The London Forum of Amenity and Civic Societies NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2016 Chairman/News Planning Matters Local History Obituaries Environment p10 Society Notices p2-3 pages 4-5 pages 6-7 pages 8-9 Away Day p11 page 12 Beyond the boundaries JOHN MAYS explains why the you go, if you say you are from logic and contradicts the three proposals to change the Wimbledon Wimbledon, people know where criteria previously mentioned. It is parliamentary constituency you come from and have often unsatisfactory for both Mitcham boundary are bad for this locality been here themselves. One would and Wimbledon. and the neighbouring areas have expected, therefore, that all The BCE is holding hearings the parts of this locality would be throughout the country and the THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION within a single constituency, but Society was represented at one ENGLAND (BCE) recently that is not the case. The current in Kingston when these concerns published proposals for redrawing proposals separate the town centre were put before the panel. But it constituency boundaries in England. from the demonstrably Wimbledon is not suffi cient to be critical, we The objective appears to be two- sections like the Common, also have to present alternatives, fold: fi rstly, to reduce the total Wimbledon Village, the All England and the approach we adopted was number of MPs, which in London Club, Wimbledon Park and West that the following wards should be will mean that the current 73 Wimbledon. included in the new constituency: parliamentary seats will be reduced That is not what one would Abbey, Cannon Hill, Dundonald, to 68, and in south-west London expect. The proposals instead link Hillside, Merton Park, Raynes the current 28 will come down to parts of Mitcham to Wimbledon Park, Trinity, Village, West Barnes, 26; secondly the number of voters town centre which defi es all Wimbledon Park. (contd on p3) in each constituency is to be more equal – approximately 75,000 plus Windmill or minus 5%. In Wimbledon the sails again current electorate is some 64,000, Fifteen months after a substantially below the target fi gure. sail fell of , one of the The BCE’s proposals are area’s most notable supposed to be guided by various landmarks returned criteria such as local ties, special to its former glory. The geographical considerations and restoration of the sails in local government boundaries. November by millwright The commission appears to contractor Owlsworth have used the existing ward was made possible by boundaries in allocating voters to Lottery funding secured jointly by the Windmill constituencies. Museum and the Wimbledon is a famous name Commons Conservators. throughout the world – wherever For the latest information, go to www.wimbledonsociety.org.uk, www.wimbledonmuseum.org.uk or the Facebook page. n EDITOR’S NOTE n Wimbledon Society contacts President Norman Plastow Chairman’s Chairman John Mays report IT IS CUSTOMARY for your Chairman to Hon Secretary Sue Lang issue a statement for each edition of the Newsletter. In fact this one is going to be rather brief, not because of lack of subject Hon Treasurer Corinna Edge matter but because most of the important issues are covered elsewhere in this Newsletter. Planning Committee Secretary Crossrail 2, the Boundary Commission’s David Merritt Proposals, the Away Day as well as [email protected] items on the Museum and the Planning Museum Chairman Committee are in various articles and it Cassandra Taylor remains therefore for me to cover two subjects. Local History Chairman The fi rst is the alterations needed from Charles Toase you as the members to your payments for subscriptions to the Society. I would be Membership Secretary most grateful if those who have not yet Jennifer Newman sent their details to Jennifer Newman (our Membership Secretary) would do so as soon as possible. If you need any further Activities/Newsletter Distribution information please contact Jennifer Linda Defriez – the best way to do so is by email at [email protected] The second is to wish everyone the Website Asif Malik compliments of the coming season. On behalf of the board I do wish everyone a happy and joyous time and a splendid New Year. Wimbledon Society Newsletter JOHN MAYS Editorial team Charity number 1164261 number Charity e Wimbledon Society – a registered charity registered a – Society Wimbledon e John Stern T www.wimbledonmuseum.org.uk Open Saturday and Sunday 2.30-5.00pm Sunday and Saturday Open Image courtesy of Merton Memories Merton of courtesy Image 22 Ridgway, London SW19 4QN SW19 London Ridgway, 22 Nigel Davies 1164261 number Charity Museum of Wimbledon of Museum e Wimbledon Society – a registered charity registered a – Society Wimbledon e Society ChristmasT Cards – ts will go to maintaining the Museum of Wimbledon of Museum the maintaining to go will ts f pro Any www.wimbledonmuseum.org.uk Monica Ellison, Asif Malik, John Mays, Iain Simpson 2.30-5.00pm Sunday and Saturday Open Wimbledon 22 Ridgway, London SW19 4QN SW19 London Ridgway, 22 St Mary’s Church, Mary’s St a pack ofWimbledon of 10Museum for £4 ts will go to maintaining the Museum of Wimbledon of Museum the maintaining to go will ts f Letters to the editor pro Any Centenary year 2016 year Centenary e Museum of Wimbledon of Museum e Write to John Stern c/o The Museum of Available from the MuseumT shop and the Cards Wimbledon, 22 Ridgway, SW19 4QN for Good Causes stand at St Mark’s Church Printing: The Wimbledon Print Company, 257 Haydons Road, SW19 8TY Merry CChristmas & HHappy NNew YYear Follow us on Facebook and Twitter www.facebook.com/TheWimbledonSociety @wimsoc 2016 Christmas Card 2.indd 1 07/08/2016 18:51 2016 Christmas Card 1.indd 1 07/08/2016 18:50 2 n BOUNDARIES n Boundaries (from p1) Events and Talks This represents the Putney The Milward Essay essential Wimbledon, but because the number Award of electors is only BY THE TIME you read this the approximately 64,000 it Richard Milward Essay Award 2016 Wimbledon would be necessary to Park will have been presented. Wimbledon add additional wards and Common Every essay in this year’s local we suggested two of the history competition produced Wimbledon Colliers following: Lower Morden, Wood interesting points. Every point South Colliers Wood, St Helier. Wimbledon counts and, as we all know, Raynes Morden Each of these has just Park points mean prizes – in this case under 7,000 voters which on Thursday 1 December in The would bring the new Lounge, Emmanuel Church, constituency up to the Ridgway. critical mass required and The good news was that most including two of them it Redraw the map: the existing Putney, Wimbledon of the work was with us on time. would bring the number and Mitcham and Morden constituencies, shaded The bad news was that three of voters to the median blue, and the proposed boundaries in purple competitors were obliged to pull point. out of the competition at a late Mitcham is also an identifi able There is one other aspect. stage for a variety of reasons. local centre and should have its Many residents of Wimbledon The most compelling of these own identity quite independent of pay a levy to the Wimbledon was an accident on Wimbledon Wimbledon. Based on this scenario and Putney Conservators. If the Common, resulting in a broken hip it would have the eight remaining BCE’s proposals were adopted it and hospitalisation in St George’s, Merton wards with about 57,000 would damage the link between Tooting. We wish our unfortunate electors and require the addition the levy payers and the Common. essayist an excellent recovery and of perhaps three wards from An instance perhaps of taxation hope her interesting research will adjoining boroughs. without representation. survive the trauma, so that the work The BCE’s proposals, if The BCE’s consultation extends to is not lost but can be completed at implemented, would not only be 5 December 2016. All those who feel a later date. Our other ‘refuseniks’ at odds with the stated criteria but the proposals are inappropriate and have not thrown in the towel, but would require the local council damaging should make their own hope to complete their work for the (Merton) to deal with fi ve Members representations. It is undoubtedly award in 2018. of Parliament rather than the true that demonstrable public The topics presented for current two. Clearly this would disapproval and anger will have an consideration this year were make local government even more effect. The Society will be putting its eclectic and ranged from 18th- complicated and unwieldy than views in writing but we would urge century Wimbledon estates to at present. In the scenario set out members to do likewise. 19th-century Wimbledon Village here the two MP structure would be Wimbledon and Mitcham both shops. Two entries had a French retained, which would clearly be a have their own clear sense of f avour and although the subjects great advantage. community and identity. Splitting have little in common, in these them up is wrong. Particularly days of ‘Brexit’ both works provided when the stated objectives can be a pleasing, informative reminder attained without doing so. of the entente cordiale and sense of savoir faire that f ourished in GET INVOLVED If you wish to past times; while the lives of two comment on the proposals, go to remarkable women are also re- the website www.bce2018.org.uk, examined to assess their place in enter your postcode, then click on the annals of Wimbledon. the ‘Have your say’ button. MONICA ELLISON 3 n PLANNING MATTERS n On track or of the rails? CR2 rumbles on CROSSRAIL 2 has been a continuing words, a proper fully-informed round will be put off until March preoccupation for the Planning choice.