COMMONS & OPEN SPACES 209 



when it came to the Crown. Both manors can be traced 

 through successive owners until the rights were purchased 

 in 1875 and 1873 by the Metropolitan Board of Works. 

 The avenue of elms which runs right across the Common 

 divides the two. Tooting Beck is more than twice the 

 size of Graveney, and has the finest trees. One of the 

 oldest elm trees, now encircled by a railing, was com- 

 pletely hollow, but now has a young poplar sprouting 

 out of its shell. Tradition associates this tree par- 

 ticularly with Dr. Johnson, and though he did not 

 compose his Dictionary under it, it is more than likely 

 he often enjoyed the shade of what must have been a 

 very old tree in his day. For fifteen years he was a 

 constant visitor at Thrale Place close by. " He fre- 

 quently resided here," says a contemporary guide-book, 

 "and experienced that sincere respect to which his 

 virtues and talents were entitled, and those soothing 

 attentions which his ill-health and melancholy de- 

 manded." The house stood in 100 acres of ground 

 between Tooting and Streatham Commons, and has 

 since been pulled down and built over. During these 

 years, no doubt, Tooting as well as Streatham Common 

 was often trodden by the brilliant circle who drank 

 tea and conversed with the accomplished Mrs. Thrale 

 — Sir Joshua Reynolds, Burke, Garrick, Goldsmith — to 

 all of them the woodland scenes of both Commons 

 were familiar. 



To prevent the too free use of the turf by riders, 

 a special track has been made for them, skirting the 

 Common, and passing down one of the finest avenues. 

 It may save the grass from being too much cut up, but 

 to those who don't feel called to gallop across the Com- 

 mon, the loss of the green sward under the tall feathery 



