Tag Archives: Ravensbury Park

River Wandle Improvement Scheme of 1959

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The following articles are from the Clapham Observer, via the British Newspaper Archive, who say that the copyright holder is unknown.

17th April 1959

14th August 1959

30th October 1959

From other newspapers:

South Western Star – Friday 12 February 1960

Search for bomb at brewery

As we went to press, a group of bomb disposal experts were still digging to find the exact location of an unexploded bomb on the banks of the River Wandle. The bomb is believed to have been dropped in 1942 when a small hole was sighted in the kitchen garden of the Ram Brewery in Wandsworth High St. A bomb disposal unit called at the time decided the bomb was comparatively harmless in the garden and left it. Now, some 18 years later, a big improvement scheme has been planned for the Wandle, and the bomb has now to be found before work can start.

Norwood News – Friday 02 February 1962

Part of river plan ready

WORK on section of the River Wandle improvement scheme which affects Merton High Street to Phipps Bridge Road, Mitcham, and the London County Council boundary to Chuters Mill, Wimbledon. bee now been substantially completed. Negotiations for the acquisition of the water rights at Chuters Mill, Wimbledon, Surrey County Council were told on Tuesday, have been completed and work on the section from Chuters Mill to Connolly’s Mill, which Is estimated will cost £55,000, is to start in the near future.

Norwood News – Friday 01 June 1962

Wandle work

Work on the second section of phase three of the Chuter’s Mill to Connolly’s Mill stretch of the River Wandle improvement scheme has started. Tenders have also been invited for the fourth and final phase of the scheme and Surrey County Council hope that work on both these sections will be nearly finished by the end of the year. They hope that all the improvement scheme will be “substantially completed” by August, 1963.

Streatham News – Friday 05 October 1962

Land for sale

Mitcham Council are to sell about 125 square yards of land in Ravensbury Park, Morden Road, to Surrey County Council in connection with the improvement scheme for the River Wandle.

Streatham News – Friday 25 January 1963

WANDLE WORK GOES AHEAD

Latest progress report on River Wandle improvement scheme is that the contract for the work comprising the second part of Phase III — Chuter’s Mill to Connolly’s Mill, Wimbledon — has now been completed. The contract for the first section of Phase IV — Phipps Bridge to Eagle Leather Works, Mitcham – is proceeding according to pro-ramme and should be completed within the next two or three months. Tenders for the work on the final length of the improvement – Eagle Leather Works to Croydon borough boundary – have been invited, while tenders have been received for the supply of the two automatically controlled sluice gates to be installed on this length of the scheme.

1962 : 250 year old find in Ravensbury Park

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From the Norwood News – Friday 5th October 1962

250-year-old Ravensbury Park find

WHILE reinforcing the banks of a backwater in Ravensbury Park, Mitcham, Mr. William Bloodforth, parks foreman, came across a large wooden pipe, which he believes is over 250 years old.

The section of the pipe which he uncovered is clamped together with six iron bands.

One theory is that the pipe, about two feet in diameter, was used to drain dye or bleach from a silk factory that might have been on the site where the rubber factory now stands, facing Morden Road.

If the pipe did carry dye it may have drained into the River Wandle about 600 yards away.

Mr. Bloodforth thinks this is unlikely as the backwater is higher than the Wandle bed.

A huge plane tree, ai least 250 years old, is growing in the path of the pipe which is only inches beneath the bed of the backwater.

“I shouldn’t think that the pipe was put there after the tree had been planted.” said Mr. Bloodforth.

It was while he was “riveting” the banks that his spade came across the wooden pine.

“I thought it was a coffin at first and was looking for the bones,” he said.

°It must have been here before the backwater. The mud, of course, has preserved it beautifully.” he went on.

The pipe may never have been discovered if Mr Bloodforth had not taken the opportunity to do the banks while the water is cut off due to the road works in Morden Road.