Mitcham, 1941 1961

A Memory of Mitcham.

I moved to Mitcham in 1941 as a 3 year old having been "bombed out" elsewhere. Many of the memories in these pages are similar to mine. But perhaps not this. As a ten year old my mate Tony Burls and I lived near the Swan Inn. We went for a swim in the Seven Islands one fine day. We hid our clothes and towels in some bushes and had our swim, more of a paddle really. Unfortunately someone stole our clothes and towels and we had to walk back home almost naked, past Fair Green and Monarch Parade. It still causes merriment to this day.
I lived at 2 Bond Road, the "Balsa Wood Factory", making Skyleada model airplane kits, was over the back fence. When the workers went home I used to jump over the fence and scrounge scraps from the incinerator and their dump to make my models.
We later moved to Maple Close where I found a friend in Derek Bentley, two years my senior. Derek was a great aeromodeller and I learnt much from him. We flew on the green off Oakleigh Way until the neighbours complained about the noise. We were banished to the Common, later Epsom Racecourse. The passion for aeromodelling led to a career in aviation.
I went to Mitcham County Grammar School for Boys between 1949 and 1954. The Headmaster was the haughty Mr Doig. My favourite was history teacher "Charlie" Madden. Others were "Rusty" Norton, Jones the French and Jones the Art, "Colonel" Cook, "Blind Pew" Judge. He was almost blind and once mistook a raincoat hanging up for a boy walking about. One very brave soul put him right. Mr Woodiwiss once attacked a boy with a piece of wood, he left shortly after with a brain tumour. Poor M. Debevere tried to teach French but couldn't control the class. Mr Doig swept into the room one day and nominated three at random for a caning. I was one. We never complained about anything, it was shameful to do so. M. Debevere lost his job.
We were always excercising and having showers, we were very fit and clean. I never really liked school but I now admit they did a good job of giving us a general education, fitting us for a varied life.
I also went to the Baptist Church on London Road, a very worthy institution. One of my favourite places was the Library. It was a lovely place, all polished wood and leather seats in beautiful condition. I loved the books and the Newspaper Room, I spent a lot of time there, reading, browsing, dreaming.
I left for Australia in 1961. I visited Mitcham in 1995, it had gone downhill - too many cars, litter everywhere. Monarch Parade, once so fine, was more like a Third World place.
But I still think of Mitcham as home. An interesting place with many curious memories.
Following are three books I have on Mitcham, given to me by my late sister, Barbara Harding, who lived her entire life in Mitcham.

Mitcham, A Pictorial History by Eric Montague 1991. A history of Mitcham with 167 pictures and a 1792 map. Thoroughly recommended. ISBN 0 85033 801 8

Old Mitcham, by Tom Francis 1993. ISBN 0 85033 862 X

Mitcham Common, by Eric Montague, 2001. ISBN 1 86077 170 X

---

---