Monument

Parish pump Tooting

Erection date: 1823

Inscription

{On a modern brass plaque attached to the monument:}
This monument, erected by the principal inhabitants of Tooting in 1823, denotes the site of an artesian well sunk by the parish at their own expense. From the near-by pump the villagers received a supply of water at the rate of 130 gallons per minute. Known as "The Parish Pump" it was in use up to the end of the 19th century. Other pumps at Tooting Broadway (then known as Tooting Corner) and in Totterdown Street were in private ownership.

{Around the monument, cast in the metal:}
Erected by the principle inhabitants of the parish, 1823.

Site: Parish pump Tooting (1 memorial)

SW17, Mitcham Road

The quirky and much-missed Faded London Blog had a post on this item. Borough photos has a 1906 photo showing this structure in front of the Mitre Hotel, albeit the previous building of the pub. But the pump, surrounded by railings, looks closer to the pub than it is now, and we doubt that it was the pub that got moved. 

We find this structure puzzling - it doesn't seems to have the necessary attributes of a pump. Where's the handle, where's the spout? (If you are now quietly singing to yourself "I'm a little teapot" - sorry.) The plaque talks about a "nearby pump" but that might just be referring to this pump having been moved from its original, nearby location, closer to the pub.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Parish pump Tooting

Subjects commemorated i

Parish pump Tooting

Artesian well sunk by the parish at their own expense. From the near-by pump ...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Parish pump Tooting

Created by i

the principal inhabitants of Tooting in 1823

Wish we knew who those generous and rather self-important people were.

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Brentford Monument

Brentford Monument

TW8, High Street Brentford, County Court

Brentford High Street have carried out some magnificent research on Brentford Local Board members and Councillors. That page contains a l...

11 subjects commemorated, 19 creators
Last V2 rocket in Kingston upon Thames

Last V2 rocket in Kingston upon Thames

KT2, Park Road, Corner of King's Road

The plaque says that 8 people were killed but has the names of only five: four women and one 7-year-old girl.

Civilian war dead | WW2
12 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Royal Marines

Royal Marines

SW1, The Mall

The statue and the reliefs are by Jones with Jackson responsible for the architectural elements. We found the quality of the work on the...

War dead | Other war
72 subjects commemorated, 2 creators
All Hallows, Gospel Oak, War Memorial

All Hallows, Gospel Oak, War Memorial

NW3, Savernake Road, Parish Church of All Hallows

This text is on the north-west face of the stone base to the cross. There was text on at least one other side of the stone but the weath...

1 subject commemorated
Silvertown explosion - monument

Silvertown explosion - monument

E16, Royal Crest Avenue, Royal Wharf Gardens

Probably erected no more than an year or so after the explosion, this monument used to be the south side of North Woolwich Road, nearly o...

War dead | WW1, WW2
35 subjects commemorated, 1 creator

Previously viewed

Fawcett frieze - 15, Lowndes

Fawcett frieze - 15, Lowndes

SW1, Parliament Square

Most statues have plinths, which often carry the identity of the statue but little more. The plinth for this Millicent Fawcett statue is ...

1 subject commemorated
Lieutenant Arthur James Austen-Cartmell

Lieutenant Arthur James Austen-Cartmell

Arthur James Austen-Cartmell was born on 24 April 1893, the eldest of the three children of James Austen Cartmell (1862-1921) and Mary Affleck Cartmell née Peacock (1860-1906). Civil Registration B...

Person, Armed Forces, Law, France

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Lord Palmerston - St James's

Lord Palmerston - St James's

SW1, Queen Anne's Gate, 20

LCC Lord Palmerston (1784 - 1865) Prime Minister, born here.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Lord Jellicoe

Lord Jellicoe

Born Southampton. Commander of the fleet and victor at the Battle of Jutland 1916, although he was criticized for his tactics. Governor of New Zealand from 1920 - 1924. Held the title Viscount Broc...

Person, Armed Forces, New Zealand

6 memorials
Herbert O. Ellis

Herbert O. Ellis

Architect active in 1898. Did other work for Rev. Sanders. We believe we found our man at Geni: Herbert Owen Ellis, Born Wakefield, Yorkshire, Died Gosport, Hampshire.

Person, Architecture

1 memorial