Memories of Mitcham, Figgs Marsh, Tooting Bec
When I was in my early teens, my mates and I used to go to Figgs Marsh and wait for the lads. We used to sit in an open brick-built toilet area which had seating and it was magical to see all the pictures about this area. One lad, Bob Sampson, was always the last to arrive, but we knew when he was on his way as he used to sing 'Ghost Riders In The Sky', and what a vioce, it echoed over the whole of Figgs Marsh, and my friend Joy, no longer with us, and I loved these evenings. Innocent apart from a good old snog!
Tooting Bec sports centre also had great interest for us, we fancied two of the athletes, one a javelin thrower, and one a runner. I also had many walks there with a boyfriend called Wizz, who lived in Streatham Vale.
In Streatham, we also loved to go to the Astoria, and sit upstairs in the back row, and maybe have a kiss here and there!
My grandparents lived in Fountain Road, off Western Road, and their house was really Dickensian, the stairs being about 18 inches wide! It had gas lamps, an outside loo, and very little heating. My grandad kept his horse in the back yard and it clopped around half the night, the neighbours didn't like that but you didn't row with my grandad, he was all of six foot six - my gran was about four foot ten!
We used to go to the Majestic at the Fair Green for Saturday morning pictures, and would sing the song 'Miners of the ABC'. Swimming was also a treat each week, and there was a shop opposite the baths which sold hot steak and kidney pies, which we bought to eat on the top deck of the 118 bus going home. I have never tasted pies like it since!
My mum and dad used to visit the pub in Fountain Road, as my dad and all his brothers were in the darts team, what a handsome lot of brothers the Fishers were! I waited outside and became friendly with a Gypsy family opposite the pub, and they lived in a real Gypsy caravan. I shared my arrowroot biscuits with them and my lemonade, it was safe then.
Opposite Mizens Farm in Grove Road, I think, was a wooden bridge which we used to go and see Tooting and Mitcham football club, to this day I still love football.
My name then was Pat Fisher and I lived in Woodstock Way.
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RE: RE: Memories of Mitcham, Figgs Marsh, Tooting Bec
I was brought up in Mitcham and went to Gorringe Park and then to Mitcham County Grammar Schools. My dad, Denis Ware, was a teacher and then a headmaster at schools in Streatham and although my dad died in 1976 my mum stayed living at the house in Edenvale Road until she died, at home in 2003. The above mentioned Bobby (Robert John) Sampson who was my brother-in-law - he was the eldest of four, then there was Eddie (Edwin Arthur), Raymond and finally Alan. They all lived at 32 Lavender Grove. I married Raymond in early 1965 and we had three children before we divorced in 1970. The last I heard of Ray was about five years ago when he was living at 120 Love Lane, Mitcham - and I would be very grateful if someone could find out what has happened to him (has he died or gone into a home?). I can be reached here or on FaceBook or at m.stead4@ntlworld.com (Marian Stead) Back in those days I was Marian Ware and my brother is Patrick and my sister Jean.
Comment from Marian Stead on Sunday, 17th January 2010.