The area of modern STREATHAM lies on either side of Streatham High Road and Streatham Hill (the A23), an old roman road, running between, Christchurch Road (the south circular) and Norbury with the ancient parish church of St Leornards in the centre. Streatham was originally made up of three manors of which the present venue is in the manor of Leigham. Lord Thurlow held Leigham Manor at one time. In 1800 Streatham was still an agricultural community. Tile Kiln Farm, later Mount Ephraim farm covered the area to the west while Mount Nod Farm lay to the east here. A number of large mansions intruded into this agricultural landscape, The Shrubbery, the Rectory, Wood Lodge, Leigham House, Woodfield and Norfolk House. By 1831 Beriah Drew, a solicitor and attorney from Bermondsey, was living in Streatham.

Seeing the potential for land development he purchased Mount Nod Farm in 1836 from the executors of Lord Thurlow, the late Lord of the Manor. He, his brother George and subsequently his married daughter’s families the Fischers and Mortimers who inherited the property were responsible for most of the first development that took place between 1864 and 1907 on both sides of the High Road.

Leigham Court Road Drew laid out Leigham Court Road in 1839, the upper part near Streatham Common was known as St Julians Road until 1902. Beriah Drew and his family occupied the farmhouse and later Leigham Hall and built one new house Leigham Lodge in 1843. However the road was not further developed until 1860 after the arrival of the railway in 1856 at the now Streatham (Hill) station. Between 1860 and 1898 ninety-five grand large houses were built along the road of which 27 have survived up to today of which the finest is the Woodlawns Centre

No22 Leigham Lodge was the first house built in Leigham Court Road in 1843 and lived in by Beriah Drew to 1860. In 1861 the occupant was Charles Watson, a civil engineer. Between 1874 and 1876 Richard William Drew architect of St Peters Church further up Leigham Court Road lived here. Leigham
Lodge is now flats.

No16 the Woodlawns Centre (the Darby and Joan Club) was built as Barham House in 1868. It was built for the Drew family by the firm of George Trollope and sons and immediately became a family home for Joseph Harvey Trollope, one of George’s sons. It is known that this family firm constructed at least 17 houses along the road. In 1881 the Trollope household consisted of Joseph, his wife, son, daughter, cook, general maid, house maid, parlour maid, nurse maid and coachman. Over the years the property was leased or owned by the families of a number of wealthy businessmen. Henry Goedecker, a naturalised German moved in with his family in 1887. In 1891 Henry, a general merchant

was living there with his wife, son and 6 servants. George Lewis Turner took over the property in 1896. At the age of 53 in 1901 he was living “on his own means” with his 24 year old wife and 3 young sons (all under 4 years) together with 6 servants. Alfred Longsdale Temple, a Lace Wharehouseman and his family occupied the house between 1903 and 1910. By 1924 the house was occupied by its last family that of Sir Frederick Barthorpe J.P. who remained there until 1940.

Due to the efforts of David Robertson MP the house was acquired in 1943 for use by the Streatham Darby and Joan Club and has remained as an older persons centre ever since. Since that date the house has had many auspicious visitors. In June 1946 the club was visited by Queen Mary and in 1949 by George Wilkinson the chairman of the National Corporation for the care of old people. He had previously been Lord Mayor of London. The building now houses the Streatham Darby and Joan Club, the Lambeth Asian Centre and the Make A Difference Black and Afro-Caribbean Group. Many other groups are either based in or regularly use the building including the Streatham Festival organisers and the Streatham Society.

The fortunes of the centre have fluctuated but there is great optimism for the future. The club has recently received over one million pounds in grant aid for two projects. In 2007 with the encouragement of local MP Keith Hill the club won an award in an open competion in the People’s Millions Big Lottery Programme for its Sensory Garden Annex Project. The Sensory Garden Annex Project will add an environmentally-friendly and sustainable, single storey, wooden garden building, together with all-weather walkways. In particular, it would enable disadvantaged groups of ethnically-diverse, frail older people to access, make use of and enjoy the natural environment and wildlife of an important urban green space. In early 2008 the Club was successful in its bid for funds from the national Community Assets Programme. This joint project between Streatham Darby & Joan and Lambeth Council has been awarded to renovate the building. The plans include the restoration of the coach house, at the front, and its conversion into a reception area to the upgraded and refurbished main house. Work is scheduled to take about a year, starting early in 2009. The funding will bring much improved services for older people throughout the community and introduce new services for carers in the area. Through a range of intergenerational activities, the project will also encourage people of all ages to use this resource centre, strengthening bonds within the community, and improving their quality of life.

Brian Bloice

Copyright Streatham Society and Darby and Joan Club September 2008