70 people came to our AGM on Tuesday night. After the AGM business, Graham Gower gave a very interesting talk about the Manor House of Tooting Graveney. He  shared with us some previously unseen photos of the Manor House taken shortly before it was demolished in 1896.

Janet Smith was re-elected Chair for 2018 and she gave the following report on our activities during 2017:

“2017 has been a busy and successful year for Tooting History Group.

We’ve:

• launched our own website – tootinghistory.org.uk
• taken part in the Wandsworth Heritage Festival
• contributed to the Tooting Common Heritage Project
• given talks to other local groups
• organised visits to local places of interest
• linked up with a local primary school
• kept an eagle eye on local planning applications & conservation matters

In addition, we’ve held our regular programme of talks. We’ve welcomed guest speakers on topics such as conservation techniques, local sporting venues, the history of St George’s Medical School and Ted Foster VC.

We’ve established a good relationship with the Archivist at St George’s and in October she invited us to the Medical School to see some of the unusual objects kept in the archive. It was a good opportunity for members to socialise away from our usual venue. In November, we were invited by Burntwood School to see their Grade II listed 19th century ice-house and hear about its restoration.  Both visits were free to members of the Group.

Our membership has remained steady at around 65 despite the increase to £10 in our annual subs. We also have 400+ followers on Twitter and 1400+ on Facebook. The addition of the website  to our digital presence provides a valuable focal point for all those interested in Tooting’s history. A big thank-you to Philip Bradley for not only creating it, but first going to an evening-class to learn how to do it!

I’d also like to thank other members of the committee for their continued support and the volunteer time that they give: LIbby Lawson for leading the conservation sub-group; Jane Kellock for looking after the money; Angela Cornes for administering membership and emails; Sue Cutler for organising publicity and refreshments; Andrew Cordani for handling the technology. We’re sorry to be losing Heather van Silver, who’s stepping down for personal reasons. We’re always keen to welcome new blood and new ideas so if you think you have something to offer, please don’t be shy!

There are also times when we need some extra pairs of hands for a special event, so we’ve asked you to say on your membership form whether you’d be willing to help out now and again.

Looking ahead to this year, we  will, for the first time, be holding monthly talks – we hope this will make us a firm fixture in your diaries!  A full list of talks to the end of the year is available tonight and can be viewed on our website: topics include votes for women, a reminiscence evening about the Irish Community in Tooting, the mysterious relationship between Mrs Thrale and Dr Johnson, the Tooting Common Story, and a look-back at the old cinemas of the area. We will also be welcoming Tooting-born author Beryl Kingston for a lively evening of wartime memories.

There will be more visits, including one to the Houses of Parliament at the invitation of our local MP, Rosena Allin-Khan, and more of the best researched walks in Tooting.

We hope you will agree that THG is well worth the membership fee and we look forward to welcoming you to many more of our meetings.”

Janet Smith, Chair THG

TOOTING HISTORY GROUP ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Tuesday 9 January 2018

7:30pm at the United Reformed Church, Rookstone Road SW17 (Map here)

We shall be collecting subscriptions (£10 per head per year) and electing committee members.

Plus:

Graham Gower of the Streatham Society has kindly agreed to give a talk on ‘The Tooting Manor House’.

Agenda

1. Apologies for absence

2. Minutes of AGM 2017

3. Matters arising

4. Officers’ reports:

• Chairman’s Report – Janet Smith

• Treasurer’s Report – Jane Kellock

• Conservation Officer’s Report – Libby Lawson

6. Election of committee

7. Upcoming events:

• Talks 2018

• Wandsworth Heritage Festival, 26 May – 10 June 2017

8. AOB

1. When did Tooting Broadway underground station open?

13 September 1926

2. How many passengers went through Tooting Broadway station in 2016 (nearest 100,000)?

15,920,000 48^th busiest station on the underground.

3. Where was the original workhouse for Tooting Graveney parish?

On Tooting Graveney Common, at the junction of Elmbourne Road and Dr Johnson Avenue.

4. What was the name of the old Roman Road through Tooting, now the A24?

Stane Street.

5. Which Roman town was at the Southern end of the Roman Road?

Chichester. Noviomagus Reginorum.

6. Which city was Sidney Lewis sent to train as a machine gunner when he signed up for the British Army?

Lincoln.

7. What was invented at a rock and roll concert at the Castle Pub, Tooting in 1970?

The (Status) Quo Stance.

The Castle, Tooting, 1970

RP: This was a heads’ gig: trenchcoat, pint, album under your arm, sitting on the floor. It was the first time we’d played to an audience that was sitting down, and we were thinking, Blimey, this is weird. The stage was only three inches high, but I remember the audience being down there. You had to get down to the audience – so this is how the legs apart, head down thing happened. And they were all nodding their heads, so we thought, Do the same, copy the audience – you can’t go wrong.We only looked up between numbers. And the Quo stance was born.

8. A statue of which king stands outside Tooting Broadway tube station?

Edward VII.  Erected 1911. Grade 2 listed 1983.

9. When was the Tooting Parish Church of St. Nicolas rebuilt?

1831/1833.

10. When the Tooting Granada opened in 1931, how many people could it seat?

2200

11. Which two world-class snooker players played at Zans Snooker Hall in the 1980’s?

Jimmy White and Tony Meo

“His first girlfriend, Maureen, became his much put-upon wife. Along the way she taught him to read and write, for as Jimmy reasonably remarks of Ernest Bevin Comprehensive, Tooting: “They couldn’t teach me if I wasn’t there.” He chronicles some of their epic dust-ups, usually consequent to his habit of popping out for a packet of cigarettes and returning days later. ”

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/book-review-jimmy-the-card-of-the-table-1175927.html

12. Which actor played Wolfie Smith in Citizen Smith?

Robert Lindsay.

13. Which music hall artist is commemorated in a blue plaque on Longley Road?

Harry Lauder.

14. Where was St. George’s Hospital located before it moved to Tooting?

Hyde Park Corner.

15. What is the name of the running grounds which were located just off Garratt Lane and commemorated with a green plaque this year?

Copenhagen

Our recent Christmas party had a Christmas Quiz about Tooting (and a DVD of Citizen Smith).

Out of 16 possible points, the highest score was 12. See if you can do better. Answers to be posted after Christmas.

1. When did Tooting Broadway underground station open?
2. How many passengers went through Tooting Broadway station in 2016 (nearest 100,000)?
3. Where was the original workhouse for Tooting Graveney parish?
4. What was the name of the old Roman Road through Tooting, now the A24?
5. Which Roman town was at the Southern end of the Roman Road?
6. Which town was Sidney Lewis sent to train as a machine gunner when he signed up for the British Army?
7. What was invented at a rock and roll concert at the Castle Pub, Tooting in 1970?
8. A statue of which king stands outside Tooting Broadway tube station?
9. When was the Tooting Parish Church of St. Nicolas rebuilt?
10. When the Tooting Granada opened in 1931, how many people could it seat?
11. Which two world-class snooker players played at Zans Snooker Hall in the 1980’s?
12. Which actor played Wolfie Smith in Citizen Smith?
13. Which music hall artist is commemorated in a blue plaque on Longley Road?
14. Where was St. George’s Hospital located before it moved to Tooting?
15. What is the name of the running grounds which were located just off Garratt Lane and commemorated with a green plaque this year?