Streatham Online

Professor Joseph Obi Unveils 2014 MEP Candidacy

2009-10-31T07:10:00.001-07:00

Wellness FM can exclusively confirm that Professor Joseph Obi will be officially contesting for a European Parliamentary (MEP) Seat in the year 2014.

Please kindly continue to eagerly visit the Official EU Candidacy Campaign Website of Dr Joseph Obi at www.obi-1.com - for further information about the Latest Political Project of Professor Joseph Chikelue Obi.

Streatham People | Showbiz Celebrity Update (2009 - Oct) | Streatham Inspirational Music Icons | Streathamite Speech Debelle Wins Top Music Prize.

2009-10-19T06:29:00.000-07:00

Streatham People Update : Streatham Girl Speech Debelle Wins The Mercury Music Prize (2009)

Streatham Online | Streatham People | Streatham Review.

Dr Joseph Obi : " Speech Debelle is Warm, Youthful and Totally Listenable.

Like all musicians worth listening to, the Highly Enigmatic Miss Debelle magnetically draws you into her very own universe . . . and ultimately makes you exceedingly glad that you boldly visited it. "

Streatham : The Online Property Revolution Finally Commences : Streatham's Top Celebrity Property Guru (Sarah Beeny) Launches 0% Commission Website !

2009-10-16T09:51:00.000-07:00

" Tepilo is an alternative way to buy and sell your home and it's free.

You maintain 100% control and pay 0% commission when you sell !

Search across the UK and get advice from me along the way. . . "

x x x Sarah x x x

Streatham Online happily understands that Streatham Serial Entrepreneur and Top Television Presenter, Miss Sarah Beeny , is soon set to make Streatham the Online Property Marketing Capital of the World . . . via the fabulous launch of her latest Internet Venture - Tepilo.com.

Despite recently giving birth to her FOURTH SON (a few days ago) - the indomitable Miss Beeny has already started enjoying Exceedingly Successful Property Sales via Tepilo.com.

The bottomline message is loud and clear , Folks : Why waste Oodles (and Oodles) of Time (plus Money) desperately trying to sell your current property , when the Outrageously-Charming (and Highly-Industrious) Miss Beeny can eclectically do it for you - For FREE !!! ??? !!!

Streatham Parliamentary Election Candidate Course : Political Lecture 1 : How Not To Handle An 'X-Rated' Parliamentary Expenses Scandal . . .

2009-10-09T10:38:00.000-07:00

Former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith (of the UK Labour Party) has admitted she quit the cabinet partly because of the expenses row over pornography watched by her husband.

At the time , Ms Smith's aides said she was leaving to concentrate on retaining her constituency and "for her family".

But, speaking in the wake of her resignation six weeks ago, she told the Guardian newspaper that the pornography scandal had been a factor.

Ms Smith, the Labour Party MP for Redditch, said: "It's part of the reason I resigned."

She added: "You become a person who is associated with these things."

Describing herself as "the poster girl for the expenses scandal", she continued: "My whole life has been about trying to do the right thing and this is hung around my neck."

"Will it ever go away? I don't know if it ever will."

Ms Smith also revealed she had previously argued with her husband and office manager Richard Timney over the morality of watching pornography.

She said: "I would say to him I think porn is wrong because of my feminist background."

"It didn't happen a lot, I was much more angry with him about the fact we had not properly checked the expense claim [which included the explicit films] than about the film."

Ms Smith also said the UK Labour Government had become distracted by the row over the how long terrorist suspects should be held without charge.

Asked if anything gave her sleepless nights, she replied: " 42-day detention for terror suspects."

"I'm not sure the effort and political capital and time we used on it was justified even had we been successful in getting it through.

"We spent too long on it and it distorted the focus we had on terrorism."

But the Former (UK Labour Party) Home Secretary insisted she did a good job.

"I left the Home Office a better place in terms of morale, ability to communicate, punch its weight", she added.

Following Ms Smith's resignation in June, she told the BBC World Service's The Interview programme that the pressure on her family had been "horrible" but subsequent revelations about all MPs' expenses showed she had not been "the worst sinner".

Source: BBC

* Important Public Information *

With Immediate Effect , the Streatham Parliamentary Election Candidate Course will henceforth be officially known as the UK Parliamentary Election Candidate Course ; so that every UK Parliamentary Election Candidate can potentially benefit from it - irrespective of Fundamental Political Persuasion.

The Chief Strategist of the Parliamentary Election Candidate Course is Professor Joseph Chikelue Obi.

* Very Important Course Update : 12th of October 2009*

Former (UK Labour Party) Home Secretary Jacqui Smith MP has finally apologised 'unreservedly' to Parliament over her expenses claims . . . after being ORDERED to do so by the Top Parliamentary Watchdog.

Please kindly Click Here to read the Full 'Jacqui Smith Report' and it's Associated Order.

Jacqui Smith (UK Labour Party MP) : "I want to apologise unreservedly to the House - as I have to my constituents - for wrongly claiming for the cost of films alongside my broadband and cable connection. This claim should never have been made and, as the committee notes, I paid back the claim in full as soon as it was brought to my attention."

* Additional Important Course Update : 12th of October 2009* (Source : Daily Telegraph )

Jacqui Smith's career facing ruin after devastating expenses verdict.

Should Top Labour Party Parliamentarian Jacqui Smith (MP) immediately re-mortgage this Palatial Redditch Mansion (of hers) ; and urgently pay us back Every Single Ha'penny of our £116,000 - in Cool Crispy Cash ?

Please Kindly Click Here to Publicly Have Your Say !!!

Jacqui Smith’s political future was facing ruin tonight after the House of Commons watchdog passed a devastating verdict on her expense claims and her own police support officers contradicted her claims about her movements.

The former Home Secretary offered a grudging apology in the Commons after the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards ruled she was wrong to nominate her West Midlands property, where her family lives, as her second home.

Ms Smith defended her accusations, saying the report vindicated her claim that she spent substantial amounts of time in the London home owned by her sister.

But in a damning verdict, John Lyon revealed that the police had questioned the veracity of of the former Home Secretary after their records showed the number of nights she spent in London varied with Ms Smith’s account.

He says that “for 2008/9, the police figures suggested that Ms Smith had spent 37 more nights in Redditch than she had in London, whereas her diary estimates suggested that the difference was 9 nights”. Other figures for 2007/8 suggest she spent 12 more nights in Redditch than in London.

Ms Smith told the Commons that “in retrospect” the decision to designate her sister’s property was wrong and apologised. She also apologised for claiming for adult films. Mr Lyon found that she had overclaimed by a further £185.20 for “entertainment items” as part of her cable TV and internet subscription.

The report is highly embarrassing for Ms Smith and could increase the chances of her standing down from her highly marginal Redditch constituency before the General Election. She said nothing of her political future today, although her constituency insisted she intended to stand.

However, MPs on the Standards and Privileges committee decided not to make her pay back money because “it is impossible to quantify” the financial implications of her decision or say “with any certainty whether the taxpayer is any worse or better off as a result.”

Ms Smith has claimed at least £116,000 in second-home allowances over the period examined.

Mr Lyon concluded that between June 28, 2007, and March 31, 2009, she spent more nights at her Redditch home than the London property.

He added: “Ms Smith did not give sufficient weight either to the objective overnights test or to the need to consider whether she was an exception to the rule.” He added that this is “not in accordance with the rules of the House at the time.”

He continued: “In my judgement, Ms Smith misdirected herself by focusing on the nature and location of her job (where she spent her long working day) and not the nature and location of her overnight accommodation (where she went whenever her working life allowed).

“As a result, Ms Smith reached a mistaken interpretation of her the term 'main home' which, on any objective view, did not fit her personal circumstances and which was therefore contrary to the purpose as well as to the letter of the rule.”

Ms Smith and her aides responded by attacking Mr Lyon. In the report, she said Mr Lyon “appeared to be heavily influenced by subjective judgments” and that she followed advice of the Commons fees office at all times.

She added: “I am disappointed that this process has not led to a fairer set of conclusions, based on objective and consistent application of the rules as they were at the time.”

The Standards and Privileges Committee said Ms Smith should not have relied on the fees office advice and should have taken a “broader view of her situation than she did,” adding that the advice they gave was flawed because in referring to “time” rather than “nights” it “underplayed the importance of the overnight test.” They ordered her to apologise.

Local Citizens Angrily Protest Against 'Baroness Smith of Redditch'.

Streatham : Labour Member of Parliament : Keith Hill : His Parliamentary Voting Legacy to Streathamites.

2009-10-05T18:07:00.000-07:00

* Keith Hill MP : Voted against a Transparent Parliament.
* Keith Hill MP : Voted for introducing ID Cards.
* Keith Hill MP : Voted against allowing Gurkha Veterans to live in the UK.
* Keith Hill MP : Voted for introducing Foundation Hospitals.
* Keith Hill MP : Voted for introducing Student Top-Up Fees.
* Keith Hill MP : Voted for Labour's (Abusive) Anti-Terrorism Laws.
* Keith Hill MP : Voted in favour of the Iraq War.
* Keith Hill MP : Voted against investigating the Iraq War.

Streatham Politics : The Keith Hill 'Gravy-Train' : Sitting Labour MP Technically Abandons Streatham.

2009-10-04T09:46:00.000-07:00

Keith Hill has been the Labour MP for Streatham since 1992.

He also served as a Junior UK Government Housing Minister and is soon due to retire at the Next General Election ; on a Lavish Multiple Pension Package plus a Highly Substantial Range of Generous Labour Government Quango Allowances.

Streatham Online is therefore exceedingly concerned to note that Mr Hill has already begun to eagerly familiarise himself with his new duties as Board Chairman of Lambeth Living - a (part-time) position which carries an Annual Basic Stipend of £10,000 plus other Fabulous Perks.

What this Technically Means is that Streatham will not have 100% Effective Parliamentary Representation right up till the Next General Election.

His appointment will additionally be seen as being politically controversial ; considering his position as a Career Labour Politician , who was hired by the (Labour-Run) Lambeth Local Government Council - to corporately direct All Lambeth Social Housing Projects . . . in a role which is supposed to be Politically Impartial.

Firebrand Streathamites are hereby ethically advised to take due note of this (Wreckless) 'Constituency Abandonment' ; most especially when appropriately casting all of their Future Political Votes.

Thank You.

Streatham Election Candidate Rahoul Bhansali : Contact Details : Send Him Your Thoughts . . .

2009-10-04T09:13:00.000-07:00

Rahoul Bhansali.

Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Streatham.

Postal Address : 3 Gleneldon Road, London, SW16 2AX ,UK.

Tel: 020 8769 6066

Email: sca@tory.org

Web: www.streathamconservatives.com

Professor Joseph Chikelue Obi Urges Mass Tory Vote.

2009-10-02T16:14:00.001-07:00

Formidable Streatham Politician , Professor Joseph Chikelue Obi , is said to be energetically urging All Firebrand Streathamites to decisively return Streatham Parliamentary Constituency back to the Conservatives ; at the Next General Election.

A Detailed Public Statement is due to be released shortly.

Thank You.

Streatham Election Candidates Update : Labour Party swiftly crashes out of Public Favour ; as Lib Dems fiercely commence battle with the Tories . . .

2009-10-02T14:55:00.000-07:00

Updated Interim Poll Result (October 2nd 2009) :

If a UK Parliamentary General Election were to be held today , 3 out of 10 Sampled Streatham Constituents would firmly back the Liberal Democrats , 2 out of 10 Sampled Streatham Constituents would avidly throw their support behind the Labour Party , while 5 out of every 10 Sampled Streatham Constituents would decisively vote for Conservative Party Parliamentary Candidate Rahoul Bhansali.

Political Interpretation : The UK Labour Party is no longer a Very Serious Contender in the Upcoming Streatham Parliamentary Election . . . which is now provisionally appearing to be a sensational race between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.

Please note that these Interim Poll Results are strictly for information purposes only.

Streatham Online : Samantha Orabator is now the Proud Mother of a Beautiful Little Girl !

2009-10-02T14:46:00.000-07:00

Streatham Online can ethically confirm that South Londoner Samantha Orobator recently safely gave birth to a bouncing baby girl.

We would like to publicly thank all those of you who boldly supported our direct petition to His Most Grcious Excellency the Honorable President of Laos.

The Lesson is Clear : Please Stay Away from Cocaine , Heroine and other Dangerous Drugs !!!

Streatham Candidate Rahoul Bhansali Publicly Outlines His Top Ten Pledges For Streatham .

2009-10-02T14:30:00.000-07:00

I would be honoured to represent our constituency as your Member of Parliament. It would be a sincere privilege to serve and represent every single person in the community.

Politics has suffered in recent weeks as it has become clear that certain Members have chosen to serve themselves rather than their communities.

I believe that it is time for a change and we need change at the top. This political crisis has been caused by the politicians, so it’s not the case that politicians alone can solve it. The public have got to be involved. They have to be given a chance to voice their anger and approve of a new way forward.

We need transparency in public life, if elected we will have regular local forums where you can hold me to account. As your Parliamentary Candidate I want you to be able to judge me on the following pledges:

1. I will always put your interests above party political interest

2. I will hold regular public meetings within the constituency where you can hold me to account

3. I will never use public money to employ a member of my family

4. I will publish details of all my expenses as soon as they are submitted, only real transparency will restore faith in the political process

5. I will make my home in our constituency and I will not claim for any second home

6. I will not use public money to distribute a party political message

7. I will be realistic and reasonable when making promises to you

8. I will never vote for a third runway at Heathrow, compulsory ID cards or to limit the scope of the Freedom of Information Act

9. I will be approachable and understanding and always willing to listen to any constructive criticism that you may have

10. I will work hard for all of my constituents regardless their political views and I will tell you my real opinions, even when I know we will disagree

Rahoul Bhansali
Your Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Streatham

Streatham Online | Save Samantha Orobator | Write Directly To The Lao President | Save Samantha !

2009-05-03T14:34:00.000-07:00

The best way to help Samantha Orobator is to quickly write directly to the Military President of Lao , via the following address :

HE General Choummaly Sayasone
President of Lao and Leader of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party
c/o HE Ambassador Phiane Philakone
Embassy of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic
2222 S St. NW
Washington, DC 20008
Email Address: laoembas@gmail.com
Phone: +1 (202) 328 9148 +1 (202) 667 0187
Consular Office: +1 (202) 667 0076
Fax: +1 (202) 232 1208
Website : http://www.laoembassy.com

* Click here to listen to her Tearful Mother's Plea for Mercy !

* IMPORTANT SAMANTHA UPDATE * :

* THE FOREIGN MINISTER OF LAO WILL BE VISITING LONDON (ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS) WITHIN THE NEXT 72-96 HOURS (OR SO).*

* PLEASE KINDLY ENSURE THAT MAYOR BORIS JOHNSON GRACIOUSLY REMEMBERS TO POLITELY INVITE HIM TO TEA !!! *

" Slash The British National Party ! ? ! " | Not In Our Name | Streatham Rejects Political Violence . . .

2009-04-23T16:43:00.000-07:00

Further to the Highly Unedifying Recent Media Coverage in relation to Mob-Like Taunts of 'Slash The BNP' , which shockingly occurred during the 10th Anniversary of the Brixton Nail Bomb Tragedy ; we would warmly advise that Mr Chuka Umunna urgently desists from indirectly giving the (Fascist) British National Party (BNP) so much Free Global Publicity - at almost every single public opportunity.

Streatham's other Parliamentary Candidate (Rahoul Bhansali) also proudly hails from an Ethnic Minority Background ; but you hardly ever hear Rahoul desperately hollering on about how the BNP is also consistently trying to emasculate the Living Daylights out of him too.

Streatham Online : Why We Are Firmly Supporting Rahoul Bhansali As Our Favourite Parliamentary Candidate For Streatham ( *Not Chuka Umunna ) . . .

2009-04-22T04:13:00.000-07:00

Our main concern (at the moment) is whether Streatham is really ready for yet another 'Great Thinker' ; especially at this particular time.

What Streatham ultimately needs right now is an 'Action Man' who can urgently restore it to it's Former (Socio-Economic) Glory.

The other Streatham Candidate (Rahoul Bhansali) may (indeed) not necessarily be as flashy as Chuka Umunna ; but at least Rahoul does seem to be quite satisfied with the notion of comprehensively concentrating on Streatham's Fundamental Needs - rather than simply using Downtrodden Streathamites as a Formidable Launchpad for Higher Political Office (elsewhere).

Professor Joseph Obi | "Michelle Obama Is Iconic."

2009-04-22T01:10:00.000-07:00

Professor Joseph Obi : "American First Lady Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama is (undoubtedly) an Iconic Political Inspiration to us all."

Professor Joseph Chikelue Revamps Official Website

2009-04-20T04:08:00.000-07:00

Celebrity Wellness Guru and Human Rights Activist Professor Joseph Chikelue Obi recently overhauled his Official Show Business Website.

Please kindly visit www.JosephChikelueObi.com for Further Information .

Web Browsers must be Flash-Enabled in order to view the Joseph Chikelue Obi Showbiz Site.

Professor Joseph Chikelue Obi warmly awaits your Feedback.

Enjoy !

Joseph Chikelue : "Controversy Heralds Greatness."

2009-04-20T04:01:00.000-07:00

" No one in the hallowed history of Planet Earth has ever (ever,ever) created anything great - without an awful lot of Controversy . . ."

The Rt Hon Professor Joseph Obi

Chikelue Obi | Doctor Most Defiant | Dr Survivor

2009-04-20T03:42:00.001-07:00

Here is just a teeny-weeny little update concerning what the Powers-That-Be really (really) think about GMC Opposition Leader Dr Joseph Chikelue Obi FRCAM(Dublin) :

"The first thing which momentously strikes you about Joseph Chikelue Obi is his totally unique ability to effortlessly mingle where Angels even fear to tread.

That Guy is Fearless - Absolutely Fearless."

- Permanent Secretary , British Government , Whitehall , London

"Dr Joseph Chikelue Obi is a Survivor , not a Saint "

- Tabloid Newspaper Editor , Europe.

"Professor Joseph Chikelue Obi is Solid Living Proof that a Fully Qualified Medical Doctor can still be successful in countless other professional areas outside the field of Orthodox Clinical Medicine."

- University Vice Chancellor

"Professor Joseph Chikelue Obi spells very (very) serious trouble for us - He must be stopped immediately !"

-General Medical Council (GMC) Boss , London , UK

"Dr Joseph Chikelue Obi will probably go down in history as the Most Intrepid Medical Rebel of all time . . ."

- British Medical Association (BMA) Stalwart

"Joseph Chikelue Obi is simply unstoppable ; whatever anyone tries to do to him.

If you really can't handle that fact , then go take a flying leap into the Grand Canyon or someplace else"

- Seasoned International Diplomat

"At last we now have a Black British Doctor who is not afraid of holding the General Medical Council to account for all of it's racist atrocities over the past few centuries - Long live Professor Joseph Chikelue Obi"

- Ethnic Minority Leader , National Health Service (NHS)

"I simply cannot believe that you are just going to sit there smiling and let all of these Racists get away with this. Press charges against both them and the GMC , for heaven's sake. Sue them all . . . Do Something before they ruin you !!! "

- The totally embarrassed Senior Northumbria Police Officer who carefully verified all of Professor Joseph Obi 's Qualifications and gave him a clean bill of health , after a (Headline Hungry) Racist Newspaper Journalist (with very strong links to the UK Most Racist Political Party) conned him (and many others) into thinking that Dr Joseph Chikelue Obi was an UberQuack.

Professor Joseph Chikelue Obi : About The Guy ! ! !

2009-04-20T03:30:00.000-07:00

*About Dr Joseph Chikelue Obi

Professor Dr Joseph Chikelue Obi is a Qualified Wellness Consultant and Retired Medical Doctor who has successfully passed all steps of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) , inclusive of Step 3 (for Permanent Licensure) and the Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA).

His USMLE/FSMB ID is 0-618-064-0 and he presently still maintains Active Physician Practising Licenses in certain countries where he personally chooses to do a lot of Charitable Medical Work.

He has a fully accredited Master of Public Health (MPH) Degree and is also currently the Chief Political Strategist of a Major International Campaign to promote the ethical use of Evidence Based Alternative Medicine.

Kindly endeavour to duly visit either www.ClinicalSchool.org or www.lulu.com/obi for more details about what he is into.

Joseph Chikelue Obi : Streatham's Most Lethal Political Battleaxe Sensationally Strikes Again !

2009-04-20T03:22:00.000-07:00

Chief Political Strategist of the Alternative Medicine Fights Back Campaign , Dr Joseph Chikelue Obi , has maverickly brushed aside recent attempts to discredit him based on Politically-Sponsored News Articles.

Speaking in Belfast where he is currently enjoying a wonderful weekend , the Rt Hon Laird Provost (of RCAM) triumphantly quipped :

" When I was told that the Enemies of Alternative Medicine had recruited 5000 (Five Thousand) Bloggers to write rubbish about me 24 hours a day , ( every single day of the year ) , I said OK . . . Let's wait and see precisely what they will say . . . (Because in my view , it is a perfectly Good Military Tactic to sit back and watch them all come creeping out of the woodwork , so that I know precisely what their capabilities are).

So they came all creeping out like Vermin . . . All 5000 of them.

They Googled . They Wriggled. They Spat. They Cursed . . . and They Left.

Now , after speedreading almost everything which they have callously written ,the bottom-line is that they have sadly just wasted their time.

These Skeptics have woefully achieved nothing . . . absolutely nothing indeed . "

Naomi Campbell | SuperModel | Celebrity Health Guru | Mother of Twins ,Triplets & Quadruplets

2009-04-17T06:22:00.000-07:00

VIP Gossip Purveyors at Streatham Online are impeccably informed that our very own Fabulously Adorable Supermodel Naomi Campbell might ultimately commence formal training to become a Celebrity Health Guru - after , (of course) , she has seriously mothered a few equally beautiful Twins ,Triplets or Quadruplets and gloriously retired from the International Fashion Catwalk.

All of this will (hopefully) be in sensational addition to the long-awaited launch of her exceedingly inspirational range of Health (and Beauty) Products.

You heard it here first . . . Dr Naomi cometh !

Dr Joseph Chikelue Obi publicly defends Top International SuperModel Naomi Campbell

2009-04-17T06:15:00.000-07:00

Controversial Black British Human Rights Activist, Dr Joseph Obi , has publicly defended Fellow Streathamite Supermodel Naomi Campbell over her recent brushes with the Law.

Speaking in response to countless questions posed during a recent Social Event, the irrepressible Professor Obi was widely quoted as saying :

" My tender heart sincerely goes out to Naomi during this exceedingly stressful period for her.

All those who are wickedly provoking her ought to be thoroughly ashamed of themselves ; as (in my humble opinion) , the only crime which Miss Campbell really seems to have ever committed is that of being a Highly Successful Beautiful Black Supermodel. "

Streathamites of Note . . .

2009-04-15T09:11:00.000-07:00

The only official English Heritage Blue Plaque in Central Streatham is on the childhood home of composer Sir Arnold Bax in Pendennis Road. Just within the modern boundaries of Streatham Hill, although historically it was in Norwood, there is also a blue plaque on the house in Lanercost Road where Arthur Mee the writer of Arthur Mee's Children's Encyclopedia lived.

Perhaps because of its good late night transport connections to the West End, and the availability of apartments as well as family houses, Streatham and nearby Brixton Hill have attracted entertainers to live in the area since the days of Music Hall.

There is a Streatham Society plaque to the birthplace of comedian Tommy Trinder at 54 Wellfield Road. Others with local connections include actors Roger Moore, Simon Callow, Peter Davison, Nicholas Clay and June Whitfield, saucy seaside postcard artist Donald McGill and alternative comedians Eddie Izzard, Jeremy Hardy, Paul Merton and "housewives favourite" actor Neil Pearson.

Naomi Campbell, the archetypal supermodel, went to Dunraven Comprehensive School in Streatham and lived in the nearby Norbury part of SW16.

Also from the world of fashion Sir Norman Hartnell, dressmaker to the Queen, was born in Streatham. The Dior fashion designer John Galliano spent some of his youth in Streatham before moving to nearby Dulwich.

Television property expert Sarah Beeny has lived in Streatham for many years.

Aleister Crowley, later dubbed "The Wickedest Man In the World", spent his teenage years during the 1880s in Streatham at a house opposite the present ice rink.

Drum and Bass DJ Grooverider is from Streatham as is the first Mayor of London and former head of the GLC Ken Livingstone.

Cynthia Payne is a renowned "madam" who made the headlines in the 1970s and 1980s with her brothel in Ambleside Avenue, Streatham.

Afghan warlord Zardad Khan lived in Gleneagle Road, Streatham, before his arrest in 2003. Siobhan Dowd the author lived in Abbotsford Road, Streatham (1960-1978).

Beryl Kingston, popular novelist, lived at Strathbrook Road, Streatham, from 1956 - 1980 and taught at what was then Rosa Bassett School in Welham Road, and also at Sunnyhill Primary School.

The World's Most Controversial Medical Doctor , Joseph Chikelue Obi , was also born and bred in Streatham - where he mischievously kept all of the Totally Aghast Teachers exceedingly busy indeed - at St Andrew's Roman Catholic Primary School (along Streatham's Polworth Road).

Streatham

2009-04-15T09:03:00.000-07:00

Streatham is a place in the London Borough of Lambeth in the United Kingdom .

It is an inner London suburb situated south of Brixton.

Streatham is 5.5 miles (8.8 km) south of Charing Cross.

Streatham means "the hamlet on the street". The street in question started as the Roman Road from the capital Londinium to the coast near Portslade. It is likely that the destination was a Roman port now lost to coastal erosion, which has been tentatively identified with the 'Novus Portus' mentioned in Ptolemy's Geographia.

The road is confusingly referred to as Stane Street in some sources, although it diverges from the main London-Chichester road at Kennington.

After the departure of the Romans, the main road through Streatham remained an important trackway. From the seventeenth century it was adopted as the main coach road to Croydon and East Grinstead, and then on to Newhaven and Lewes. In 1780 it then became the route of the turnpike road from London to Brighton, and subsequently became the basis for the modern A23. This road (and its traffic) have shaped Streatham's development.

Streatham's first parish church, St Leonard's, dates back to Saxon times, although only the mediaeval tower remains in the present church. The mediaeval parish covered an extensive area, including most of modern Balham and parts of Tooting.

Streatham appears in Domesday Book of 1086 as Estreham. It was held by Bec-Hellouin Abbey (in Normandy) from Richard de Tonbrige. Its domesday assets were: 2 hides and 1 virgates; 6½ ploughs, 4 acres (16,000 m2) of meadow, and herbage. It rendered £4 5s 0d.

The village remained largely unchanged until the 18th century, when the village's natural springs, known as Streatham Wells, were first celebrated for their health giving properties. The reputation of the spa, and improved turnpike roads, attracted wealthy City of London merchants and others to lay out their country residences in Streatham. Few of these large houses still remain, as the area was rapidly urbanised as London expanded.

Between the First World War and the Second World War Streatham developed as location for entertainment, with Streatham Hill Theatre (now a bingo hall), three cinemas, the Locarno ballroom (now Caesar's nightclub) and Streatham Ice Rink all adding to its reputation as "the West End of South London".

With the advent of electric tram services it also grew as a shopping centre serving a wide area to the south. In the 1930s large numbers of apartment blocks were constructed along the Main Street (High Road). These speculative developments were not initially successful. They were only filled when émigré communities began to arrive in London after leaving countries under the domination of Hitler's Germany.

In 1932 the parish church of the Holy Redeemer was built in Streatham Vale to commemorate the work of William Wilberforce

In the 1950s Streatham had the longest and busiest shopping street in south London. Streatham was the site of the first Waitrose supermarket, which opened in 1955. However a combination of factors led to a gradual decline through the 1970s and a more rapid decline in the 1980s. These included long term population movements out to Croydon, Kingston and Sutton; the growth of heavy traffic on the A23 (main road from central London to Gatwick Airport and Brighton), and a lack of redevelopment sites in the town centre. This culminated in 1990 when the closure of Pratts - a department store, which had grown from a Victorian draper's shop, and had been operated since the 1940s by the John Lewis Partnership - coincided with the opening of a large Sainsbury's supermarket 1 km south of the town centre, replacing an old, smaller Sainbury's store opposite Streatham Hill station.

More recently Sainsbury's opened a smaller 'Local' branches on the High Road and on Streatham Hill, near the site of the Streatham's first Sainsbury store (opened in 1895). The company also has offices in Streatham. Other fairly recent additions, such as Argos, are located on the site of Pratts' (see above) but the retail recovery has been slow, and vacant space has been taken by a growing number of restaurants and bars. The High Road's Woolworths store, closed late on 27 December, 2008, when the company ceased trading.Within a month, the site was occupied by a 99p Store.

Streatham is a place of contrasts, with middle class families occupying houses in leafy streets that fetch over £500,000 while there are large amounts of asylum seekers, predominantly from north and east African countries.

In September 2002, Streatham High Road was voted the "Worst Street in Britain" in a poll organised by the BBC Today programme and CABE. This largely reflected the dominance of through traffic along the High Road. On a positive note this was a catalyst for Lambeth Council and Transport for London's Street Management to start co-operating, and there is now a joint funding arrangement for ongoing streetscape improvements, although spending has been slowed because of TfL's budgetary shortfall.

Investment and regeneration had begun before the poll, with local amenity group The Streatham Society leading a successful partnership bid for funding from central government for environmental improvements. Work started in winter 2003-04 with the refurbishment of Streatham Green and repaving and relighting of the High Road. In 2005 Streatham Green won the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association 'London Spade' award for best public open space scheme in the capital.

Streatham Festival was founded in 2002. Now in its sixth year, it is a two-week festival with over 50 events held in an array of locations, from bars to churches and parks to youth centres, attracting over 3,000 people.