Common Knowledge

1 Common Knowledge August 2011, Issue 43 Inside this issue 2. Cricket on the Common 5. Recent and Forthcoming Events; 3. Is it a Rook? Unwanted Visitors 4. Letter to the Editor 6. Update This unique view of the Common was taken with an camera lofted on high by a special kite. The photograph shows a portion of the huge crowd that attended what many reckoned was the best Kite Day ever, on 10 April. Yet again we owe a huge thanks to Bob Colover for or- ganising the event and for the many others who put in the time and effort to ensure its suc- cess. And thanks too to Dave Hollingworth for providing the photograph. 2 ground at the rear of the White Lion public Cricket on the Common house. George Williams was the licensee there between 1736 and 1758 and is said On September 11th, starting at noon, a to have been the Streatham cricket captain formal, if light-hearted, game of cricket will in 1745 and to have provided refreshments be played at the bottom of the Common to at a number of ‘grand’ cricket matches dur- celebrate the return of a cricket strip to ing that period. What is certain is that he that area after a gap of many years. Any- one interested in partaking, whether fe- was present when, on 28th July 1752, male or male, young or old, should contact Streatham played Wandsworth on Streat- Colin Hutton on 8677 9728. ham Common. Colin is the author of a new book on the On Wednesday 20th August 1800, a history of Streatham cricket and, as he re- cricket match took place on the Common cords below, Streatham Common has a long relationship with the ‘summer game’. between Streatham and Clapham for a 100 guineas wager, being the return match of an earlier game. But some more un- Streatham Common has for many centu- usual matches have also taken place on ries served as an open space for the multi- the Common in its history, including teams farious use of those living nearby. By the of one-armed versus one-legged players, turn of the 19th century it extended over married versus single men, and teams 66 acres and was described as two thirds comprising five ladies and six gentlemen. of fine turf, fed by sheep…on which neigh- Perhaps most unusually of all was a match bouring inhabitants take the recreation of pitting a man and his dog against a one- playing cricket. The upper slopes were armed man and his young son! covered with bracken and gorse etc., while livestock drank from the ponds. Although In 1856, Canterbury Diocese, as Lords of the lower slopes also had a pond and were the Manor of South Streatham gave per- frequently boggy, they were clearly the bet- mission to enclose an area of land on the ter location to play cricket thereon. lower slopes of the Common exclusively for the use of playing cricket. This area It is not known when cricket was first was called the ‘ring’ and was marked by played on the Common, but it was first metal poles chained together and pad- mentioned in the Daily Advertiser, which locked. Their temporary removal allowed noted that on Monday 26th July 1731 matches to be played. Payment for the Streatham played Clapham at home. ‘ring’ was shared equally between the teams using it – generally Streatham On Friday 9th July 1736, Streatham felt Cricket Club, founded 1805, Streatham strong enough to challenge London on a United Cricket Club, founded 1858 and Streatham Albion Cricket Club, founded 1880. The latter two teams had evolved from earlier elevens and their rivalry was intense. Streatham Cricket Club – the senior gentleman’s team - played an annual fixture against the other two combined as The Village Cricket Club until World War 1. In 1889, the Metropolitan Board of Works paid £5 to take over ownership of the Common and it was thought that the playing of cricket was being 3 scrutinised and that the statute allowing it Crows - or carrion crows to give them their might be repealed. Consequently, a peti- proper name - thrive in the London area tion signed by 753 Streatham residents and have been increasing in number in re- was presented at the subsequent proceed- cent times. There are always some on ings and the case won. At this time there the Common, a few pairs breed were over seventy cricket teams in Streat- here and groups of up to ham, comprising every aspect of commu- 40 birds can some- nity life including schools, churches, times be shops, pubs, businesses, uniform organi- seen. sations and even family teams. The young and the not so young have en- joyed playing and watching cricket on the Common since at least 1731 and it is hoped that the improved facilities now present will encourage the community to continue the tradition. Colin Hutton They are not my favourite birds for a number of reasons. Crows will eat anything, The author’s Streatham and the Summer Game; A dead or alive, and it is hard to feel friendly History of Cricket in Streatham 1731-2010 and The towards a bird that will peck the eyes of a Streatham Cricket Club can be purchased for badly injured pigeon, take nestlings or £16,25 from the Streatham Society by emailing birds’ eggs, if it can find them, and be in [email protected] and out of rubbish bins or bags. They also are ever on the lookout for birds of prey and will pester, often relentlessly, any kes- Is it a Rook? trel, sparrowhawk or owl that they notice. “Is that a rook or a crow?” I can’t tell you (It is this behaviour that sometimes draws how often I’ve been asked that question of my attention to the presence of such a the large black birds on Streatham Com- bird, for which I am begrudgingly thankful.) mon. My answer is always much the same: Crows are in general the most unloved “If it’s on the Common, it’s a crow”, al- species in the country. though more recently I’ve had to add that it might just be a jackdaw. So could that bird you saw be a jackdaw? They are plentiful in, for example, Rich- So why then do we have “The Rookery”? It mond Park and at the Beddington Landfill is presumably because some time after Site but seldom seen here. Look out for a the Well House, which used to stand near bird that is smaller than a crow, has a pale where the café now is, was rebuilt and ex- eye and has grey on the back of the head, tended in 1786, it was renamed The which is only obvious in good light. Rookery to reflect a nearby rook colony. For the sake of completion, could that An early 1900s photograph exists of a large black bird on the Common be a ra- rookery still in elm trees on the Common ven? Categorically, no! The only ravens and rookeries could still then be found you will see on the ground within very centrally in, for example, Gray’s Inn many miles of Streatham are the pinioned Square. Now one might see the very oc- birds in the Tower of London and their casional rook flying over Streatham but Ravenmaster would never let them walk all one would have to go to the ‘green belt’ to the way here! find a rookery. Peter Newmark 4 elderly women, some of whom have unfor- Letter to the Editor tunately had similar experiences to myself. Although I have only recently got a dog, which I walk regularly at the top wooded Streatham residents need to feel safe area of Streatham Common adjacent to within their parks and feel like they can let Copgate Path, I have already have had their children play freely without the risk of some very bad and shocking experiences witnessing public acts of indecency. Our in doing so and am disappointed that there open spaces are for the recreation of the is no community safety policing of this entire community and no part of them area on a daily basis. should be surrendered to the few whose illegal and indecent acts drive everyone A few weekends ago my young children else away. and I interrupted two men at 4.00 in the afternoon having sex a few metres from, Justine Spencer and in view of, the pathway. I am open- Editor’s note: it is our impression that there minded, have no issues with homosexual- has been an increased police presence on the ity and believe that consenting adults are Common in recent times and the following re- free to do what they want within their own sponse that Justine Spencer received from the homes but I do not wish and certainly do police when she sent them a longer version of not wish my children to witness such acts her letter indicates a further increase: “Just to of public indecency in a public park. reassure you that upon receiving your e-mail we have urgently met with our police col- leagues and arranged for police patrols to be More recently I was alone and saw two stepped up at that location. We have also men lurking in the bushes, one of whom tasked an additional police team we refer to as was touching himself inappropriately whilst the ASBAT team which usually deals with anti- watching me. I tried to call the police but social behaviour hotspots in Lambeth; in addi- had no phone signal within the park.

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