Issue 94 Winter 2016 MAGPIE

The newsletter of the Friends of Common Working to protect the Common and its wildlife

Editor: Darren Stillwell Website: www.friendsofmitchamcommon.com Secretary: Melanie Nunzet Twitter: https://twitter.com/MitchamCommonF Telephone: 07944 833 605 Email: [email protected]

Annual General Meeting The Friends Annual Review and Annual General Meeting took place at the Mill House Ecology Centre on Monday September 12. The Committee would like to thank everybody for attending, including several people who signed up on the night to be Friends, for which we are very grateful. The papers from the meeting will be circulated shortly, but we had a wonderful presentation from Frank Paine on the , drawing parallels with the Mill on our Common. This was followed by the business of the Windmill on the common AGM. It included the election of the existing officials; Andrew Jones’ financial particular issues with swans and geese (see report that showed the Friends having a article later on). healthy bank balance; and questions for Manager Martin Boyle. We finished with a tribute to Janet Morris, Martin gave a requested update on the our Honorary President, who is standing Mitcham Common management plan, and down after many years as head of the the plans to outsource the maintenance of Mitcham Common Preservation Society, the Common. and latterly the Friends. She has been a true inspiration to the Friends over the Many of the questions this year focussed years, and we will be very sad to see her on the wildlife on the Common, and in go!

Page 1 Magpie issue 94 Winter 2016 The Annual Inspection The Acting Chair and Secretary of near the Meadows. Keep an eye out for them the Friends of Mitcham Common over the next few weeks! took part in the annual inspection of the Common this year on Sunday 25 September. As last year, this was an enjoyable morning, learning about the Common, and was a good chance for the Friends to meet and discuss the issues of the Common with Mitcham Common Manager Martin Boyle, Conservators and the Mayors and deputies of , and Sutton. One of the highlights this year was Martin Heather near the Meadows - heather bee haven! showing us an example of the heather bee, that are now prolific in the area of heather

Wise up to the Wandle by Tina Corr and Rebecca Watts Having just celebrated World Rivers looking much cleaner with regular work days Day on 25 September, it’s time to and invasive species management and 5641 people are newly engaged with their river. reflect on our own stretch of water, the Wandleful Wandle! There’s still a lot more to come including 8 new community projects funded within the A lot has happened on and around the river original £1.9 million bid. There will be lots of since the Heritage Lottery funded Living opportunities to get involved over the next Wandle Landscape programme got underway 15 months with volunteers needed for the 3 years ago. Much has been achieved in that Mapping the Mills, Discovering the Source of time, including a book, a film and a newly the Wandle and Climate Change projects. updated website featuring images from the Our ‘Wandle Watchers’ are our wildlife eyes successful photographic competition held in and ears, spotting species and recording 2015 www.wandlevalleypark.co.uk/Projects/ them online so the health and vitality of the Living-Wandle. Access points are being river can be monitored. improved and 25 young people have been introduced to coarse fishing; the river is To date we’ve nearly 600 people volunteering or engaged in different ways and nearly 1000 organisations are being kept up to date with Wandle news through our quarterly newsletter. To get involved in one of the projects or to receive a copy of the newsletter email LivingWandle@.gov.uk or phone 07500 073 049

Page 2 Magpie issue 94 Winter 2016 “Praying for Commons”...... a story of a shiing populaon by Fr David Pennells, Vicar of the Anglican Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul, Mitcham. Has it ever occurred to you that there are So, after conversations between the two people who regularly pray for Mitcham Parishes and in consultation with the Common? And has it ever occurred to you Anglican Diocese of Southwark, the Parish who has that responsibility for Mitcham boundaries of Mitcham Parish Church and Common? The Ascension, were changed to accommodate this reality. On 1 August 2016, Well, until 1 August this year, it was the the parcel of land bounded by Commonside undivided pleasure of Fr David Pennells, the East, Windmill Road, Croydon Road and the Vicar, and the parishioners of the historic Croydon Borough boundary, was legally and Parish of Mitcham to do so. The ‘old parish’ formally transferred by a Pastoral Order of boundaries for Mitcham Parish Church (in the Bishop of Southwark from the Parish of the mid-1800’s) extended to St Peter & St Paul Mitcham to the Parish of and beyond Figge’s Marsh in the North, The Ascension, Pollards Hill. almost to Corner in the south, and included Pollards Hill Wood in the east - From my perspective it is, to some extent, and followed the , meandering sad, as not only does MPC lose those Talbot past Grove House and Wandle Villa to the Close parishioners, but also the Ecology West. Centre, the Windmill and the Harvester pub (!) from our pastoral interest and care. With the advent of suburbanisation in the However the priority has to be ‘being the last century, the old Parish gradually gave up church to the local population’, and The parcels of land – to ‘internally’ develop Ascension, by a mile or two, has the Christ Church, St Barnabas’, St Mark’s, St advantage! Olave’s and the Ascension, Pollards Hill – as populations grew and the need for worship But may I reassure you that the entire centres and more focused pastoral care Common will continue to be prayed for by developed. us at the Parish Church: flora, fauna, and visitors included and now there is the added But, happily, the main boundaries of the bonus that The Ascension parish has a parish kept the whole of the Common to stronger interest and concern for the ‘Talbot’ itself. There seemed little reason to hand area, too - so this can only be to everyone’s over any more land parcels, thus keeping a advantage! clear idea that Mitcham Common ‘belonged’ to the Parish Church (and vice versa). As we approach Harvest-time, giving thanks to God for the many gifts around us with Until recently! The change of land use that which we are blessed, our wish and prayer was previously industrial and is now for the Common and all who care for it are residential and known as Talbot Close has as positive and encouraging as ever. produced a new and changing dynamic in that area. The pastoral needs of people in Long live the Common! Long live the Parish! that parcel of land feel decidedly ‘distant’ God bless us all! from the ‘old’ Parish Church in Church Road, Mitcham – and the Church of The Ascension feels conveniently ‘just up the road’ to the burgeoning community developing there. So about a year ago, the Vicars of those two parishes decided something had to be done! Page 3 Magpie issue 94 Winter 2016 Clearing the crater plaque by Andrew Jones

On Saturday 18 June, cub scouts weeds, raking them up or piling them into from the 11th Mitcham St. Peter and the wheelbarrows and removing them to a Paul group did some voluntary work nearby oak tree. Despite gloves and long on Mitcham Common. sleeves, lots of stings and prickles were endured and our Akela was almost The World War 2 bomb site, formally permanently administering sting relief unveiled by The Friends in 2015, had cream. At the end of the session, and as become overgrown with tall grass, nettles parents began to arrive to collect the cubs, and other such weeds. The 11th Mitcham the site was not quite cleared. They cubs were tasked with clearing the site so unanimously agreed to return to the site that the site could once again be more on Tuesday evening – our normal night to easily seen. meet at the scout hut – to complete the task.

Mobilising a pack of cubs to clear a bomb site was not difficult. It is entirely possible that in one swift leap, the active By 8:30pm on Tuesday, the site was fully imaginations of 20 eight to ten-year-old cleared and once again, the demarcation boys went straight from weed clearance to between the bomb site and the rest of the finding bomb shrapnel and bits of a Common was very clear. Based on the fun Messerschmitt plane. of the task and the skill that some of the cubs showed in using the billhooks, I have no doubt there are a couple of potential assistants for the Warden in the making!

We had an excellent turn-out! Cubs were given guidance on using billhooks and under strict one-on-one adult supervision, set about levelling the site. On a rotational basis, cubs were either chopping down the

Page 4 Magpie issue 94 Winter 2016 The story of Mill House and the windmill by Melanie Nunzet In conjunction with Frank Paine’s Reformatory Institution and was known as “windmill” talk at the AGM I thought the Holt-Yates Memorial Home for Girls. it might be interesting to give a brief In 1939 evacuation of the girls was thought history of this site. advisable due to the outbreak of the Acknowledgement must be made to Second World War and the vicinity to Eric Montague for his writings on this . The vacant premises subject. I’d be interested to hear if passed into the hands of the Creameries on Commonside East where anybody else has any memories! the Meadows stands today. It was sold to In 1806 a piece of the common was Mitcham Corporation in 1950 and it was granted by the Lord of the manor of Biggin intended to use the buildings as a youth & Tamworth to a miller for the erection of centre, however for a while the house was a windmill. One of the stipulations was that divided into self-contained flats while the the miller in residence was required to ground floor remained derelict (see grind the grist of the inhabitants of below). Mitcham on two days in every week forever at a “fair and reasonable price”, i.e. The present Windmill restaurant was grind their grain into flour. The other mills opened in December 1994 after were quite far away and seem to have been renovation of what remained of the original Mill House and removal of various under contract to the Surrey Iron Railway outbuildings and in 1995 the Ecology which meant their charges were too high Centre was opened. There was an for local farmers. obligation to preserve the pre-1900 The mill was not in use for very long as it structure of the house. The remaining base was struck by lightning during a violent of the windmill, which has been partly thunderstorm in the 1860’s (or 1878?). A restored and now has a descriptive plaque, family of millers and bakers, the Watsons, provides an interesting feature on the lived in the little white miller’s cottage Common although it no longer dominates from 1861. This family and their the landscape as it once would have done. descendants remained there until the 1930s. It was enlarged over the years and Here is the memory of a Friend who says the following: It was divided into three flats when it became Mill House in 1890 it on the first and second floors, the ground floor occupied considerably more than the area for which enclosure was originally was a disused factory where we would play sanctioned. In1892 the Mitcham Common sometimes, the factory had re-located to the Conservators commissioned Robert M other end of Windmill Road on Commonside East, we knew it as the “margarine factory” Chart, a local surveyor, to prepare a plan of where my friend’s father worked, he would “Mill House” and its grounds, to ensure often give us bags of sweet “cigarettes” which that the boundaries remained unaltered and this is indeed the case to the present were also from the factory. The “Old day. Mitchamians” rugby club used it as a club house and changing room until it was In 1936 the property was sold to the destroyed by a fire in the early sixties. Female Preventive and

Page 5 Magpie issue 94 Winter 2016 Report for the Wandle Valley Forum on Wandle Fortnight walks on Saturday 17 September by Melanie Nunzet

Four walk leader volunteers from the refreshments at the Watermill Café, Sutton & Wandle Valley Ramblers led Merton Abbey Mills, they were able to view four walks through four boroughs - the Chapter House, Merton Priory, under the big Sainsbury’s/M&S at Colliers Wood, the event was a great success and while waiting for the second group of enjoyed by all. walkers to join them. So this could be seen They were sustained by 100 “Wandle as a reward for their early rising! cakes” provided by the Village Bakers in At 11 am I met a large group outside and paid for with a grant from Colliers Wood station, and we were the Heritage Lottery Fund. At every pleased to welcome Mayor Brenda Fraser refreshment stop these cakes appeared and and consort, Lloyd Fraser. Twenty four of us were consumed with relish. then continued along the Wandle Trail The day began at Earlsfield Station and a towards Mitcham, visiting Merton Abbey 9.30 am start meant that just eight walkers Mills, Hall Park and Ravensbury turned up for the first leg with Joan. They Park along the way. After a walk through visited Wandle Meadow Nature Park and the National Trust Watermeads we joined the bridge which for so many years was some football fans for refreshments at the known as the “Bridge to Nowhere” until it Tooting & Mitcham Café Bar (part of the finally got joined up. After their

The ramblers!

Page 6 Magpie issue 94 Winter 2016 KNK football stadium) and yes, more we came through to our third cakes! When we asked how much we owed refreshment stop at Village Perk in for coffee and tea we were pleasantly Carshalton. Samantha and her staff gave us surprised when we were told it was all excellent service and there was still more free! Melanie then decided to ask for cake! donations to St Raphaels’ Hospice and The last part of the walk was led by Steve £26.46 was raised. This amount will go who told fourteen of us all about the towards the funds which are regularly Carew family and their dealings with the collected by the Friday Beddington Park Tudors when we were walking through health walkers and donated to this Beddington Park. We visited Ponds worthwhile charity. So a big thank you for and ended up at the Mum’s the Chef Café their generosity. We think the football fans in Wandle Park, where yet more were probably quite glad when we got out refreshments were consumed and the last of their way! cakes. After that it was only a short hop via the, Overall, it was a very enjoyable day. I was not so beautiful, Willow Lane Industrial very pleased that the timings all worked Estate to the third meeting place, Mitcham out as it was quite difficult to estimate how Junction station. There, we discovered that long refreshments would take and of one Wandsworth walker had missed the course how slowly or fast people would second leg of the walks but she had taken want to walk. the opportunity to visit and the Canons which were There were many Ramblers who unknown to her so she was quite happy participated but also several people who about that. found out about the walks via social media and who really enjoyed getting to know Frank then led sixteen walkers over new territories. So thank you to the Mitcham Common and along part of the Wandle Valley Forum and the Living path. We came out Wandle Landscape Partnership for helping at , the “sustainable suburb” and to promote the beauty that the Wandle has rejoined the Wandle Trail. After an to offer and the social and health benefits interesting diversion to Wilderness Island of getting out and about in the fresh air!

Swans on the Common There have been reports recently of If you do see anything suspicious going on, swans possibly being taken from the or see a swan in distress, please notify the Common. Swan Sanctuary or the Police immediately. The Swan Sanctuary's telephone number is The Swan Sanctuary have been 01932 240790, or you can call 999 if a investigating, and have been keeping crime is being committed, or 101 for the Mitcham Common Manager Martin Boyle Safer Neighbourhoods Team. in the loop. The Friends will further work with Martin and the Conservators to find some solutions to these issues. Page 7 Magpie issue 94 Winter 2016 Fire on the Common! by Darren Stillwell And talking of fires, on 23 July, there The Wimbledon Guardian article is was a large fire on the Common near available to read here: http://tinyurl.com/ Bidders Pond. zole4ec. What is extraordinary though, is how quickly the foliage recovers after the This was reported in the Wimbledon fire, and in particular the horseradish, that Guardian as being the size of 8 to 10 came up on the burnt areas very shortly football pitches in size, and probably caused afterwards. by a discarded cigarette, no doubt helped by the relatively dry weather we had at the time, and the recently cut grass.

Firefighters tackling the fire on the Common Horseradish growing quickly

The Mitcham Common Conservators meeting The next Mitcham Common available (for the March 2016 meeting) are Conservators meeting will be held available at http://mitchamcommon.org/wp- on Wednesday 28 September 2016 at content/uploads/MCC-Minutes-9.03.16.pdf the Mill House Ecology Centre. The Friends have a standing agenda item to feedback any issues. To see the issues that The first part of the meeting is open to the Friends raise at these meetings you can public and we encourage Friends to attend visit the news section of our website at to understand how the Conservators https://friendsofmitchamcommon.com/ work, and the basis upon which they make newsandevemts/ their decisions. The latest set of minutes

Please email [email protected] if you’d like to subscribe to the Magpie newsletter and support the Friends in their valuable work protecting and promoting the Common. A year’s subscription costs £2.50 and five years just £10. You will receive a free copy of the publication: Mitcham Common: A Short History (by Janet Morris) and several newsletters every year.

Please send payment to: Membership Secretary, Melanie Nunzet, 24 Walsingham Road, Mitcham CR4 4LN. Cheques should be made payable to Friends of Mitcham Common. BACS: Barclays, 20-57-76 33109585 Please put your name as the reference.

Page 8 Magpie issue 94 Winter 2016 Calling all teachers! by David Gill This year the Wandle Trust is offering There is no cost to the schools (courtesy all schools in Mitcham a chance to of the Heritage Lottery Fund). The take place in a unique educational programme includes a whole school programme aimed at raising assembly and/or class presentation. awareness about their nearest river – The programme has been designed around the River Wandle. the demands of the National Curriculum Project Kingfisher takes two forms: and can cover aspects of science (around habitats and food chains), geography (map 1. ‘Creatures in the Classroom’ – inviting work and using a compass), history (local schools to look after creatures that live industry) and art. in the Wandle for a set time before they are returned to the river. Last year this included plants, shrimps, tadpoles and sticklebacks (taking place in Spring term 2017)

2. ‘Window on the Wandle’ – inviting schools to bring the children to the river to ‘experience’ the river first hand Last year David visited Garfield Primary where they complete activities and School and St Marks Primary School as well games associated with the river (taking as over 20 other schools in the Wandle place in Summer term 2017). area.

Please note all activities take place To find out more please have a look at the around the river and not in it! Wandle Education Trust website: .

If you are interested in taking part in Project Kingfisher then do email David at [email protected] and he will get back to you. You are under no obligation to take part until you have spoken with David.

He looks forward to hearing from you!

David Gill Education Officer Wandle Trust Part of the South East Rivers Trust c/o 24 Denmark Road A shrimp tank drawn by a Year 1 student Carshalton SM5 2JG

Page 9 Magpie issue 94 Winter 2016 Melanie’s walks and events: autumn/winter 2016

Date Meeting Description place/time Sat 8 Oct Mitcham Mitcham Common – Visit the ponds and hills of Mitcham Common. Junction 3-4miles, easy, circular. 2.00 pm

Sun 13 Nov Mitcham Remembrance Day walk around Mitcham and Mitcham Common with Junction parade to finish. Lunch/drink option. 2-3 miles, easy, linear (finish Mitcham 9.30 am Town Centre).

Sat 17 Dec Mitcham Christmas Party, Ecology Centre, Mitcham Common 2-4 pm Junction 12.30 pm Preceded by a walk around Mitcham Common. 3-4 miles, easy, linear

Sun 29 Jan Mitcham Wandle Walk along the Wandle Trail via Hackbridge and Carshalton, to Junction include a visit to Wilderness Island. We return to Mitcham Junction via 10.30 am Beddington Park and Beddington Farmlands with a stop at the café for refreshments. 5-6 miles, easy, circular.

Sun 19 Feb Mitcham Mitcham Common walk. 3-4 miles, easy, circular. Junction 11.00 am For all walks starting at Mitcham Junction meet at bus stop on the bridge. Health Walks

Sutton Healthy Walks - Come and join us for a free and friendly hour’s walk around Beddington Park or Waddon Ponds every Friday morning at 10 am. Meet by St Mary’s Church, Church Road, Wallington SM6 7NJ (Buses: 407 from Sutton, 463 from Mitcham). Refreshments available at church after walk. Voluntary contribution to church funds. Tour of church possible. Half hour option available. Merton Health Walk – Around Mitcham Common every Thursday. Meet at 11 am . Refreshments afterwards at Mitcham Golf Club. For other health walks in Merton please visit www.merton.gov.uk/walk4life. Two short reports about the orphan girls of Carew Manor (Royal Female Orphanage Asylum at Beddington) and an event to mark the installation of a plaque at the former Tower Creameries on Mitcham Common are available for a small donation to St Raphaels’ Hospice. Jigsaw puzzle challenge. Rose Garden - Beddington Park 2011. See me for more details! Please note that several of the above walks are also on the Sutton & Wandle Valley Ramblers’ programme but all are welcome. To be added to the mailing list please email me on [email protected]. Please note the second letter is an ‘l’, not ‘i’. Any other queries please call 07944 833605. Thank you and happy walking!

Page 10 Magpie issue 94 Winter 2016