Streatham Park
Encyclopedia
Streatham Park is an area of suburban southwest London
. It comprises the eastern part of Furzedown
ward in the London Borough of Wandsworth
, formerly in the historic parish
of Streatham
. It is bounded by Tooting Bec Common
to the north, Thrale Road and West Road to the west, and the London to Brighton
railway to the east.
The area takes its name from a Georgian
country mansion
built by the brewer Ralph Thrale. Streatham Park later passed to Ralph's son Henry Thrale
, who with his wife Hester Thrale
entertained many of the leading literary and artistic characters of the day, most notably the lexicographer Samuel Johnson
, who was fond of a summer house in the grounds.
, Arthur Murphy
, Joshua Reynolds
, William Seward, James Boswell
, Oliver Goldsmith
, Giuseppe Marc'Antonio Baretti
, Edmund Burke
, Edwin Sandys
, William Henry Lyttelton
, Sir Robert Chambers
, Charles Burney
and Frances Burney, along with James and Hester Thrale. The dining room contained 12 portraits of Henry's guests painted by Reynolds. These pictures were wittily labeled by Frances Burney as the Streatham Worthies
.
Streatham Park was later leased to the Prime Minister
Lord Shelburne
, and was the venue of the negotiated peace with France. The Streatham Park mansion was demolished in 1863 and the estate and adjacent fields were laid out for suburban development.
Although much of the area was destroyed by bombing in World War II
and redeveloped by the Metropolitan Borough of Wandsworth
as council housing in the 1950s, both the avenues of trees of the Georgian
estate and much of the Victorian era
tree planting survive, and the area is now a conservation area
.
The remaining pre-war buildings include Dixcote (8 North Drive), a rare urban example of a house by the Arts and crafts
architect Charles Voysey
. A plaque erected by the Streatham Society on one of the small modern houses marks the site of the Streatham Park mansion.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. It comprises the eastern part of Furzedown
Furzedown
Furzedown is an area of the London Borough of Wandsworth in South West London. It is a mainly residential area bordering the larger communities of Streatham and Tooting. Besides containing Furzedown halls of Residence, a part of the University of the Arts London, it contains Graveney Secondary...
ward in the London Borough of Wandsworth
London Borough of Wandsworth
The London Borough of Wandsworth is a London borough in southwest London, England, and forms part of Inner London.-History:The borough was formed in 1965 from the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea and much of the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Wandsworth, but...
, formerly in the historic parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
of Streatham
Streatham
Streatham is a district in Surrey, England, located in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated south of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
. It is bounded by Tooting Bec Common
Tooting Commons
The Tooting Commons consist of two adjacent areas of common land lying between Balham, Streatham and Tooting, in south west London: Tooting Bec Common and Tooting Graveney Common....
to the north, Thrale Road and West Road to the west, and the London to Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
railway to the east.
The area takes its name from a Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
country mansion
Mansion
A mansion is a very large dwelling house. U.S. real estate brokers define a mansion as a dwelling of over . A traditional European mansion was defined as a house which contained a ballroom and tens of bedrooms...
built by the brewer Ralph Thrale. Streatham Park later passed to Ralph's son Henry Thrale
Henry Thrale
Henry Thrale was an 18th century English Member of Parliament and a close friend of Samuel Johnson. Like his father, he was the proprietor of the large London brewery, H. Thrale & Co....
, who with his wife Hester Thrale
Hester Thrale
Hester Lynch Thrale was a British diarist, author, and patron of the arts. Her diaries and correspondence are an important source of information about Samuel Johnson and 18th-century life.-Biography:Thrale was born at Bodvel Hall, Caernarvonshire, Wales...
entertained many of the leading literary and artistic characters of the day, most notably the lexicographer Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson , often referred to as Dr. Johnson, was an English author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer...
, who was fond of a summer house in the grounds.
Residents
Residents of Streatham Park, or "Streathamites" have included many famous 18th century individuals: Samuel Johnson, David GarrickDavid Garrick
David Garrick was an English actor, playwright, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of theatrical practice throughout the 18th century and was a pupil and friend of Dr Samuel Johnson...
, Arthur Murphy
Arthur Murphy
Arthur Murphy , also known by the pseudonym Charles Ranger, was an Irish writer.-Biography:He was born at Cloonyquin, County Roscommon, Ireland, the son of Richard Murphy and Jane French....
, Joshua Reynolds
Joshua Reynolds
Sir Joshua Reynolds RA FRS FRSA was an influential 18th-century English painter, specialising in portraits and promoting the "Grand Style" in painting which depended on idealization of the imperfect. He was one of the founders and first President of the Royal Academy...
, William Seward, James Boswell
James Boswell
James Boswell, 9th Laird of Auchinleck was a lawyer, diarist, and author born in Edinburgh, Scotland; he is best known for the biography he wrote of one of his contemporaries, the English literary figure Samuel Johnson....
, Oliver Goldsmith
Oliver Goldsmith
Oliver Goldsmith was an Irish writer, poet and physician known for his novel The Vicar of Wakefield , his pastoral poem The Deserted Village , and his plays The Good-Natur'd Man and She Stoops to Conquer...
, Giuseppe Marc'Antonio Baretti
Giuseppe Marc'Antonio Baretti
Giuseppe Marc'Antonio Baretti was an Italian-born English literary critic and author of two influential language-translation dictionaries...
, Edmund Burke
Edmund Burke
Edmund Burke PC was an Irish statesman, author, orator, political theorist and philosopher who, after moving to England, served for many years in the House of Commons of Great Britain as a member of the Whig party....
, Edwin Sandys
Edwin Sandys, 2nd Baron Sandys
Edwin Sandys, 2nd Baron Sandys was the eldest son of Samuel Sandys, 1st Baron Sandys and his wife Letitia daughter of Sir Thomas Tipping, baronet of Wheatfield, Oxfordshire...
, William Henry Lyttelton
William Lyttelton, 1st Baron Lyttelton
William Henry Lyttelton, 1st Baron Lyttelton was the youngest son of Sir Thomas Lyttelton, 4th Baronet.As the youngest son, he did not expect to inherit the family estates and served in various government appointments. He became governor of colonial South Carolina in 1755, Governor of Jamaica in...
, Sir Robert Chambers
Robert Chambers (judge)
Sir Robert Chambers , was a jurist, Vinerian Professor of English Law, and Chief Justice of Bengal.-Biography:...
, Charles Burney
Charles Burney
Charles Burney FRS was an English music historian and father of authors Frances Burney and Sarah Burney.-Life and career:...
and Frances Burney, along with James and Hester Thrale. The dining room contained 12 portraits of Henry's guests painted by Reynolds. These pictures were wittily labeled by Frances Burney as the Streatham Worthies
Streatham Worthies
The Streatham Worthies is the collective description for the circle of literary and cultural figures around the wealthy brewer Henry Thrale and his wife Hester Thrale who assembled at his country retreat Streatham Park and were commemorated by a series of portraits by Joshua Reynolds.Reynolds...
.
Streatham Park was later leased to the Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Lord Shelburne
William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne
William Petty-FitzMaurice, 1st Marquess of Lansdowne, KG, PC , known as The Earl of Shelburne between 1761 and 1784, by which title he is generally known to history, was an Irish-born British Whig statesman who was the first Home Secretary in 1782 and then Prime Minister 1782–1783 during the final...
, and was the venue of the negotiated peace with France. The Streatham Park mansion was demolished in 1863 and the estate and adjacent fields were laid out for suburban development.
Although much of the area was destroyed by bombing in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and redeveloped by the Metropolitan Borough of Wandsworth
Metropolitan Borough of Wandsworth
The Metropolitan Borough of Wandsworth was a Metropolitan borough under the London County Council, from 1900 to 1965.The borough was formed from five civil parishes: Clapham, Putney, Streatham, Tooting Graveney and Wandsworth...
as council housing in the 1950s, both the avenues of trees of the Georgian
Georgian era
The Georgian era is a period of British history which takes its name from, and is normally defined as spanning the reigns of, the first four Hanoverian kings of Great Britain : George I, George II, George III and George IV...
estate and much of the Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
tree planting survive, and the area is now a conservation area
Conservation area
A conservation areas is a tract of land that has been awarded protected status in order to ensure that natural features, cultural heritage or biota are safeguarded...
.
The remaining pre-war buildings include Dixcote (8 North Drive), a rare urban example of a house by the Arts and crafts
Arts and crafts
Arts and crafts comprise a whole host of activities and hobbies that are related to making things with one's hands and skill. These can be sub-divided into handicrafts or "traditional crafts" and "the rest"...
architect Charles Voysey
Charles Voysey
Charles Voysey may refer to:* Charles Voysey * Charles Voysey * Charles Cowles-Voysey , architect and son of the above...
. A plaque erected by the Streatham Society on one of the small modern houses marks the site of the Streatham Park mansion.