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16/10/2014 10:01 am  #1


Tooting FC and Mitcham Wanderers Grounds (Pre 1932)

Hi there,

Just a question relating to the original teams that made T&MUFC in 1932 (I've put 'Pre 1932' in the subject line to avoid confusion with the more recent Wanderers team).  Where were the grounds?  I'm aware that Sandy Lane was constructed sometime in the 1920s but I've tried looking on the net to no avail for the original grounds for both Tooting FC and Mitcham Wanderers.

Thing is I'd like to go on a walk/ride/pub crawl (whichever I fancy) taking in historical things to do with Tooting.  Featuring the current ground, Sandy Lane (though now houses) and both original places that the two teams played in would be excellent.  Does anyone know where Tooting FC and Mitcham Wanderers played pre Sandy Lane?  As mentioned I can't find reference of it.

Something I didn't realise, was that there was another sports ground on the other side of the road from Sandy Lane:  http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw055289 

The comments say the other ground was closed in around 1955, the picture was of immense interest.  I have found the site on the excellent NLS site and it is clearly shown: http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17&lat=51.41034&lon=-0.15327&layers=173

The link is from sometime in the late 1940s to the mid 1950s, as it shows the two grounds in Sandy Lane.

Finally, does anyone know exactly when Sandy Lane opened?  I've heard 1922 and 1926.  From what I can see the ground had much atmosphere and interest (as detailed on the excellent Sandy Lane Facebook page) but sadly my first game at Tooting was in the 2007/2008 season so I missed out on the bog end by quite a way.......

Thanks in anticipation 


1956/1957 season to 2016/2017 season - 60 years of T&M in the Isthmian League, and League Champions
 

16/10/2014 10:03 am  #2


Re: Tooting FC and Mitcham Wanderers Grounds (Pre 1932)

Just to add, with the map link, there is a slider to show where everything is today.  It is very interesting......also a map of London from the 1890s is available should there be interest.  I did use this to try and find some kind of ground way back then but Mitcham (and the Sandy Lane site) wasn't actually mapped and Tooting is mainly farmland........


1956/1957 season to 2016/2017 season - 60 years of T&M in the Isthmian League, and League Champions
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16/10/2014 10:45 am  #3


Re: Tooting FC and Mitcham Wanderers Grounds (Pre 1932)

I've copied this from the Pitchero website.  As far as I know, the Tyrells Poultry Farm that is mentioned was somewhere around the Ashbourne Road housing area.Tooting Town originated in 1887 as Tooting Graveney F.C. The first ground was at Figges Marsh, but in 1905 the Club moved to an enclosed ground at Lonesome. This was unsatisfactory so in 1907 another enclosed ground was obtained called "The North Surrey Poultry Farm" in Gorringe Park. In 1913 came another move, this time to a ground in The Ridgeway, beside the railway line. Then came the First World War and in 1915, after a club now called Tooting had tried to continue a Metropolitan League with Old Kingstonians, South Tooting, Summerston, West Norwood and Wimbledon, attempts to carry on were abandoned and the players joined a munitions firm called Darraq for the duration. During this period the Club had absorbed, by amalgamation, Tooting Bee F.C. in 1896 and Balham St Johns in 1902 and many successes were achieved. These included the South Western Cup 1897, Champions of the Clapham League in 1898 and 1900, winners of the Crossley Charity Cup in 1907 (beating Dulwich Hamlet) and winners Sutton Hospital Cup in 1908 and 1909. But in the 1914-15 season came the ultimate success when the Club was elected to the Athenian League and indeed, one game was played-a draw of 2-2- with Luton Clarence before hostilities suspended the league.In 1919, at the cessation of hostilities, the Club revived with the name Tooting Town, a ground (two pitches) were rented at Tyrell's Poultry Farm, and admission regained to the South Suburban League. Success came easily and in 1921 the Club was accepted into the London League and efforts made to secure a ground of their own. A fund was started with half the Club's balance-£5-, but a town meeting and other efforts soon raised the fund to £1,000 including loans. Having failed to purchase a site on the Cassiot estate, the Sandy Lane site was purchased in February 1922. (The ground was an unfenced agricultural field). The next ten years consisted hard work on the ground and moderate success on the field, including victory in the Surrey Senior Shield in 1928. Throughout this time the Town team played in the London League as did their neighbours over the other side of the fence, Mitcham Wanderers.

 

17/10/2014 12:55 am  #4


Re: Tooting FC and Mitcham Wanderers Grounds (Pre 1932)

Thank you Endo - looks like I went the long way round trying to find info instead of what was under my nose on the Pitchero site ......much appreciated and gives me much to look into.

Figges Marsh is a bit of an ambigous one - it is quite a big space so the pitch could have been anywhere - however comparing the size of the Sandy Lane pitch and the size of the southern end of Figges Marsh, I'd guess the pitch was at the southern end.  Lonesome is another interesting one, these days the area shows up on maps as Streatham Vale.  Looking at modern day maps the likely place would either be along Rowan Road, Greyhound Terrace or Streatham Vale - but this is a big area and not very precise.  Looking for Gorringe Park and a farm seems to point to the same as Tyrells Poultry Farm........

My first guess at Tyrells Poultry Farm would have been around where Edenvale Road/St. Barnabas Road/Milton Road is these days.  Mentioning the Ashbourne Road houses and looking at what appears to be a farm on the 1888 goes along with this.  Looking at an 1896 map though, this has the farm down as 'Biggin Farm' and an 1894 map has no name, but shows the area to the north of the railway line as a golf course.  On this, if the farm was to have been in the Ashbourne Road area I'd say this was a likely guess.  

Wondering if Ridgeway is Ridge Road today.........

Quite a lot of digging to do, doesn't sound a lot but those places would take a bit to track down accurately!  Thanks again and indeed this is fascinating, picturing these areas of south London as farms.......

 

Last edited by Plumpton (17/10/2014 12:55 am)


1956/1957 season to 2016/2017 season - 60 years of T&M in the Isthmian League, and League Champions
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