The London Forum of Amenity and Civic Societies

NEWSLETTER September 2014 Society to host two events in Bookfest’s opening week Bookfest is back with a vast the spire's apex, re-covering it and varied programme in in cedar wood shingles. A new which the Society has a note awaits their successors. dual role. MONICA ELLISON The Bookfest Literary walk in gives the details. October (tickets £7.50 with tea We have been asked to and biscuits) should not be repeat our June Literary Walk confused with the Literary Walk on Sunday, 5 October at 2.30pm. (Part 2) for Society members While on Monday, 6 October and friends on Saturday, 13 at 3.30pm, we are scheduled September. That is free and to host a double-bill at needs no booking. It starts at Cannizaro House Hotel when the Fox and Grapes in Camp Professor Richard Tait will Road at 2.15pm. give a talk and judge the The first part of the double- Richard Milward Local History bill event at Cannizaro House Prize. This will follow a short features photographer Dr Simon presentation from Simon Joseph The steeple, shown above, Joseph in conversation with and Cassandra Kent on our has a remarkable story of its Editor Cassandra Kent. Simon recent publication, the best- own to tell. In April, when will describe his close encounter selling book Wimbledon Now master steeplejack 79-year- with ‘Wimbledon’s angel' and and Then. old Peter Harknett gained other lengths to which he and Those who have been on access to the 196-foot edifice, the team had to go to produce our literary tour will know that he discovered a disintegrating the contemporary pictures in it starts in St Mary’s Church- hand-written note left by an contrast with those from long ago. yard with two tombs. As a bonus, earlier steeplejack in 1842. Following on, we present the site of one of these, that Such notes are a tradition Professor Tait and the Richard of Darwin's publisher, John within the fraternity but this Milward Local History Prize. Murray III, is an excellent spot one was not complimentary. By happy coincidence, Richard from which to view the newly According to J. Slaydot, its read Modern History at New restored church steeple. This author, the heavy iron cap on College, Oxford, as did our has become just as familiar a the spire did not fit and would own local historian, Richard local landmark as the Wind- always be loose as it had simply Milward, whose work the prize mill, thanks to the background been bought from a foundry commemorates. it provides for TV's coverage catalogue. Mr Harknett's team of the Tennis Championships. solved the problem by rebuilding Continued on Page 3 INSIDE: News 3 Local History Group 4 Local History Feature 5 Oral History 6 World War One Centenary 7 Exhibition 9 Community 10 Planning Committee 11 Around and About 12

For the latest information, go to www.wimbledonsociety.org.uk, wimbledonmuseum.org.uk or the Facebook page. EDITOR’S NOTE Wimbledon Society contacts Chairman’s President Norman Plastow Report Wimbledon Bookfest 2014 begins Chairman/Website Asif Malik on 3 October with a glittering list of events, two of them sponsored Hon Secretary Sue Lang by the Society. On Sunday, 5 October Monica Ellison and her team have been asked to guide Bookfest walkers on the Society's Literary Walk (Part 1).Then on Monday, 6 October Hon Treasurer Corinna Edge we host a double-bill at Cannizaro House - actually a ‘treble bill’ as the hour, starting at 3.30pm with Planning Chairman tea and biscuits, is divided into thirds. First, John Mays photographer Simon Joseph and Editor Cassandra Kent will discuss our best-selling book of photo- graphs, Wimbledon Now and Then. Then the Museum Chairman distinguished Professor of Journalism at Cardiff Cassandra Taylor University, Richard Tait, will talk on the important role of local history, past, present and in the digital future before judging the entries in the Local History Chairman Richard Milward Local History Prize. Charles Toase The competition has awakened interest far and wide and I hope that as many members as possible will come to this event, organised in memory of Membership/Planning Secretary Jennifer Newman our own Richard Milward and his work. The Merton Priory exhibition, held in the Norman Plastow Gallery, attracted many visitors and received Activities/Newsletter Distribution much favourable comment. Press coverage included Linda Defriez mentions in the Wimbledon Guardian, My Merton and Time & Leisure.Theexhibitionranfrom12 July to 31 August, and the additional weekday Museum Head of Operations opening on Wednesdays increased visitor numbers. Bill Hakes Curator Cyril Maidment must be congratulated on his work. See his report on Page 9. Much has happened on activities and promotions. In May, we set up our gazebos in the Piazza on the Broadway, selling our books, maps and posters. Many passers-by stopped to talk to us and we re- cruited many new members. In June, our stall at the Village Fair had a prominent position and the crowds drawn by the sunny weather enabled further recruitment of a record number of new members and plenty of sales. Information on our excursions and walks can be found in the Newsletter inserts and on our website. Of particular note is a coach trip to Royal Holloway Wimbledon Society Newsletter College in Egham on 16 October. The curator of Editor:TonyMatthews its outstanding collection of Victorian art will give a talk and we will also have a conducted tour of Editorial team: Asif Malik, Iain Simpson the exuberant buildings inspired by the Chateau de Printing: The Wimbledon Print Company, 257 Haydons Road, SW19 8TY Chambord in the Loire Valley. Contact activities organiser Linda Defriez for further details. Her own details are shown to the left. ASIF MALIK

2 NEWS Our own events for Bookfest Continued from Page 1 the growth of ‘citizen journalism’. Richard’s talk should give Professor us plenty to think about. Early Richard booking is recommended. Tait, There will be feedback on Milward essay submissions with points Prize given by Local History Group Judge. Chairman Charles Toase. Entry forms have been mailed from places as far flung as California and Lancashire. Tickets for this double-bill Richard Tait was also a £10 (includes tea & biscuits). Research Fellow of St Edmund Later at 6.30pm, historian Hall, Oxford, where he wrote a Charles Spencer is scheduled D.Phil thesis on the French to talk about his book Charles I: Wars of Religion. He later Killers of the King in the Big New book to worked as a producer and Tent on the Common. Better editor at the BBC, for whom known to some people as accompany he edited Newsnight,andat Earl Spencer, brother of the ITN, where he edited Channel late Princess Diana and Lord historic talk 4Newsbefore becoming its of the Manor of Wimbledon Editor-in-Chief. He was a until he sold the title in 1996, The Society’s Museum Press has member of the BBC Board for Charles Spencer has historic published a new booklet on six years and is Professor of family connections here dating Chester House to coincide with Journalism at Cardiff University. back to the early 18th century. our first event at Wimbledon’s Richard’s talk is likely to be Tickets for his talk cost £12.50. third oldest building in 23 years. alivelyone.Contrarytothe Tickets for all Bookfest Author Tony Matthews will view held by some history events can be obtained from be presenting illustrated talks buffs that local history is not WIMBLEDONBOOKFEST.org, on the history of Chester ‘proper history’, he believes by calling the box office on House, Westside Common, at that local history has always 020 8545 8342, or collected 2pm and 4pm on Saturday, been one of the keys to un- in person from Wimbledon 27 September. derstanding the past and that Library between 9.30am and The last Wimbledon Society modern journalism has now 1.00pm on Thursdays and event there was a talk by the learned the same lesson with Fridays until 26 September. late Richard Milward back in 1991. At that time the building How many trees can be dated back to was used by Barclays Bank as a training centre and the historic Capability Brown? grounds looked very different. Plans are already under way in national garden circles to mark This month’s presentation is the 300th anniversary of the birth of Britain’s most famous land- courtesy of the present owners scape designer, Lancelot Capability Brown (1716-1783). of Chester House, Bill and As Wimbledon Park is one of the few surviving Brown land- Elizabeth Bottriell, who have scapes in the London area, Dave Dawson, our Museum Curator transformed the building and of Natural History, is investigating how many existing trees remaining grounds as a luxury might actually date from Brown’s time. private home while also retain- Capability Brown was commissioned in the 1760s and 70s by the ing its historic integrity. 1st Earl Spencer whose son, the 2nd Earl (1758-1834), created a Copies of the new 52-page register of his estate’s trees from 1806-1826. Measuring a tree’s book with full colour illustrations girth allows its age to be estimated but Dave suspects that few will be available for sale at the of the originals can be identified with absolute confidence. talks and then at the Museum. 3 LOCAL HISTORY GROUP The Coalition government has recently been talking about Nothing new free school meals. The subject reminded some of us of Sir about free Henry Peek’s ‘penny dinners’ well over a century ago. (or cheap) Owner of the then 100-acre estate of Wimbledon House, school meals Parkside, Sir Henry (1825-1898) was heavily involved during the 1880s in the work of a wonderfully named Victorian charity, the Central Council for Promoting Self-Supporting Penny Dinners When he later sold his Wimbledon property and moved to Devon, he bought a whole village at Rousden. There he built not only a large house but also a church and Actress Ann wore a school for the village. The school was designed Wimbledon garters with a kitchen specifically to Sir Henry Peek’s privately owned The group was shown a box village helped poor schoolchildren provide pupils with the penny to enjoy dinners for just a penny. dinners. that had once contained 12 ‘Wimbledon’ garters, designed Derek Cooper’s Derek for ladies playing tennis or Cooper, hockey. ancestral dairy left. The box cover showed the in the Ridgway American actress and Broadway star Ann Pennington (1893-1971) Derek Cooper, the broad- wearing a pair of the garters caster and founder of BBC but sadly the box itself con- Radio 4’s Food Programme, tained no such garment. was a local man. Cooper, who On the cover she describes died in April, went to Raynes the garters as ‘what I have Park Grammar School and always needed and wanted’. lived first in Clement Road The Observer, revealing that Starring in the Ziegfeld Follies, and later in Courthope Road his grandfather had run Cooper’s she was an accomplished before moving to Richmond. dairy at No 30 Ridgway in the dancer, known for performing He once wrote a piece 1890s. Today that is the site the Charleston and the Black on Wimbledon Village for of the hairdresser, Headmasters. Bottom. As the picture shows her wearing a 1920s bobbed His actual name was Edwin hairstyle, we guessed the box In the June Newsletter I records at Putney Vale where probably dated from around asked if anyone knew the first he was cremated in 1960. He that period. name of Major E Walker, the died at the old Wimbledon It was yet another of so well-known riding teacher who Hospital in Copse Hill. many items bearing the name ran the Wimbledon School of In the 1940 Wimbledon ‘Wimbledon’. Among these Equitation for 40 years. directory he is listed as Captain were some 20 ships, railway Mrs Jean Watkins rang to Walker. Could he have been engines, electric clocks and say that she thought it was promoted in World War 2, even horses. Edwin. That was confirmed by perhaps in the Home Guard? CHARLES TOASE

4 LOCAL HISTORY FEATURE If you (or your parents) can remember the toys you had as a child you may not realise When toys gave way how many of them were produced at the local Lines Brothers factory. With help to real munitions from Richard Lines and David Haunton, NORMAN Tri-ang at PLASTOW recalls a long Merton was lost local landmark. anational by-word for toys - until it Situated on the Morden Road, started making just beyond South Wimbledon munitions Station where the Deer Park for real industrial estate now stands, during the the Lines Brothers factory Second World once covered 25 acres. War. Known as the Tri-ang Works, the name came from the fact that it was owned and managed by three brothers, William, Walter and Arthur Lines. Their trademark took the form of a triangle (three Lines make a triangle). Their products included tricycles, fairy cycles, pedal cars, rocking horses, dolls’ prams and dolls’ houses. On a smaller scale there were Pedigree dolls and soft toys When the war started in shells. Eleven million land mine and among their best known 1939, war work began to take cases were also made. products were their Hornby over from toy-making and by One of their most important railway sets and Meccano June 1940 only Utility Prams products was the Mark III model engineering kits. were still being made. Model Sten sub-machine gun. Lines Adjoining the main factory aircraft continued to be made Brothers had already made was another building, known but these were now small parts for the Mark I and Mark as the International Model Air- static models for the purpose II versions but these were too craft factory. Here they pro- of aircraft recognition. Millions slow to manufacture in the duced a range of static models were produced. emergency that followed the at a scale of 1:72, known as However, some large models retreat from Dunkirk. ‘Penguin’ but they also pro- were also constructed. Towed The Mark III was a simplified duced the ‘Frog’ flying model gliders with a wingspan of up version in which Walter Lines aircraft. The name Frog was to 32 feet were used for target used his engineering experience adopted because the models practice. Some of the first to reduce the number of com- would ‘fly right off the ground’. rocket propelled aircraft were ponents from 69 to 48. They Their original toy factory also built at the factory. proved to be so efficient that was based at King’s Cross in Many types of munitions an order for 500,000 was the 1870s. The one at Morden and equipment were produced. placed immediately after their Road was built in 1925-6 and The ammunition boxes for first test firing. was extended in 1934 and Hurricanes and Spitfires were Altogether 1.15 million were again in 1936. In 1931 they made there as well as Bren produced at a rate of 3000 to took over Hamley’s toy store gun magazines and millions in Regent Street. of shell cases for 20 mm cannon Continued on Page 6 5 LOCAL HISTORY FEATURE Continued from Page 5 When toys gave way 4000 per day. In South Wimble- don the sound of machine gun raid damage, no-one was hurt. One of their final war-time fire could often be heard as In the first daylight raid on projects was to make detailed samples were tested at the London in August 1940, several scale models of the Normandy Lines Brothers’ works. They bombs fell on the buildings landing beaches in preparation were not just used by our own but because they exploded on for D-Day. The factory returned troops but many were also impact, only the roof was to toy production after the war dropped into occupied countries damaged. Manufacturing con- and many new toys were intro- for use by the resistance. tinued under the protection of duced in the following decades The Lines Brothers had a hundreds of tarpaulin sheets. until it closed in 1972. good reputation for looking Later in the war much larger In case you need any after their staff, many of them bombs fell on the factory, spare parts, Meccano is still female. Over 7000 people were destroying 75,000 square feet being produced. However, it employed at the factory in of buildings but again no-one is now made in France. those years and despite some air was injured. ORAL HISTORY Seton Robert Tristram Headley his commanding officer and –alwaysknownasBobby– got the post at St George's was consultant anaesthetist Hospital where he stayed for at St George's Hospital and the rest of his career. lived in Wimbledon for more Around 1951 the family moved than 60 years. A keen member from a flat in Barons Court to of the John Evelyn (now Wimbledon. They had three Wimbledon) Society, he took children - Nigel born in 1948, astronginterestinlocal Charles in 1949 and Angela in history and also contributed 1956. They all attended local enthusiastically towards the schools, the Rowans, Rokeby Society’s activities. and Wimbledon High. In 2005 he gave an interview to Wimbledon then still had its ahospitalcolleague,extractsof huge Victorian mansions with which will shortly be added to the Bobby Headley large grounds. Their house was Museum’s oral history library at and Kings College for a medical on the corner of Cottenham www.wimbledonmuseum.org.uk. qualification and completed his Park Road and Durham Road. In it he gives colourful descriptions studies in the clinical setting There was no housing across of his experiences as a medical of St Georges Hospital, then the road, just land owned by officer during World War 2. based at Hyde Park Corner. large properties on Copse Hill. Here we introduce him as a After qualifying, his postings Cottenham Park Road still had Wimbledon resident and give just included locum general practi- averyruralfeel. atasterofhisfullstory,online. tioner in Alfriston, Sussex, and One mansion was occupied Bobby was born 29 March apositionattheWestMiddlesex by the bandleader Ted Heath. 1915 at Barnes. His father Hospital in Twickenham. His son had a smallholding was postmaster in Hammersmith He married Joan in June and the children enjoyed but moved to Eastbourne in 1939 but soon joined the scrambling among the chickens the 1920s so Bobby’s secondary Royal Army Medical Corps. In and pigs that he kept there. schooling was at Eastbourne 1942 he sailed to Egypt via More about their Wimbledon College. This provided most the Cape and served with life will be available online. of his early memories while Montgomery’s 8th Army during In 1958 Bobby and Joan growing up in a lively commu- the North Africa campaign. moved to 43 Lancaster Road. His nity featuring tea dances at the When he returned to England last home from 2006 was Vine Grand Hotel. at the end of the war he was Cottage in Lancaster Gardens. He went on to Imperial College armed with a testimonial from He died in November 2013.

6 WORLD WAR ONE CENTENARY Acenturyago,Britainentered World War One on 4 August Wimbledon went to war for 1914 following the German invasion of neutral Belgium. King and Country Wimbledon became a major Army recruiting centre. For full versions of all these stories go to the Society’s pages At that stage there was no at www.wimbledonguardian.co.uk/ compulsory call-up - simply a heritage seemingly endless line of Wimbledon’s own army reservists volunteers eager to do their bit. -the5th Battalion East Surrey A well known local resident Regiment - was below its full in retirement, Lieutenant-Colonel 800 strength on 4 August but Seton Churchill, became the asmallernumberwentthrough official Recruiting Officer for their toughest day of training the Regimental District of to date and in the early hours Kingston-on-Thames. of 5 August were quartered at Supported by Wimbledon’s Pelham School. Mayor, Alderman W. Barry, a the Common entitled The Anxious relatives besieged meeting was called and an Salutation of the Belgian Flag the school but were not allowed Army Recruiting Committee where the Duchesse presided. to see their menfolk who were formed which met weekly at a The crowd was estimated promptly sent for training in hall in the recently built at around 100,000. It heard Gloucestershire and Kent before Wimbledon Theatre. Patriotic speeches by Wimbledon’s MP sailing from Southampton on citizens flooded in to volunteer and others and an ode for the 29 October, en route for India. their services, many of whom event written especially by From there, some were later distributed literature to every Alfred Graves of Lauriston Road, transferred to Mesopotamia - house in the borough inviting father of now Iraq – to fight the Turks young men to sign up for the poet where many were killed. ‘Lord Kitchener’s Army’. Robert. Others fought the equivalent Two particularly distinguished Sales of of today’s Taliban on the Wimbledon residents launched rosettes North West Frontier. They too a support initiative to help and flags were later moved to fight the Belgian refugees who were raised Turks and won a great victory. pouring across the Channel to £547, However few of the original escape atrocities committed nearly battalion survived to come by German troops at home. half in home when the war ended. Princess Henriette, Duchesse coppers. de Vendôme (pictured right), sister of Belgium’s King Albert, Troops had had an English home at march up Belmont, Parkside, for many Wimbledon years. President of the Belgian Hill Road Relief Fund of the Red Cross past Ely’s Society, she found an eager during the ally in Richardson Evans, early days of resident of The Keir, Westside the First Common, and founder of what World War. is now our own Wimbledon Society. They set up the Wimbledon and Merton Refugee Fund and on 17 October 1914 an open air ceremony was held on

7 WORLD WAR ONE CENTENARY In August 1914 five squads of Special Constables – 282 men in all – were recruited as volunteers to help the ordinary police maintain order in Wimbledon. With street patrols both day and night, they were responsible for guarding all vulnerable locations, looking out for enemy aliens, ensuring orderly queues for food, and supporting the emergency services. They later had an important role during enemy air raids. Although, unlike World War 2, Wimbledon itself escaped the bombing, when the first Zeppelin Searchlights over Wimbledon during the Zeppelin raids that attacks on London came in caused serious damage in other areas of London not far away. 1915 there was inevitable One spectacularly successful in a similar state. Reasoning shock, with serious damage initiative to help the war’s that plenty of other women and casualties in other areas. wounded servicemen had the must have the same problem, Residents were told to remain simplest possible origin. she decided to collect as calm but schools had to keep Miss H. E. Hope-Clarke of many damaged silver thimbles their pupils locked up during Wimbledon spent a lot of time and other unwanted trinkets air raids to stop anxious parents on needlework, especially after as possible to raise £400 for taking them away and facing being temporarily disabled in an ambulance. It might take the potential danger of exploding an accident. She decided to two years, she thought. shrapnel in the streets. ‘sew for the soldiers’. One On 8 July 1915, she appealed The Special Constables were day, noticing a hole in her silver for donors in The Times and responsible for observing and thimble she found two others the Silver Thimble Fund was reporting enemy air move- born. A lady from Surbiton ments and supervising those promptly brought in a parcel of buildings used for public shelters trinkets. She was the first of whenever air raid alarms many that day and within just were heard. They were also a month the ambulance was despatched to other districts assured. suffering real destruction. From then on, more donations Some Special Constables had were received at Miss Hope- medical training and carried out Clarke’s home every day for emergency duties, particularly the rest of the war. She was during the air raids. Others soon joined by a staff of supported fire-fighters at 275 volunteers and some 60,000 fires in the Wimbledon area. thimbles were rapidly converted These included the SOS into two ambulances. Company in Durnsford Road, The Silver Thimble Fund Wimbledon High School, and became an international cause the Grain and Hay Stores and with 160 collecting centres world stables in the High Street. -wide. Enormous sums were One man won an award for collected and eventually 15 Throughout the entire war, rescuing horses from the burning ambulances were supplied as local residents raised funds in stables, another stopped bolting well as five motor hospital support of the families of horses from overturning a launches, two dental surgery servicemen as well as the vehicle transporting wounded cars, and a disinfector. soldiers. wounded men themselves. 8 EXHIBITION It is unusual for the Museum to mount an exhibition on a Magnificent Merton Priory subject outside Wimbledon parish, which ends at Merton High Street. However in 2005 we marked the bi-centenary of Merton resident Lord Nelson’s victory at Trafalgar. So we decided that this year’s 900th anniversary of Merton Priory simply had to be celebrated too this summer. CYRIL MAIDMENT, exhibition organiser, assesses reactions. The Memorial Stone from 1959 shown here is now held within the Chapter House Museum. Here are comments made in Museum’s treasures, were shown. However, within the car park, the first two weeks, some of We gave details of a famous there is now a pedestrian area, them many times repeated: ‘old boy’, St Thomas Becket, free of all vehicles at the entrance ‘Outstanding, wonderful, brilliant, and the two London Augustinian to M&S. This area exactly marks excellent, very interesting, Priories which developed into the High Altar and the Lady informative, everything is world class hospitals. We Chapel at the eastern end of comprehensively explained, sought to show what Merton the Priory Church. fascinating, these riches, a Priory might have looked like There is a strong body of great insight, great review, had it survived today like opinion that a memorial stone most timely, so well presented, many other Augustinian Priories, ought to be located here. I learned a lot, accomplished, including four cathedrals. mentioned this to Merton planned future developments We told the sad story of Council Leader Stephen very welcome, fine exhibition.’ what happened to Merton Priory, Alambritis on Friday, 18 July We were fortunate because what fate befell Nonsuch Palace, and he said: ‘Let’s do it.’ the Merton Historical Society and even that for six years it Another subject of growing had just published a booklet belonged to the man who public interest is one of the The Influence of Merton Priory owned Wimbledon’s beautiful most striking survivors of Merton as Revealed by the Merton Priory Tudor manor house. Priory. This is a 200m length Manuscripts. This book and a of perimeter wall in the north- number of storyboards covered Preserved forever - No! east corner of the 65 acres of this incredibly important aspect, the former Priory enclosure. never appreciated until now. Abenefitofsuchanexhibition Sainsbury’s has the land west We were able to tell how it is that public interest can of the wall and the National Trust all started 900 years ago, why open doors that might other- is responsible for the eastern it is a scheduled monument, wise be closed. In 1922 Colonel side. Due to neglect on both exactly where it was located, Bidder revealed the outline of sides, this wall has been badly and where the foundations still Merton Priory Church. Gilliat damaged to such an extent remain below the car park. Hatfeild, the owner of Morden that last year it was added to th Details of the two big 20 Hall, purchased the site of the the Heritage at Risk Register. century digs were covered. High Altar and gave it to the Iamhappytoreportthat Fascinating information was Council to preserve for all time. much progress has been made given about the Gate House, A small park was opened but we still have a long way to the Chapel that survived another on 25 July 1959, containing a go. It is hoped a public park 300 years, the Norman Gateway memorial stone. This is now can be constructed with access that disappeared, and miraculous in the Chapter House Museum. by way of a footbridge across discovery of a beautiful Norman But in 1986, Merton Council the river to bring this special Arch. The Merton Priory Indenture decided that the site should area back to life. A feature and a 1723 map, a replica of be buried under the Savacentre certainly needs to be made of the Museum Seal, part of the (now Sainsbury’s) car park. this majestic length of wall. 9 COMMUNITY Hall saga finally ends happily

Since the long awaited new Wimbledon Park Hall was officially opened in April, there has been no shortage of enquiries for its use. Here, IAIN SIMPSON tells the full story. architects Husband and Carpenter. on fitting out of the building. Several customers have regularly These were ultimately accepted The contribution of local hired the hall and bookings have by the council and a planning architect David Watkins has been been increasing for weekend brief went to tender in late 2004. invaluable. He oversaw the social events since the building But it took many years and project for the last five years was formally opened by former many hurdles had to be over- up to completion on behalf of Wimbledon Park councillor Lord come before construction finally WPRA Committee members and Ahmad on 26 April. He became started in 2012. other local residents who worked Parliamentary Under-Secretary of To begin with, the contract hard to raise funds for the State in the Department for signing was delayed. Then the new hall. Communities and Local Govern- financial collapse of 2007-8 Some £20,000 was collected ment in the recent reshuffle. led to banks withdrawing funds by three fairs in Wimbledon Asub-leaseonthecaféwas for development projects. Park. The funds were expected recently confirmed in principle AcomplaintagainstMerton to cover set-up expenses and and is expected to be up and Council was lodged with the cash flow in the early months running soon, completing the Local Government Ombuds- of operation. organisers’ original vision of a man by the Wimbledon Park Wimbledon Park Community new community centre for Residents Association (WPRA) . Trust, a company limited by Wimbledon Park. Arevisedplanningapplication guarantee, was formed to take The April opening From the left: Chris coincided closely with and Iain Simpson, the time of year 11 Siddiquea, Tariq and years ago when Merton Shaista Ahmad, Council decided to Shaukat and close the old Village Mukho Hussein, Hall in Arthur Road. David Watkins. Merton considered it ‘surplus to require- ments’. Certainly no- body else agreed! followed and a long search on the peppercorn rent 99- After months of negotiations for funding which eventually year lease from Merton and is with Merton’s then Council brought about a joint venture. now a registered charity. The Leader, Andrew Judge, the However, the finished product board includes representatives Wimbledon Park Residents is a great success due to the of the WPRA, the developer, Association and developer quality of contractor and the the architectural adviser and a Shaukat Hussein put together excellent cooperation of the local councillor. Full contact a business plan for a replace- council in the end. This involved details of the hall and café are ment hall. The building design smooth project management available on our website at and costs were provided by the by Merton’s Head of Projects www.wimbledonpark.com.

10 PLANNING COMMITTEE space had been acquired. At the time there was no question of a memorial but once the war was over, another fund was opened privately for the purpose. It aimed to buy a further 42 acres specifically for adedicatedMemorialGrove. Richardson Evans and his wife contributed thousands of pounds while other generous donors included the FitzGeorge estate. Donations came from both Wimbledon and Wandsworth. Acquisition of the whole site enabled the committee to Unveiling of the Village War Memorial on 5 November 1921. plan the Memorial Grove and monument. The latter is of a Action taken to protect singular design, not replicated elsewhere. our war memorials The dedication was to ‘public use in memory of all those 4 August marked the 100th Richardson Evans War who having been resident…. anniversary of the declaration Memorial in Memorial Grove, in the adjoining districts, gave of war on Germany in 1914. Kingston Vale, between Stag their lives in the Great War The Planning Committee has Lane and Beverley Brook. 1914-1918.’ The Bishop of been exploring what can be Comparatively little known, Southwark officiated at the done to improve Wimbledon’s this is somewhat difficult to dedication. The deeds and two war memorials. access. We are co-operating with documents were presented to The Village War Memorial the Commons Conservators to the Commons Conservators came first and here we already produce a pamphlet for visitors who still hold title to the whole help the council by organising and text for a plinth to be area. grass cutting and tidying up. placed near the access point. This is under licence from the This war memorial was borough. We sub-contract the dedicated on the 15 July 1925 Plan adopted work to One Man Went to as a result of work by On 9 July, Merton Council Mow, run by James Leek and Richardson Evans, founder of adopted its Sites and Policies abandofvolunteers. the John Evelyn Club, now Plan, incorporating changes The lighting has been ne- the Wimbledon Society. The made by the Inspector following glected for some time and we original idea had been the the public examination on are planning a new installation acquisition of 175 acres of which we reported in March. in co-operation with Merton’s land in the Stag Lane area to This, together with the Core Highways Department. It should preserve it and in particular Planning Strategy, a set of be completed by this month Beverley Brook, the only un- policies maps, and the South and we will hold a lighting up spoilt stream near London, London Waste Plan, completes ceremony on 11 November for from development. the borough's Local Plan. Society members and guests. The funding appeal for the These statutory plan docu- We have also asked Merton acquisition was initiated in ments will be supplemented, Leader Stephen Alambritis to 1908 by Richardson Evans in 2015 by a design document request that council officers with a committee. The record and a borough character study look at reorganising the signage of this venture and its subse- covering all areas of Merton. and road junction. This may quent history is preserved in Changes to the London Plan, take longer to bring to fruition. our Museum archives. going to public examination in The other memorial is the By 1914 most of the open September, will also be relevant. 11 AROUND AND ABOUT Vacancy for Lesson learned in an Secretary to old style classroom the Planning Committee The Planning Committee meets monthly always on Monday evenings at 7.15pm. AJulyexcursiontotheBritishSchoolsMuseum Meetings last between two at Hitchin, Hertfordshire, proved quite a lesson and three hours and are pre- for Society members. After first sitting on forms booked a year in advance. to write letters of the alphabet in sand trays, The venue is the Museum of they switched to desks to scribble copperplate sentences in pen Wimbledon at 22 Ridgway. and ink. There was plenty of scratching and spilt ink, with the Owing to other commitments worst offender obliged to sit on a stool in front of the class wearing within the Society, the current a dunce’s cap. secretary will relinquish this role in the autumn. We are therefore seeking a new Wimbledon Guardian Heritage secretary to start in October. The secretary’s duties are series reduces frequency booking the meeting room, The first year’s full set also preparing agendas, taking and The Society’s Heritage news appeared in the book Heritage circulating the minutes of the series has reached a turning Tales - 52 Stories of Wimbledon, meetings, and preparing a point in the online edition of published by Wimbledon Society report for the Executive Com- the Wimbledon Guardian. Museum Press. Copies are mittee about six times a year. Stories about Wimbledon’s available at the Museum. All The time commitment is involvement in World War One of the remaining stories up to about one full day per month, appeared every week in July, this August are now planned spread over several separate leading up to the centenary to appear next year in a follow- days. The primary skill required is of its start on 4 August 1914. up publication entitled Heritage being IT literate. The current Extracts can be read on Tales Part 2. secretary and committee Pages 7/8 of this Newsletter. members will assist the new However with the departure of secretary in taking on the role. the newspaper’s web editor, Donate surplus fruit If you are interested please Omar Oakes, on career promotion, Abundance Wimbledon is again call John Mays, Chairman of the service has now reduced collecting surplus garden fruit the Planning Committee, on to occasional appearance. for local charities including the 020 8946 2198 or email him at Written by Tony Matthews Wimbledon Guild and the [email protected]. on behalf of the Society with Homeless Drop In Centre in several contributions also by Kingston Road. Contact Join us at Stables Day Clive Whichelow, the series abundancewimble- has run to nearly 120 stories [email protected] or call Joyce The Society will have a stall at with illustrations since October on 8946 3750 or Juliet on the 18th Wimbledon Common 2011. Brief summaries of 8946 2514. Fruit Day will be Stables Open Day taking each one appeared in every 11am-2pm Sat, 20 September, place Sunday, 14 September. Newsletter up to last March. at St Mark’s Church garden.

The Wimbledon Society was founded in 1903 and has had its present name since 1982. (Originally the John Evelyn Club, it was known as the John Evelyn Society from 1949-82.) A Registered Charity (No 269478), its main objectives are to preserve Wimbledon’s amenities and natural beauty, study its history, and ascertain that urban development is sympathetic and orderly. Annual subscriptions are at the following rates: Individuals £10.00; Families £15.00; Organisations: Non-commercial £25, commercial £50. Please send membership applications to the Membership Secretary. The Museum and Bookshop (020 8296 9914), 22 Ridgway, near Lingfield Road, are open from 2.30 to 5.00pm Saturday and Sunday. Admission free. 12