My Mitcham

A Memory of Mitcham.

Have to say reading the entries of everyone’s memories is simply wonderful. Both my parents grew up in Mitcham, my father John Stockley who was Mitcham born and bred, married my mother Jean Nightingale in the church in Church Road back in 1962 (I think). My grandmother owned a café on the corner of Barron’s Grove and opposite Barron’s Court where she and my grandfather lived. I think it’s now a car showroom, or was in the 70’s-80’s. My father would often reminisce (and still does) of old Mitcham, and I have to say if it wasn't for poor 50’S-60’s-70’s development, Mitcham could have possibly equaled Wimbledon Village for architectural beauty. Viewing old photographs I can’t help but feel melancholy. For my early years we lived over George's barber shop in London Road, Terry who worked there (I guess you’d call him a stylist now) was famous for being a hairdresser to the stars; Cliff Richard and Cary Grant amongst them (though that maybe just rumor from my father). Still I tell everyone that my first hairdresser was Terry. I was also told a story that when I was an inquisitive 2 year old I picked up a milk bottle in the back garden only to drop it again, I’m guessing I went to pick up the pieces and sliced my hand open, it must have been bad, as today I still have the 2 inch scar on the palm of my hand. So hearing the screams from my mother Terry quickly wrapped my hand in a towel and rushed us both to the local hospital, leaving behind a poor gentleman part way through having his hair cut. I think he was still sitting there when Terry arrived back. We moved to Morden from the Beaches in 1974, My first job after leaving Rutlish School for Boys in 1984 was working for a small building company called W.W.Clark and Son’s; the Clark family were a well known family in Mitcham (from Rocky), though based in Wimbledon the majority of their works were in Mitcham. I got to see a lot of interesting sights refurbishing many old council properties, Pear Tree Close (where my father’s family lived), Taffy’s How, Reighley Gardens, and of course Phips Bridge. I bought my first property in Mitcham Park in 1988, the houses there were amazing and probably still are. After a short spell living in Mitcham I emigrated to Buckinghamshire, followed shortly after by my parents. I never tire from seeing old photo’s listening to stories and reading passages of the way things were, though I would never live in Mitcham now, I often think how wonderful it would be have been to experience Mitcham in the 50’s-60’s. Unfortunately time moves on, gladly the memories never fade...