Poster For November 2018 Meeting

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is responsible for millions of graves and memorials all over the world. When was it established? How is it funded? Come to our next meeting on Tuesday 13th November at 7.30pm to hear Fiona Smith from the CWGC talk about it’s work. Did you know that as well as finding the records of military casualties, you can look at the records of 69,000 civilian war dead on the CWGC website here.

Details of our meeting venue and how to get there are here.

We will also be selling our exclusive Tooting History Group Christmas card, which is hot off the press.

How many cinemas did there use to be in Tooting? Which Tooting Cinema is Grade 1 listed, the only cinema in Britain to be rated this highly? Come and hear about the heyday of cinemas in Tooting from Richard Gray of the Cinema Theatre Association at our October monthly meeting. The talk is on Tuesday October 9th at 7.30pm at The United Reform Church, Rookstone Road, SW17. You can find more information about the Cinema Theatre Association here.

Flyer For October 2018 Meeting

Details of our September 2018 Meeting

Our next meeting is on Tuesday 11th September. Starting at 7.30, there will be a presentation by Tooting Neighbourhood Forum and two members talks on Crime on Tooting Common and Little Holland House. Members and non-members are welcome. We will be at our usual venue-details here.

Thanks to Peter Ramell from Friends Of Tooting Common for providing the quiz last Monday. Here are the answers.

Answers

Q1.  When was the cafe built?   (1.   1918       2.      1878       3.      1898)

Answer is  3 – 1898

Q2. How many Tooting Commons are there?   (1.    One    2.    Two   3.    Three)

Answer is  2 – Two   [They are Tooting Bec Common and Tooting Graveney Common]

Q3. There is a pond on Tooting Common where Elmbourne Road meets Tooting Bec Rd. What is it known as?   (1. The Ecology Pond.  2. The Old Yachting Pond.   3. Both)

Answer is  3 – Both

Q4.  What was the annual rent paid to run the cafe for the first three years after its opening?

(1.     £25      2.     £15         3.    £125)

Answer is 1  – £25

Q5. The Friends of Tooting Common do bat walks on the Common in summer and have heard lots of bats hunting insects. Which bats have we heard? Circle all those you think are right

(1. Pipistrelle.     2. Daubenton.    3.  Soprano pipistrelle)

Answer is all three

Q6.   When the cafe opened, how much (in “old ” money) would a tea, lemonade and two hot chocolates (all together) have cost?  (1.  2 old pennies (d)    2. 8 old pennies (d) 3.  4 old pennies)

Answer is 3 – 4 old pennies (d) 

Q7. Dr Johnson’s Avenue is named after Dr Johnson, who crossed the Common to visit friends. How did he travel?    (1. Horse & cart.     2. Riding on a bike      3.  Riding on a horse)

Answer is 3 – riding on a horse

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Q8. There is a fossil tree on the Common, near the “main” pond. Who put it there?

(1. The Victorians    2.  The Romans     3. The Edwardians)

Answer is 1 – The Victorians

Q9.   What long distance path runs across the Common, crossing Bedford Hill at the path just north of the cafe, and running towards the Lido car park?

(1.   London Loop    2.   North Downs Way    3.   Capital Ring)

Answer is  3 – Capital Ring

Q10.  What is the architectural structure of the cafe usually known as?

(1.   Half-boarded     2.   Half-timbered     3.   Square-framed)

Answer is 2 – Half-timbered

Poster For July 2018 Meeting

Dr Samuel Johnson was a regular visitor to the Streatham Park Estate next to Tooting Bec Common where he met with Mrs. Hester Thrale and her circle. He had his own room set aside and would drink up to 23 cups of tea a day. But what did they talk about? Come to our July meeting and find out.

Dr Cassie Ulph from Bishop Grosseteste University, Lincoln, will be talking about “Mrs Thrale and Dr Johnson: The Strange Story of the Mistress of Streatham Park and  man-of-letters Dr Johnson” at our next meeting on July 10th at 7.30pm. Venue details here.

30 people joined Tooting History Group members on a walk around Tooting Common as part of the Wandsworth Heritage Festival last Saturday. We highlighted the recently restored fountain, Second World War events, the Lido and fossilised Tree, and Dr Samuel Johnson’s connections with the Common amongst other points of interest.

Janet Smith,our Chair, relating the history of the refreshment hut on Tooting Bec Common, June 9 2018. Photo Andrew Cordani

Philip Bradley tells a tale of how a crowd ripped up the fencing put up by the Lord of the Manor of Tooting Graveney. THG Walk on 9 June 2018. Photo Andrew Cordani.

Cynthia Pullin tells the story of how the newly restored fountain came to be on the Common. THG Walk 9 June 2018. Photo Andrew Cordani.

Paul Gander tells how the Second World War impacted on Tooting Commons with both rockets descending and ascending. THG Walk 9 June 2018. Photo Andrew Cordani.