Swan Inn

A Memory of Mitcham.

I lived in the Swan Inn at Mitcham from 1960 through to 1966 in rooms at the back of the pub. My parents were 'mine hosts' during this time. It was patronised by many 'regulars' one of which was the local rag and bone man called Rosco and often he would drag his old pony into the bar. I was horse-mad then and he would pay me ten bob to ride the old pony to Wimbledon blacksmith to be shod. I used to ride him without a saddle and a rope for reins all through the traffic to the bottom of Wimbledon Hill and took me about an hour or more. Because the old pony was used to being in a cart, he would only walk about a metre out from the kerb which caused some problems with traffic! I remember the Druids hiring out the hall on top of the pub for meetings and my younger sister and I used to imagine all sorts of goings on in there. At the side of the pub and down the laneway was a mechanics shop and I remember he had an old red Jag. At the back of the 'garden' was a huge heap of rubble and we would climb up and watch the comings and goings to the mechanics shop. Next to the pub was the 'corner shop' which we used regularly for our sherbet dabs etc. Up the road and opposite Figgs Marsh was a swing park where we would go in the evenings and tease the local lads. Outside the pub was the bus stop and when I started work caught the 44 bus to London Bridge or opted to go to the underground at Tooting Broadway. I don't think the pub is there today