A historical year ahead in Earlsfield

The local history dynamo that is Geoff and the Summerstown 182 project is setting up for another busy year ahead. Below are some key dates for your diaries, and keep an eye on their website https://summerstown182.wordpress.com/ for the latest. You can also follow the project on Twitter @summerstown182.

Geoff says: "We are open to any other ideas or suggestions. If you would like to play a part in this project, please come along to our next meeting on 17th January in St Mary's Church Hall."

**Now Tuesday 4th April 7.30pm

Friends of Summerstown182 Meeting Oral History Workshop

St Mary's Church Hall (entry from Keble Street) SW17

Learn how to capture stories using camera and sound at this oral history workshop. More details coming soon to FOS182 about our planned trips to The London Metropolitan Archives and The Imperial War Museum.

Saturday 28th January 2pm
Summerstown182 Winter Guided Walk, Earlsfield

Starts 2pm at St Mary's Church, Wimbledon Road, SW17
A delightful winter amble through the industrial heartland of the Summerstown182 passing locations where many of them once lived. Also featuring the Corruganza Strike, Wimbledon Stadium, the Lost Streets of Earlsfield, Coppermill Lane and Garratt Mills.

**NEW Thursday 23rd February 6.15pm
Bringing a Wandsworth war memorial to life, Tara Arts, Earlsfield
Learn more about the experiences of Jamaican soldiers in the First World War, to coincide with the production of 'Chigger Foot Boys.' Tickets for the talk are £3 and they have a beautiful refurbished venue but space is limited so you will need to book!

 

**Now Saturday 25th February 2pm

Summerstown182 'Waterloo Sunset' Walk, Lambeth

Starts 2pm outside St John's Church, 73 Waterloo Road, Lambeth, SE1 (off Waterloo Bridge roundabout close to IMAX cinema)
In a unique diversion from our usual orbit, we use Charles Booth's maps to track the movements of the family of one of the Summerstown182 in the Lambeth area, 100 years ago. A fascinating insight into the much-changed area between Waterloo Station and The Elephant and Castle.

Saturday 11th March 2pm
'Women of Summerstown' Guided Walk, Tooting/Earlsfield Celebrating Women's History Month

Starts 2pm at St Mary's Church, Wimbledon Road, SW17

This very special walk will celebrate the stories of the mothers, wives, girlfriends, sisters and daughters of the Summerstown182 and examine the effects of the war on the home front.

Monday 13th March 2pm DETAILS TO BE CONFIRMED

Tribute to 'Forgotten Soldier' William Mace
Streatham Cemetery, Garratt Lane, SW17

13th March is the centenary of the death of an underage soldier from Tooting who served for 18 months with the South Wales Borderers. He became sick and was discharged from the army, died of TB and is buried in an unmarked grave. There is no formal recognition of his service. We will be holding a short simple ceremony that day to remember him.

Tuesday 4th April 730pm

Friends of Summerstown182 Meeting MORE DETAILS TO BE CONFIRMED

St Mary's Church Hall, (entry from Keble Street), SW17

Saturday 22nd April 2pm
Guided Walk in celebration of Corporal Edward Foster V.C. 

'Tiny Ted's Tooting - The Dustman V.C.'Starts, 2pm St Mary's Church, Wimbledon Road, SW17

Corporal Edward Foster from Fountain Road won the Victoria Cross 100 years ago this spring at Villers-Plouich. This walk remembers his bravery and covers significant locations in the area where he worked and lived. We will also visit his grave in Streatham Cemetery.

Friday 28th April 8pm
Wandsworth Historical Society Talk

'The First World War memorial in Summerstown and its 182 stories'

Starts 8pm, Friends Meeting House, Wandsworth High Street, SW18

ALSO, more details coming soon on -

- our second 'Heritage Roadshow' in Tooting Library
- a plaque to commemorate the 'Lost Copenhagen Running Grounds' of Garratt Lane
- talk/exhibition visit to learn more about extent of Indian and Caribbean involvement in the First World War, including potential visits to the Muslim Burial Ground and Peace Garden in Woking and the Chattri Memorial near Brighton - talks/presentations on Summerstown182 to the Furzedown Project, Generate, Wandsworth U3A, The Streatham Society
- we will continue our workshops with Burntwood School and are about to start our involvement with Smallwood Primary

Beer and carols on Saturday

You're invited to the Christmas meet up for Earlsfield businesses

Local traders wanted!!

In business and looking for new markets & ideas?

Join members and local businesses at The Earlsfield P.H., 511 Garratt Lane SW18 4SW on Wednesday 14th December from 6.30pm for an informal business network session.

Be part of the thriving business community in Wandsworth, celebrating the best in Earlsfield and promoting a 'buy local' agenda.

Get together over a glass of wine, beer or soft drink in a friendly welcoming environment.

Our aim is to keep things simple and allow a natural flow of relaxed and informal networking. There will be an introduction from the Chamber with an update on the Earlsfield Business Network, a part of Wandsworth Chamber devoted to business based in Earlsfield.

It's free, it's festive and it's fun!

Register now for this free event via the link http://www.wandsworthchamber.org/events.php or just turn up.

You can also check out & join our new Earlsfield Business Network group on Meet Up.

For more info, please ring Will on 07957404423.

Raise money for Macmillan with a Flip Out coffee morning

"This year we are opening up our Macmillan Coffee Morning to Flip Out Wandsworth guests and the local community!

The World's Biggest Coffee Morning is Macmillan's biggest fundraising event for people facing cancer. People all over the UK will be hosting their own Coffee Mornings and all donations on the day are made to Macmillan.

Come and enjoy some of our delicious cakes (even gluten free ones) in our canteen and 50% of all earnings of cakes sold on the day will go to the Macmillan Fund Raiser. 

Flip Out Wandsworth Macmillan Coffee Morning takes place on Friday 30th September from 09.30am till 12.30pm"

Read more on Facebook.

Blue plaque unveiling this Saturday

A huge congratulations to local history champion Geoff Simmons of the Summerstown 182 project. To celebrate securing Heritage Lottery Funding, he'll be unveiling a Blue Plaque outside the Tooting home of Sidney Lewis, believed to be the youngest soldier to have served in the British Army in the First World War.

Psst we hear the next Earlsfield-themed Summerstown 182 walk will be at 2pm on Saturday 3 December...

Meet Earlsfield's local design company Little Shock

It's always lovely to hear from local businesses, especially when they have an offer up their sleeve! Our latest 'local trader' is Mark from Little Shock:

Little Shock (littleshock.co.uk) is a small local company run by of Mark Shipton, an Earlsfield local (on Burntwood Lane) who specialises in Graphic Design, Web Design and Digital Marketing. He is keen to work with local businesses to help them get more customers online and offline, as well as building strong business relationships in the local community.

Mark has worked with lots of big brands in the UK, like Tetley Tea, Campbells Soup and The Hairy Bikers - He now uses the expertise he has learned to help out small & medium sized businesses to get new customers and promote their services. With over a decade's experience in the Digital Marketing industry, he is sure that he can help local businesses grow.

Mark is offering all businesses in Earlsfield and the local area, a FREE consultation on their needs and would love any local business owners to get in touch (even if just to say hello).

To find out more, visit the Little Shock website at this address - http://littleshock.co.uk/ - or call Mark at the home office on 020 3642 3262.

Sign petition to stop rat-running traffic

A petition has been set up to stop rat-running traffic down Franche Court, Aldren and Burmester Roads which is trying to avoid the traffic lights at the junction of Garrett Lane and Burntwood Lane.

Campaigners have been in touch to say:

"We are asking for support to stop this for the following 3 reasons:

1. Safety: there is excessive traffic of all types with a high proportion of commercial vehicles and lorries. Speed restrictions are not adhered to and the road is not safe for the increasing numbers of young children living on the roads.

2. Noise - due the significant volume of traffic and the increasing use by heavy lorry (particularly local skip companies) traffic. Vehicles also use their horns and shout at each other when there is congestion on the road.

3. Parking - residents struggle to park cars as cars and lorries are quite frequently driven so fast that this does not allow time to park cars safely.

We are close to gaining enough signatures - the deadline is the 22nd September."

Sign the petition on the council's website.