Category Archives: Our Next Meeting Details

Tooting Bec Asylum Remembered-

by Philip Bradley

Plaque Unveiling And Book Launch

Saturday 27th September 2025

Tooting History Group members and residents of the Heritage Park Estate in Tooting have been researching the history of Tooting Bec Asylum/Hospital for the last eighteen months. Wandsworth Council have now agreed to erect a Green Plaque at the Estate to remember the hospital and it’s residents and staff. And Tooting History Group is publishing a book to record the history of the hospital to coincide with the unveiling,

The Green Plaque will be unveiled at 2pm on Saturday 27th September 2025. Part of the original wall to the Asylum is still there, by the pedestrian entrance to the Heritage Park Estate at the corner of Tooting Bec Road and Franciscan Road.

The book “Tooting Bec Asylum Remembered 1903-1995” by Karen Ellis-Rees and Annie Caulfield will be launched on the same day at the Pavilion, Tooting Bec Lido, Tooting Bec Road, SW16 1RU. We will be at the Pavilion (rear of Lido car park) from 3pm. (249/319 bus)

You will be able to buy a copy of the book for £5.

What was Tooting’s Bottomless Pit? Is Tooting Graveney A “Watery Place”? Why is W.E.Morden Important In Tooting’s History?

by Philip Bradley

At our monthly meeting on Tuesday 9th September you will hear THG members Geraldine Kelly, Karen Ellis-Rees and Philip Bradley give short talks and tidy up the answers to these questions.

There will also be a display of recently acquired black and white photos of Tooting taken in the
1950s and 60s by Ronald Kipps.

The meeting is on Tuesday 9th September at 7.30pm in the United Reformed Church, Rookstone Road,SW179NQ.
(Tooting Broadway Tube)

South London’s Greatest Show-Place: The Tooting Granada

by Philip Bradley

The Tooting Granada (“Buzz Bingo”) is the only Grade 1 listed building in Tooting and the only Grade 1 listed Cinema in the UK. Richard Gray is a historian of Cinema architecture and will be telling us about “South London’s Greatest Showplace” through it’s history, architecture and entertainment. We will be showing clips of early films shown at The Granada. He will also speak about some of the other seven cinemas of Tooting and their demise.

Richard is the author of “Cinemas in Britain-A History of Cinema Architecture”

The talk is on Tuesday 8th July at 7.30pm at the United Reformed Church, Rookstone Road, SW179NQ

Tooting Shop Talk 2

by Philip Bradley

We had a very successful and well attended meeting on Tuesday 11th February about “Tooting Shops Past And Present”. At our March meeting we will be talking Tooting Shops again. We want you to bring along your pictures, objects, adverts and memories associated with Tooting’s shops, particularly from the 1960s onwards. We will also be hearing a bit more about the early 19th Century history of Tooting’s shops and preparing a map of the shops of Tooting.

There is a lot of enthusiasm for the “Tooting Historic Shops Trail” we are proposing. We are aiming to display boards in about 20 Tooting Shops with information and images of the previous shops on the site. To take the project forward, we need volunteers:

  • To approach shopkeepers in Upper Tooting Road/Tooting High Street/Mitcham Road/Tooting Bec Road areas to see whether they would display an A2 board;
  • To research the history of Tooting’s shops;
  • To help prepare artwork for the trail.

If you put yourself forward to do these roles, we will run briefing sessions to give you an idea of what we are looking to do.

Our March meeting is on Tuesday 11th March at 7.30pm at the United Reformed Church, Rookstone Road, SW179NQ.

We are also planning a trip for members to the AFC Wimbledon  Stadium in Plough Lane to view their heritage collection. Keep Tuesday 29th April 11-12.30 free if you are interested in going on the tour. You will be able to book a place at the March meeting.

We look forward to seeing you at our March meeting.

Tooting Shops Past And Present

by Philip Bradley

Shops have come and gone from Tooting regularly over the years. Which ones have survived? When did the first coffee shop appear? How should we remember the historic shops of Tooting?

Come and hear Philip Bradley talk about some of the shops of Tooting past at our next monthly meeting on Tuesday 11th February at 7.30pm. We meet at the United Reformed Church, Rookstone Road, SW179NQ.

Everybody is welcome. Members free, guests £2. Light refreshments provided.