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I've often wondered why the boys' school along Beechcroft Road is called "Ernest Bevin". Happily there's a strong "Wandsworth Common" angle to the answer.
Ernest Bevin was Minister of Labour and National Service in Churchill's War Cabinet and later Foreign Secretary in the Attlee post-war Labour government.
In 1940 he was a prominent trade union leader. But to incorporate him in the coalition government, Bevin had to become an MP.
A safe seat was needed - fast.
And "Wandsworth Central" (which then included the western half of Wandsworth Common, as far as the railway line) duly obliged. Harry Nathan, the incumbent (Labour) MP was elevated to the hereditary peerage as 1st Lord Nathan.
A by-election was hurriedly arranged and Bevin was elected unopposed.
Not like that today, eh!
All best
Philip
- Wikipedia: Ernest Bevin
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wandsworth_Central_(UK_Parliament_constituency)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Nathan,_1st_Baron_Nathan