Monument: Streatham civilian war memorial
Erection date: 21/10/2006
{Inscription in one corner of the platform supporting the column:}
Grief has no boundaries
This civilian war memorial is a focus for our thoughts and prayers, for the pain and anguish of ordinary people who have been touched by conflicts.
"Grief has no boundaries" is a quotation from a poem by Rohit Sapra.
The information board defines the scope for this memorial: "people of all races, faiths and nationalities living or who have lived in Streatham and have been affected by violent conflicts or wars wherever they have occurred." These rather convoluted words exclude, for example, those who have worked in Streatham, or run businesses here or attended schools here. The authors clearly wanted to be inclusive but might have done better had they been less specific.
Site: Streatham Memorial Garden (5 memorials)
SW16, Streatham High Road, Garden of Rememberance, Streatham Common North
The 3 VC plaques are laid in the ground, in front of the war memorial, to the west. Reading left to right: Johnson, Cather, Fleming-Sandes. The Civilian Memorial can just be seen in our site photo, in the shadows to the right.
{The information board reads:}
Welcome to Streatham Memorial Garden
This site, once part of the Manor of Tooting Bec was, on its enclosure, subsequently occupied by a large house called 'Colbrands', which dated back to the early 15th century. The house was later in the hands of Sir Richard Sackville, a distinguished lawyer and cousin to Anne Boleyn, second queen to Henry VIII of England. By 1695 the house, which had been rebuilt and renamed Streatham House, had passed to Elizabeth Howland and her husband the Marquess of Tavistock.
In 1700 the Marquess became the Duke of Bedford and the estate passed through successive dukes until 1805 when it was sold to Lord Deerhurst, who demolished the old house and built a new villa called Coventry Hall. In 1819 part of the estate was bought by the Rector of Streatham and other trustees of the local war memorial committee. The site was then laid out as a war memorial garden, transferred to London County Council in 1922, and then passed to the care of Lambeth Borough Council in 1971.
At the heart of the gardens is an attractive war memorial commemorating the dead of two world wars, which is adorned by bronze wreaths and attractive low edge railings. On top of the memorial is a bronze statue of a soldier sculpted by Alfred T. Loft in 1921. The gardens also contain a contemporary sculpture in the form of a single obelisk and plinth, which commemorates people of all races, faiths and nationalities living or who have lived in Streatham and have been affected by violent conflicts or wars wherever they have occurred.
