Local historian John W Brown takes a look at the history of Westwell Road and one of its famous residents.

At first glance the large, late Victorian houses in Westwell Road don't warrant a second look. Sadly some are now showing their age and the ravages of the past century have taken their toll.

But when originally laid out in 1888, the road was one of the prime residential locations in Streatham, being close to both Streatham and Streatham Common stations, and only a short distance from the common.

Westwell Road was laid out by James William Hobbs (1843-1914), a noted local builder, whose development of the street coincided with his election as Mayor of Croydon, in 1887-8. However, his rise in local society was short lived, and in 1893 he was jailed for 12 years for his part in the Liberator Building Society fraud.

The street was named after "Westwell", a large red brick house that stood on Streatham High Road, facing the common, on part of the garden of which the road was laid out.

The fine Victorian dwellings in the road provided comfortable homes for the wealthy and successful middle classes who were attracted to Streatham in the closing decades of the 19th century.

Among them was a talented artist and illustrator called Holland Tringham (1861-1908), who moved into No 22 in 1896. His skill with pen and ink ensured that his work was in constant demand by the leading magazines of the day including the Graphic and the Illustrated London News.

Holland moved to Streatham at the height of his fame in 1891, living first at 15 Barrow Road, after which he moved to Westwell Road and in 1900 took up various lodgings, finally residing at 19 Greyhound Lane.

The development of photographic printing at the turn of the 20th century led to a dramatic fall in demand for line drawings and Holland's career began to decline. He turned to drink to help boost his spirits.

Sadly his fortunes continued to wane. In 1899 his mother died and within three years his marriage was dissolved. The death of his wife in February 1908 plunged him into deep despair and his health deteriorated.

In a bid to regain his strength he went to the Isle of Man but his continued heavy drinking made a recovery impossible. Late one night he was found wandering the streets of Douglas behaving "in a strange manner". He was certified insane and taken to the local lunatic asylum where he died on the March 26, 1908.

Today, Holland is best known locally for his six sketches of the old village of Streatham. Copies of these adorn the walls of the pub named in his honour, the Holland Tringham, at 107 Streatham High Road.

Westwell Road is one of the streets explored in the second of the Streatham Society's Heritage Trails which covers Greyhound Lane and costs £1.77p inc post, and packing and is available from The Streatham Society, 220 Woodmansterne Road, Streatham, London SW16 5UA. (Tel 020 8764 8314).

April 30, 2003 10:30