The History of Wandsworth Common

Added

IN PROGRESS — NOT FOR PUBLICATION

FENCES TALK STRUCTURE

Subhead

Focus on JCB - organise as a series of x "episodes"?

  • C17 - Earliest "public" outcry - a gravel dispute - C17
  • 1827 Barchard and others meet at Swan pub Stockwell to oppose "contemplated measure for inclosing Battersea, Wandsworth, and Clapham Commons, and other open lands"
  • 1828 Battersea & Wandsworth Inclosure Bill - and petition against -
  • 182? - Barchard - Stockwell - event
  • ""About the year 1850, after the construction of the South Western Railway, Mr Herring, who lived at Ivy Cottage, since pulled down, put a fence across the entrance to Plough-green, and stopped up a right of way. This fence, with the aid of a timber carriage, was knocked down by the inhabitants who walked in procession across the Green. "The timber truck was afterwards named the 'Magna Charta' . Some of the persons were summoned to the Wandsworth Police Court, but the magistrate dismissed the case on the grounds that there was a right of way." [Battle Fought and Won] What was the name of the man who was [fined]? who spoke at one of the big demos of the late 1860s? Was he part of this demonstration?< "
  • 1862 - The gravel diggers visit JCB [303-5]
  • 1862 - CB reflects on what was happening to the Common [305-6]
  • 1862 - JCB writes to letters to newspapers and is published [306]
  • Tries to find copyholders to cmplain, but fails - they are few, old, and deeply subservient to Spencer [307]
  • 1862 - JCB writes to spencer - gets rude reply - JCB sends letters to newspapers
  • Open-air meetings held - increasing scale - raise money raised to pursue case in court - lawyers appear - but advise there's no legal base for their complaint [307]
  • Visit arranged to Sencer House goes badly - Spencer patronising - "do you question my right to dispose of the common" - JCB: "I am sorry to say, my lord, that we do question your right." -Spencder turns on his heel and stalks off, followed by his lawyers - JCB's obsequious fellows struck dumb - criticise him for causing offence - lack of respect [308]
  • Metropolitan Commons Act? - Meetings with Metropolitan Boards of Works? [309]
  • JCB writes to Spencer about immemorial rights to health and recreation - [309] - Spencer replies with a "rough letter about agitation and rights of property" -
  • JCB sends correspondence with Spencer to the Times - Spencer very angry [309]
  • A Committee is formed [is this the Wandsworth Common Preservation Society?]
  • Commons Preservation ? formed
  • Mansion House 1866
  • c.1866 - "We published a large map of the common as it was in 1820 and as it was in 1865, showing the enclosures"
  • Mansion House 1866
  • Old people go to court, but can't remember very much
  • [320-330] "Wrigsby" [Digby] goes to court, but folds
  • [330] Armistice - did the Vice-Chancellor intervene with Spencer?
  • Monster demonstration - 5000-6000
  • Fence breaking on Plough Green - Costeker v Clarke court case grinds on
  • Samuel Sullings arrested, fined, and imprisoned with hard labour - mother visits JCB - JCB in conflict with Revd Jenkinson - nb Spencer appointed vicars - Petition to save Sullings frustrated - Sullings eventually released to hero's welcome - procession
  • Case comes to court - Lord Chief Justice decides on whether a right of way existed - he says not
  • A copyholder was needed - JCB courts Wrigsby [Digby]
  • JCB v Todd - breaks down fences in Chivalry rd area
  • JCB breaks window in the Lord of the Manor pub - writs and money change hands
  • Great and Good poster / Henry Peak offers £1000
  • Down with the fences poster
  • Mansion House 1870?
  • Link
  • Run up to 1871 Act
  • Deals are struck over gravel rights compensation - death of the Black Sea - future money
  • [330] MBW causes problems, since they wanted control - not local Conservators, which JCB waas for - and hence cause £1000 of extra expense
  • July 1871 victory
  • [336-7] JCB meets Spencer "in a friendly way" - Erskine Clark - St Mark's "iron church" [tin tabernacle] - Soapy Sam Wilberforce
  • Book ends

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    Philip Boys (aka "HistoryBoys")