown on old maps as “The Blue Houses”. It has been said that employees of the Surrey Iron Railway stabled their horses here. This could be true because these cottages are not far from the site of the old iron road.

The old “Ravensbury Arms” was the same as these cottages, the present public house was built in 1906. But a shorter walk can be made by taking the footpath from Beddington Lane over the Common and following the railway, this brings us out via the Golf Club House to Carshalton Road.

This is a nice walk, but I would not advise this way in wet weather as this part of the Common is very rough, owing to the extensive gravel digging that took place here before the Common was controlled by the Conservators. Along this path is where the new footbridge over the West Croydon line has been erected by the Golf Club and which is open to the public.