The SW12/SW17 Neighbourhood Network published a delightful walking trail from Balham to Tooting a few years ago. The walk takes you from Balham Station to Tooting Bec Underground.
There is an accompanying soundtrack where you can hear memories and reminiscences of life in Balham and the characters who live and work there. They include comedian Arthur Smith, local shopkeepers and local residents.
You can download the whole recording from the link below.
Explore the hidden lower reaches of the River Graveney with Tooting History Group. Starting at the Roe Bridge , we will be walking two miles to the junction of the Graveney with the Wandle. Along the way there will be occasional glimpses of the River Graveney. And some history of golf in the area, boundaries, bridges, music hall stars, a lost waterfall, sewage and an early railway line.
We will be meeting at the Roe Bridge on Mitcham Lane/Streatham Road near the junction with Rural Way on at 11am on Saturday 25th September 2021. Buses 201,127,333,57 stop nearby.
The walk will be about two miles and we should finish by 1pm. Free, no need to book.
The walk is part of the Wandle Fortnight which takes place from the 11th to the 26th September 2021. You can find more details of all the Wandle Fortnight Festival events here.
“The Common Story” makes an excellent present for any body interested in the history of Tooting.
Now in it’s second edition, The Common Story is a comprehensive history of Tooting Common. The book was published with lottery funding and Tooting History Group members played a major part in doing the archival research for the book.
The Historical Association in it’s review said: “This book traces the development, and survival, of this open area and its surrounding neighbourhood. Its remarkable escape from developers in the 1870s is a crucial turning point in its history.”
If you are interested in a copy for £10, please fill out the form below and Tooting History Group delivery elves will swing into action and deliver/post a copy to you .
Tooting Police Station and the adjacent Police Section House have been statutorily listed by Historic England, thanks to representations from Tooting History Group. The Police Station was built in 1939 to replace the older (demolished) building which used to be on Amen Corner. It has been empty since October 2020 and is scheduled for residential redevelopment.
THG Conservation officer Libby Lawson made representations to Historic England and they agreed to the Grade II listing on 4th May 2021. It is one of the landmark buildings of Tooting and local residents have widely welcomed the listing.
Libby Lawson said “Tooting History Group is delighted that Historic England has recognised the architectural value and significance of the 1939 former police station and section house. Each building’s architecture is indicative of the best Modernist, Art Deco style of that period. There is little external alteration to adversely affect their character; they remain remarkably intact and retain their visual dynamism today; bold uncompromising, still modern, graceful sculptural forms.
The building was already locally listed by Merton Borough Council which recognised its architecture and local popularity. The new owners have already expressed their appreciation of the building and a desire to retain its historic and architectural features. We await their plans for the building with interest.
The building was designed by Gilbert Mackenzie Trench, and was completed in July 1939. Trench was Surveyor & Architect to the Metropolitan Police from 1920 to 1945. He worked within the Receiver’s Office and is probably best known for his Police Box design which has become more popularly associated with the BBC TV programme Dr Who as his ‘Tardis’. “
You can read the full details of the Historic England listing here. (Did you know there are horse stables and a gymnasium in the basement?)
The Totterdown Fields Estate, Tooting was one of the earliest LCC Council Housing Estates built in London. We will be presenting a talk about the Estate (online by Zoom) on June 1st 2021 at 7.30pm. The talk is part of The Wandsworth Heritage Festival.
John Boughton, our speaker, will talk about the significance of The Totterdown Fields Estate for the development of Council housing in London.
John Boughton has written and blogged extensively about public housing. In 2018, he published a well regarded book: “Municipal Dreams The Rise And Fall of Council Housing”, which is now available in paperback.
John describes The Totterdown Fields Estate as “…the first municipal ‘garden estate’ and the forerunner of many which followed but impressive both for its design and architecture and the vision which underlay them.”
To book a place for the Zoom talk on June 1st for a donation, go to the Eventbrite page here.
You can read John Boughton’s blog “Municipal Dreams” here.
The Programme of Wandsworth Heritage Festival events is available here. Many of the events for this year’s festival relate to homes and housing.
Tooting History Group 