History in Streatham

The Streatham Society has a great deal of information on Streatham's rich history which dates back to the sixteen hundreds. The following overview of Streatham's history has been provided courtesy of the Streatham Society.

Overview

The name Streatham means the 'Hamlet on the Street' - Street Ham. This shows the origin of the town as a small cluster of houses along the ancient trackway that now forms part of the A23 London to Brighton road. For centuries the village was to remain a small and relatively insignificant community situated roughly halfway on the road between London and the Archbishop of Canterbury's palace at Croydon.

By 1670 a local spa, Streatham Spa, had been developed into a major attraction. Within a short space of time Streatham became a fashionable location and a number of wealthy merchants had established their country homes in the parish. Streatham's popularity as a select residential area continued long after the craze for medicinal waters had passed.

By the mid-nineteenth century a number of fine mansions had been built by wealthy residents who were attracted to the parish by its rural charms and close proximity to London. The opening of Streatham Hill railway station in 1856 brought the area within easy commuting distance of the capital (about five miles away) and led to an influx of a large number of middle-class residents. Roads of large Victorian villas provided these new inhabitants with comfortable homes and firmly established the neighbourhood as a much sought-after locality in which to live. Within the space of a generation the area changed almost beyond recognition. As the twentieth century dawned, Streatham had been transformed from a small country village into a bustling southern suburb of London.

From the late 1920s Streatham gradually evolved into a major entertainment centre with the building of the Streatham Hill Theatre in 1928 and the Locarno Dance Hall in 1929. This development has continued right up to the present day with the area playing host to two major cinemas, a bowling alley, a skating rink, several night clubs, over twenty pubs, and more than thirty restaurants offering a variety of cuisines.

The area is blessed with a rich heritage, with many buildings and streets of historic interest. These include Christ Church, a Grade 1 listed building, and Park Hill, the former home of Sir Henry Tate, benefactor of the Tate Gallery in London. Streatham also benefits from 70 acres of open space, including the well known Rookery Gardens at the top of Streatham Common.

Places of interest

St.Leonard's Church stands at the junction of Mitcham Lane and Tooting Bec Gardens. It is has ancient origins verified by an entry in the Doomsday survey made in AD1086. The spire of the church continues to be a well-known local landmark.