LETTER FROM THE CHAIR From Halloween to Christmas and New Year this is a very busy time for all of us. Remembrance Sunday was well attended and a wreath was laid by Geoff Howland on behalf of the Society at the War Memorial. He cleaned up our Poppy Memorial in Elmfield Gardens which provides a focal point of remembrance in the High Street and is particularly apt as this year is the centenary of the Battle of Passchendaele. Did you notice all the huge red poppies on lamp posts throughout the town put up by Shane Thompson of Holmes & Daughters and the Royal British Legion? Next year Shane means to turn the whole town red! Some of us have changed our roles in the Society. Judy Asher is now maintaining the website and has handed Minuting over to Nick Picton. Photo journalist Peter Denton has joined us as Vice Chairman. Most importantly as you will read overleaf we are saying goodbye and thanks for all the good tidings to Donald Bell who has raised the standard of our quarterly magazine hugely and will be extremely hard to replace. If you would like to step into his shoes please get in touch with me. Teddington800 comes to a close but leaves behind wonderful memories, lots of new friends made and new members for the Society. Huge congratulations to Anne McTear and the Organising Committee. We'll give a round up of their events and successes next time.

Meanwhile our History Banners will go on show next year. A tour de force by Paddy Ching with input from Ken Howe, John Sheaf, Pieter Morpurgo and me they've been much admired at the NPL, the Landmark and the Library. We always need new members so why not try and enrol your friends and neighbours? You can find details online or get membership forms from us. Or give membership as a Christmas present. Remembering the famous Two Ronnies “4 Candles” sketch, I note that the RHS has cards depicting: Fork Handles, Tree Kings & Hoe Hoe Hoe for all you Teddington gardeners out there.

So from all of us to all of you a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and see you at the NEW YEAR PARTY.

SHEENA

CORPORATE MEMBERS 1 of 1 100 High Street AlphaVet Surgery Architecture:wk Art Historical London Beechgrove Press British Maritime Technology Broom Water Association Byrne Group PLC Churcham House LLP Curves Dexters Estate Agents Elements Hair Salon Elleray Hall Social Club Elmfield House Dental Practice Fairwater House Residents Association Harmer Slater (Roger Sutton &Co.) Home Instead Senior Care Kagan Moss & Co, Solicitors Kindle Stoves La Casa Del Habano Landmark Arts Centre Langdon Down Centre Lensbury Club Lifestyle Residences Ltd Mela Mela Milestone Residential National Physical Laboratory Park Lane Stables Park Road Surgery Parsonage &Co., Solicitors Patrick O’Donovan (Maritime & Commercial Arbitrator) Quantum Group Shambles Bar and Restaurant Sims (Opticians) Ltd Snellers Estate Agents Squires Garden Centre St Mary's University Stepping on Out Stevens Tyres Stone Rowe Brewer, Solicitors Stoneydeep Residents Association Tamesis Club Teddington Cricket Club Teddington Artists Teddington Bowling Club Teddington Carpet Centre Teddington Choral Society Teddington Funeral Care Teddington Rugby Club Teddington Theatre Club The Fallow Deer The Financial Planning Group The French Tarte The Friends of Udney Park Playing Fields The Lensbury Club The Park Hotel The Strawberry Hill Trust The Tree Agency Turing House School TW11 Magazine Zeldaland

Membership Renewals for 2018 Subscriptions will be due on January 1st 2018. Please note that to keep costs down we will not be sending membership cards to everyone. • If you already pay by standing order – thank you!

Please check this is still set up correctly as in 2017 we had several people who thought they had paid by standing order but on checking had not! If you have given us an email address we hope to confirm receipt in January. Otherwise we will send a membership card with the next Tidings.

• You can renew your membership online at www.teddingtonsociety.org.uk and you will receive a confirmation email

• To renew by cheque - post to the secretary and send an SAE if you would like a membership card.

• Please add £3.50 for postage if you live outside the TW11 area or if we need to post your newsletter (eg you live in a block of flats where our deliverers can not easily gain access).

• Set up a standing order. You can download a form from www.teddingtonsociety.org.uk and send this to the membership secretary

Membership rates will remain unchanged for 2018 Individual: £7, Couple/family: £11 Senior: Individual £4, couple: £5, Corporate: £25 Payments and queries to Jenny Michell, 5 Broom Park, Teddington TW11 9RN. tel: 020 8977 0772 email: members@teddingtonsociety.org.uk We welcome the following new members: Patricia Barrott Claire Barrott Jennifer and Geoff Opie

Jacqueline and Richard Gibbon Terence Mattick Vivienne Tate

And a new corporate member John O’Neill – Churcham House LLP

TEDDINGTON MUGS This is how our Teddington Society coffee mugs have evolved over the years, with the latest on the right.

These latest very attractive bone china coffee mugs, shown on their own, would make a useful Christmas stocking filler and can be bought from the Teddington Society stall in the Cedar Road car park on "Christmas Lights Up" evening for just £5. The Teddington Society tea towel will also be on sale, again for just £5. (The coffee mugs can, of course, be purchased at any time of the year from Stevens Tyres at 25 Church Road, Teddington.)

The Teddington Society 1 Avenue Road, Teddington TW11 0BT Reg. Charity No. 802026 www.teddingtonsociety.org.uk President - Jenny Hilton Vice Presidents: Roger Avins, John Demont, Paddy Ching Chairman Sheena Harold 020 8977 2700 sam.harold@hotmail.com Vice Chairman and Twitter Peter Denton pd.tedsoc@fastmail.com Secretary and Minutes- Nick Picton tedsocsecnic@gmail.com Treasurer Sally Howland 020 8977 9404 sally.howland@btinternet.com Publicity & Promotions (inc. Gardens) Sheena Harold Membership Secretary Jenny Michell 020 8977 0772 members@teddingtonsociety.org.uk

Website – Judy Asher Magazine Editor - Donald Bell editor.tidings@gmail.com Film - Alan Rolph Planning Group Veronica Laughrin vronl@hotmail.co.uk Roads and Transport Group Brian Holder 020 8977 1579 brianholder99@aol.com Environment Group Geoff Howland 020 8977 9404 geoff.howland@btinternet.com History Group Dick Hughes 020 8977 0653 gillyhughes580@btinternet.com Riverside and Open Spaces Andy Weston andyandjaneweston@yahoo.com Flood Working Group Brian Holder Outings Pamela McHutchon

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR The theme of the Teddington Society, printed on the front page of every edition of Tidings magazine is “making Teddington an even better place to live and work”. In the Bell household we have a constant stream of visitors from far away (mainly America and Scotland, seeking free accommodation). Most come with the intention of “exploring London”, but quickly succumb to the charms of the High Street, the Thames and Bushy Park, envious of our good fortune. In this issue of Tidings, you will find descriptions of the many activities that will be taking place over the Christmas and New Year period. I hope you will enjoy them and possibly make some unexpected new friends. Or look out for someone who needs your friendship. Over the last few years, I have had a wonderful time working with the Teddington Society and editing this Magazine. I have had lots of stories written by people whose names appear here, not to mention the hundreds of memorable photos that have crossed my desk. The website, and now the Twitter account, are becoming more important and they offer additional services that a quarterly magazine cannot provide. So this will be my fourteenth, and last, edition of Tidings. I would like to thank the many people who have contributed materials, advice and constructive criticism over that period, helping to make Tidings “even better”.

THE ADELAIDE

Many congratulations to the Adelaide pub and landlady Mariana Craciun, who won a gold award in the pub category of this year’s Richmond in Bloom competition.

AU REVOIR ANGELA An Appreciation by Sheena Harold It is always a shock when someone dies unexpectedly, no matter their age, and that's what happened with Angela. I'd seen her only a few days before her fatal fall and it's hard to realise that she's gone. She'd been part of the Teddington Society scene for as long as I can remember. Angela's father was accountant to King George VI and had an office in Buckingham Palace. Young Angela used to go knocking on the door asking, "Can I come in and see my Dad?" The family lived in Clapham until WW2 when they moved out to Windsor to be near the Castle where her father then had an office in one of the state rooms. At Clapham High School Angela excelled in English, Music and Sport. One of her passions was travel, starting with a trip to France and going on to places such as Russia, China, India, Syria, Jordan, Petra, Canada and many more.

Angela was a journalist and one day was sent to interview a man who'd created a new furniture system – Brainco. She not only got the story but also the man! They had three children before emigrating to Majorca to set up a business there. The family returned to Wimbledon so that the children - Paul, Steve and Emily – could go to school. Sadly the marriage didn't last and Angela found

herself bringing up three children on her own, and in her 40s went back to work, this time at the Civic Trust. After some 20 years she moved to Teddington and from 1995 took on organising our trips and outings. At the Celebration of her life at Strawberry Hill House on August 11th, Jas Bailey was due to speak but couldn't because of ill-health, so here's her tribute – one which will be echoed by many of you, I think: "It was always a pleasure to round the corner en-route to the library bus stop to see Angela, elegant and poised, clip board in hand, waiting to count us all aboard the waiting coach. Cool and calm, she made it all look so effortless, but it wasn't. She put in hours of work to make it happen. First the ideas, then worrying over numbers, collecting money, paying in cheques, ordering the right sized coach and

organising guides, boats, meals and suitable routes for the all-important coffee breaks. She did it all so well and we all had such memorable times. “Names are apt to escape but pictures of places are very clear. There was a lovely Tudor experience in Suffolk. The Elizabethan house complete with milkmaids, brewers, candlemakers, weavers, spinners and dyers was a joy. There was a horse drawn canal trip and another in the rain plus cream teas. We saw the Olympic park under construction (here our coach was boarded by a charming spaniel looking for explosives).

“We had lunch in the Middle Temple and other city adventures accompanied by a Blue Badge guide. There was a trip down the Thames from Richmond to the Chelsea Physic Garden and many other delights. Angela was always deeply interested in architecture and townscapes. She had a good eye for detail and an excellent memory. She kept up with the times and

always had interesting comments to make on what we were seeing and hearing. I miss her a lot, and I am sure we all do." If you would like to make a donation to charity in Angela's memory, the family have chosen www.shelter.org.uk and www.rnib.co.uk

LITTERPICKING INTERNATIONAL David Lawton I thought it might be useful to let you have a photo of Judith and me (on the right) taken after we had completed a 'pick' in another area of Britain.

This shot was taken on Ynyslas Beach in Wales, part of the Welsh National Nature Reserve. The superb dunes of Ynyslas are at the southern side of the Dyfi estuary which includes vast areas of internationally important mudflats, sandbanks and salt marsh that provide important feeding and roosting areas for wetland birds. Not far away is The RSPB Ynys-hir reserve.

TREES & GARDENS Sheena Harold ALAN DRAKE Over the years many of you will have visited Alan's garden in Teddington Park during Teddington In Flower. Having been ill for some time, sadly Alan has died. He was a lovely man, a keen actor and a talented gardener. He used to insist that he cut his lawns with nail scissors! We can only hope that the new owners of his property will maintain the garden for us to visit again. His funeral at Mortlake Crematorium was very well attended. AWARDS The grounds of Mortlake Crematorium are beautifully maintained, very attractive and soothing for visitors so I was delighted to see their Richmond In Bloom award proudly displayed in the waiting area. They entered as a Community Building and won Gold.

Among successful Teddington entries were: Mariana Craciun of the Adelaide who won Gold in the Hotel or Pub Exterior category. The Methodist Church and Elleray Hall in the Community Buildings category where both won Silver Gilt; in the Front Gardens category both Sally Howland and Brenda Virdee won Silver Gilt, while in the

Frontages category Diana Macdonald won Silver; in the Park 'n' Bloom category Dennis & Anne Strudwick won Gold and best in category; while in Estates Harrodene Gardens Nos. 1-132 won Gold. It would be lovely to see many more Teddington entries next year. NEW GARDENER IN CHARGE The new Gardener in Charge at Strawberry Hill House is Ashley Edwards and I'm happy to say he's picking up where his predecessors (Jen Sargintson & Kate Robinson) left off with our community project at the triangle at the junction of Hampton & Stanley Roads. Ashley and his volunteers will continue to look after the flower bed on Stanley Road side while we tend the one opposite the War Memorial. Equally good news is that the Methodist Church are joining in with our community

effort by allowing us to park when possible in their car park and use water from their outside tap. Both beds were looking lovely in time for the Remembrance Sunday Service. THE GAS MAN GONE Honouring their contract with the Council, the gas company removed all their stuff from the grass corner at the end of the High Street and Twickenham Road at the end of September and left it neat and tidy. I'm now asking if we can make it look better with some new shrub and bulb planting and new or repaired benches. AUTUMN HELP IN YOUR GARDEN With leaves cascading down from the trees there's a temptation to sweep them up but it's helpful to wildlife to leave some logs, branches, leaves and fallen fruit on the ground for animals and insects. The flowering heads of ivy are a great food source for nectar-hungry insects. Hedgehogs are getting rarer but will love some wet meaty cat or dog food put out in a bit of old drainpipe – and do make sure there are gaps under your fence for them to roam: they can cover 2-3 km in a night. Fun for all the family and it's helping our wildlife survive.

JANTHEA MOTOR YACHT Peter Denton A grand old lady comes to call A welcome visitor to Teddington Lock in recent weeks has been the motor yacht Janthea – one of the original Little Ships that sailed from here to Dunkirk in 1940.

Built in 1938 at a cost of £1,885, the Janthea (then sailing under her original name, Reda) was brought to Teddington and requisitioned for Dunkirk. After the evacuation she continued as an auxiliary patrol vessel until 1947, when she was re-registered. According to the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships, the Janthea “is still a very active member ship and is well known on the River Thames".

HISTORY GROUP Dick Hughes The last few months have proved to be a busy period for the History Group. Survey of Teddington Street Furniture Following the theft of the 1890s street “finger post” sign to Bushy Park last year, a Council member suggested to the Society that a record of street signs and other pieces of old street furniture in our town be created.

The object is to determine exactly what we have that is worth preserving and, hopefully, assist in its preservation. There are some 200 streets of one form or another in Teddington and we are still looking for volunteers to assist in the necessary street surveys. Survey of High Street and Broad Street shops. We are undertaking a fresh survey of our shops to note the change in traders since the last full survey seven years ago. There has been quite a lot of movement and the trend in changes of user seems to be towards more cafes and restaurants. Teddington 800 The Teddington 800 History Boards have now been removed from Teddington Library where they were much admired. If you know anywhere they could be displayed in future, please let us know.

Librarians Alison Painter (left) and Clare Thompson – not to mention Sir Noël Coward – with our local history boards at Teddington Library. Enquiries An enquiry has been received suggesting that the

occupants of houses in the Cambridge Road area all erected flag poles at the time of the Coronation in 1953. We would be pleased to hear from anybody with any knowledge on this subject. A further enquiry has been received concerning a letter apparently written by the Duke of Clarence (later William IV) from Bushy House to an unidentified lady, referring in passing to Dora Jordan (and therefore not her). Any help in identifying this unnamed lady will also be appreciated

COUNTRYFILE CALENDAR Peter Denton Congratulations to two local photographers whose outstanding images feature in the 2018 BBC Countryfile calendar. Both photographs, by Sue Lindenberg and Jarek Kurek, were taken in Bushy Park, and were selected from more than 30,000 entries to the annual Countryfile competition.

Sue’s image of two seagulls, entitled “Twin Beaks”, features in the April page. Jarek’s capture of the Bushy Park landscape not only appears in the July page, but also on the front cover. “I took my photo very early on a really grey morning” Sue told Tidings. “There was a thin layer of water on the ice, hence the mirror effect. I took about 20 photos, and was lucky enough to get this one with them in sync.” The calendar, on sale for £9.50, benefits the Children in Need appeal. It can be bought online at www.hcscalendar.co.uk, or by calling 0330 333 4564. Alternatively, send your name, address and a cheque for £9.50 made payable to ‘BBC Countryfile Calendar’ to BBC Countryfile Calendar, PO Box 25, Melton Mowbray LE13 1ZG

MARKET DAY COMES TO TEDDINGTON Peter Denton

Teddington has given a rousing welcome to its first Farmers Market in five years. On its launch day in September, an estimated 3,500 people visited to browse and buy its wide range of food produce, most of it organic. “We were delighted with the numbers” said market manager Colin Cooper. “We first tried the market in Teddington back in 2012, and I don’t quite know why it took us so long to return!”

Traders come from near and far with their produce, which includes fresh fish, artisan bread, cheese varieties by the dozen, as well as flowers, herbs, raw milk, organic honey, fruit and vegetables of every description, fresh coffee, sizzling sausages, snacks and refreshments. The market is open every Sunday from 10am to 2pm at Turing House School, next to Teddington Memorial Hospital.

TEDDINGTON STUDIOS' MAKEOVER Sheena Harold Redevelopment of the site most Teddingtonians know as “the Studios” next to the Lensbury in Broom Road, is now well under way. As flats and houses rise on the historic site, we can look back at its proud history.

Left to right: Jenny Michell, Brian Holder, Sally & Geoff Howland, Lucy Hall (Dartmouth Capital), Sheena Harold. In the 18th century, the site was originally Mr Goodchild's bleach field for Scottish and Irish linen – but from the end of the 19th century the area has been associated with film and TV production. That’s thanks to Henry Chinnery, owner of Weir House, the mansion which stood there, who offered a film crew the use of his greenhouse during inclement weather. In 1912 Ec-Ko Films filmed in the gardens, and in 1916 Master Films took over. In 1931 Henry Edwards (whose wife Chrissy White was an actress) and E.G. Norman named the site Teddington Film Studios. That same year, Hollywood giant Warner Brothers took out a lease before buying it outright and re-naming it Warner Brothers First National Productions Ltd. Many now famous actors began their careers here, including a young Errol Flynn! Whilst other studios shut down during the war or were requisitioned by the Government for storage, Warners kept going until sustaining a hit from a V1 flying bomb in July 1944. Three people were killed, including “Doc” Salomon the Production Manager. Rebuilding began in 1946 and the studios were re-opened by Danny Kaye in January 1948. By November 1951 film-making had ceased and seven years later ABC TV bought the site, followed in 1968 by Thames Television before Haymarket Media Group bought it in 2006. Haymarket have now moved their headquarters to Twickenham and today the site has a new name – “Teddington Riverside”, which is owned by Pinenorth Properties. Dartmouth Capital act as advisers for Pinenorth and kindly invited the Teddington Society to a private view of the development on 12th October, and all members to an open day on 13th.

Even from the first floor the views over the river to the Lock and the Weir are fantastic, as we saw when Lucy Hall and her team showed us a model of their development plans. Below is a map of the site, which has public access to the river for the first time in several decades. It’s hoped that a waterfront walk will be the new home of the Comedians Plaques that used to grace the front of the Studios’ brick building.

Our History Group were invited to submit ideas for the access road on site which Dartmouth are calling Pinewood Gardens; then we discovered that there is a gentleman at LBRuT with the title of “Address Management Manager”! Who knew? Anyway, we offered many alternative names, as Pinewood is not a name associated with Teddington – but apparently we can't have Teddington, Tideway, Warners, Lock or Thames as these addresses are already in use in the area. This is such a fascinating subject that we are asking the said Address Management Manager to tell us more about his interesting job. Meanwhile, we thank Dartmouth for their assistance and co-operation and we will report on the progress of the building work in future issues of Tidings.

ST MARY’S UNIVERSITY We are delighted to welcome St Mary’s University as one of our much-valued Corporate Members. Here, Professor John Brewer, Pro Vice-Chancellor Global Engagement at St Mary’s, writes for Tidings.

St Mary’s University in Waldegrave Road gained university status just over three years ago. As a result, it’s now at the forefront of Higher Education in the UK, and with a status that recognises not only past achievements, but also a continuing need for growth and, where appropriate, change. Underpinned by a Catholic heritage, St Mary’s has a vibrant, diverse community of students and staff, from all backgrounds and from all parts of the world. As one of the smallest universities in the UK, the community of students and staff is very different from that of many much larger academic institutions – staff know each other, and they know their students by name. Not only that, but respect for others is a value that runs through the life of the university. We are also at the heart of our local community – many of our staff live locally, and many of our students either come from the local area, or live locally whilst studying. As one of the area’s largest employers, we also play our part in generating income and prosperity for the local economy. We are keen to ensure that the education we provide enables our students to become global citizens, aware of their role within society and with an ability to engage in debate and critical thinking. Each year they raise many thousands of pounds for national and local charities, and we are proud of them. But of course in any community, there will be those who occasionally stray from the high standards of behaviour that we expect; when we are made aware of such issues, we always do our best to ensure that they are dealt with appropriately. For many years, sport has been fundamental to the success and reputation of St Mary’s. Our degrees in sport-related subjects attract students here, and whilst our greatest success has tended to come from track athletes such as our former student Sir Mo Farah, we have seen tremendous achievements from past and present students across a range of sports.

Now, as the university matures and develops, it will of course grow, offering more degree programmes at both undergraduate and post graduate level, and consequently attracting more students. But as with many other universities, the way in which they are taught is likely to change – “distance learning” is becoming increasingly popular, and many of our future students may never set foot on our campus, studying instead from remote locations, logging in to lectures and seminars from laptops and hand-held devices. So classroom teaching may become the exception rather than the norm.

ALAN TITCHMARSH AT STRAWBERRY HILL HOUSE Peter Denton A special fundraising event at Strawberry Hill House, to mark the tercentenary of the birth of its owner Horace Walpole, was blessed with a warm, sunny afternoon in late September – plus the presence of Alan Titchmarsh, ace gardener, author, broadcaster and holder of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Victoria Medal of Honour. He was there to open Strawberry Hill House’s newly redeveloped Woodland Walk and garden, recently restored to its 18th century heyday. Live music was provided by the Manontroppo Clarinet Quartet and, with the celebrity gardener, guests later enjoyed an 18th century-style tea party sponsored by Fortnum & Mason.

Nick Dolan, on the right in this picture, director of Strawberry Hill House, paid tribute to members of the local community who restored the garden and the woodland walk. More than 200 new trees, flowers, shrubs and bulbs were planted during the work, and he also thanked the Teddington Society “who have helped us enormously. We’re very grateful”. Alan was full of praise for the garden: “In our busy lives, gardens like this are both an oasis and a lung. The more we understand our gardens, the more we can enjoy and appreciate them.”

POLICING CHANGES UNDER WAY But it’s ‘business as usual’ Peter Denton Despite the closure of the front desk at Teddington police station on or before December 14th, the public can rest assured that there will still be a strong local police presence.

That’s the message from Sergeant Rich Nelson, based at Teddington, who has just completed his first six months as Ward Sergeant, responsible for Teddington, Hampton Wick and Ham & Petersham. He has teams of officers and support officers working in all three areas who are close to the communities they serve and know their areas well. The Mayor of London has to find savings in his Metropolitan Police budget of some £60 million by 2020. So changes have been seen as inevitable. It’s known, for example, that in the longer term, the future of the station itself is being considered. If that happens, Sgt Nelson told Tidings, the nearest station would be Twickenham, where the 24-hour desk will remain open. “However” he said, “before then we will establish contact centres in each area – probably in public buildings, churches or the like, so the public will always know where to find us. Meanwhile, we’re always on patrol and my aim is to increase the visibility of our police presence to provide the reassurance the public want.” Local police have also established a high-profile presence on social media such as Twitter and Facebook, with news and crime prevention advice. Their Twitter feed is monitored all the time, so if anyone contacts them the police service can respond quickly and as necessary. And, of course, the 999 and 101 telephone services are available 24 hours a day. It’s true to say that changes in our local police service are undoubtedly under way. But, Sgt Nelson believes, the public need have no worries; it’s very much business as usual. To follow the Teddington police service on Twitter, go online to www.twitter.com and search for @MPSTeddington

A BIG SONG CELEBRATES TEDDINGTON’S LITTLE SHIPS Peter Denton One of Teddington’s proudest moments in its long history – its role in providing 120 Little Ships for the Dunkirk evacuation of 1940 – has now been commemorated in music, thanks to a local singer-songwriter, Mike Pemberton, who’s also a long-term member of the Society. “A ballad is simply a story with a musical accompaniment” he says. “The story of the Little Ships at Teddington has long interested me, not least because I live by the river and I’ve seen these boats pass for years, so I decided to work them into a song.” The result is a powerful musical tale full of drama and action – the requisitioning of the boats up and down the Thames, their preparation at Douglas Tough’s boatyard at Teddington Lock for the vital humanitarian task ahead, the relentless attacks by German Stukas along the Dunkirk beaches, the rescue of 332,000 British and Allied soldiers against all the odds, and their eventual return to the haven of home waters. “It’s a heroic tale” said Mike. “In preparing the ballad, I had great help from John Tough, Doug’s grandson, and from Ken Howe, a walking encyclopaedia on Teddington’s history.” Now, Mike is taking his ballad one stage further. He’s asking Teddington Society members if they have any photographs or, even better, film footage of activities at the Lock between the late 1930s and mid-‘40s. He’s also searching the Imperial War Museum archive and other potential sources. Then, working with a talented young postgraduate in film production, he plans to create a montage of stills and moving pictures to accompany the song and place it in the public domain. Traditional folk music has always interested Mike, a former human resources executive. When he retired 11 years ago, he indulged in singing lessons and ventured into song writing, “purely as part of my personal development”. If you have (or know of) any material that might be of interest to Mike, please call him on 07720 072155 or email him at pemberton.mw@gmail.com Mike now has a dedicated channel on YouTube, where his Little Ships ballad and other songs are readily available. Go online to www.teddingtonsociety.org.uk and follow the link to “Mike Pemberton’s Little Ships”.

CYCLE QUIETWAY PROPOSAL Brian Holder There is a proposal to introduce a cycling "Quietway" through Teddington and Bushy Park to Hampton, thereby cutting out the loop along the Thames towpaths either side of Kingston. The official description of a Cycle Quietway is: "Quietways are intended to provide quieter, alternative routes for cyclists who prefer to use low traffic environments, rather than busier main roads. When complete, Quietways will form a network of radial and orbital roads throughout London, linking key destinations through a combination of different route types, including residential roads, high streets, parks, and towpaths".

But Teddington High Street, part of the A313, is a main road and has too much traffic - and too many bus routes, to be suitable as an official Quietway. Traffic speeds throughout the day are relatively low due to the very successful road and pavement layouts adopted under the 2001/2 Town Centre Study to calm all traffic, and encourage safe walking and cycling. The proposed scheme would impact the parking spaces and pedestrian crossings in the High Street. There is concern that much of the planning has taken place with no publicity or consultation with local interested groups. Teddington also has, since about 2002, four safe "Family cycling routes" to Bushy Park in place, which fully meet the Quietway definition, and all could easily and cheaply be upgraded with proper signing as part of the Quietway programme. The High Street would remain as the official

London Cycle Network route 4 as it has been for the last 18 years. It is now well over a year since residents and businesses first heard about the proposed Cycle Quietway and there is considerable anger among all High Street shop owners, as they say that they still have not, even after all this time, received any officially delivered document about the Quietway proposals, just some documents produced by the Teddington Society forwarded by Teddington Together. Nothing has appeared in the Richmond and Twickenham Times, nothing at any Village Plan meeting, nothing in any political party newsletters. I have attended several Cycle Liaison Group (CLG) meetings, but the majority of Teddingtonians still do not know anything about the proposed Quietway scheme. The Borough Cycling Officer has confirmed that there has not been a single request for any High Street parking or cycling change from any Teddington resident or business. This means that Teddington residents, businesses, cyclists and pedestrians have had no say in the designs that have been produced. We believe that the initiative has come from a disparate group of individuals who do not live or work in central Teddington, have no knowledge of central Teddington, or its businesses, or the local Community, and are clearly not in the slightest bit interested in how much damage such a poorly researched and quite unnecessary scheme would have on our much loved, and very busy, High Street Shopping Centre. The position was made worse by the Cycling Officer’s refusal at the first and second presentation displays to write to residents, or even to put Notices on lampposts along the proposed route - quoting "lack of resources”. However, there appears to be a chink of light at the end of the tunnel, with Councillor Peter Buckwell, Cabinet Member for Transport writing to the Chair of a Disability Organization to say that almost all High Street parking spaces will be retained, but giving no further detail. The email ended with the encouraging comment: "As you say, cyclists have the right to safe travel, but this must not be to the detriment of businesses, parents with children, disabled people and older persons. This is being taken into account". We are taking this to mean that our very safe and convenient staggered Zebra Crossing on the railway bridge is being preserved, a thoroughly sensible decision which will be universally welcomed by the estimated one million residents, workers and visitors of all ages and physical abilities who use it in complete safety every year. I confirm that the Society’s policy with regard to this unwanted Quietway is as laid out in Tidings issue 176, a year ago, which is that the Quietway should terminate on the Ham side of Teddington Lock, allowing cyclists a very wide range of cycle route choices, including the option of coming over the suspension bridge to Teddington to use its four, very safe, Family Cycle routes to various parts of Teddington and Bushy Park.

NEW METHODIST MINISTER Peter Denton Teddington minister arrives in exciting times Meet the Rev David Innes, newly-installed Minister of Teddington Methodist Church, and his wife Dorothy.

They may be recently arrived (their well-attended ‘welcome’ service was held in September) but they already know Teddington well. “I conducted several services here over the last few years, so when we arrived to stay, we were already familiar with the church and, to a lesser extent, the town” said David, who was formerly chaplain at Roehampton University. David and Dorothy arrive at an exciting time in the church’s history. The garden, and part of the building itself, have just undergone an extensive £530,000 refurbishment, and facilities have been updated and improved for the many local groups who use the premises. “Being opposite Teddington Memorial Hospital, we’re in a prime position” explained David. “Our task now is to build the church community, get ourselves out into the wider community, and love the people we meet.” Dorothy added, “What we have here is a place of faith and a lovely open space which is available to anyone to use. We live in stressed times, so we offer an open invitation to everyone to come here, de-stress, and relax. Come and explore what we have to offer – not least our lovely garden!”

REMEMBRANCE DAY 2017

The wreath from the Teddington Society was laid on the

War Memorial on Remembrance Sunday.

REMEMBRANCE DAY LITTER-PICKING

A large number of Environment Group litter-picking volunteers braved the rain and the cold on the previous day to make sure the area looked good.

ALPHAVET Peter Denton “AlphaVet’”is a good pun, as well as the name of our newest Corporate Member. Speaking at the veterinary practice in Stanley Road, Alice McCartney, one of the two-vet team at AlphaVet, said “We have a fully equipped theatre here, as well as X ray and ultrasound facilities. We’re also a ‘first opinion’ practice, which is rather like going to your GP. We can pretty much do most things for the animal community, and to a high surgical standard.” Coincidentally there has been a veterinarian practice on the premises, near the junction with Stanley Gardens Road, for some 30 years. Alice and her professional partner, Gary Campbell, are the latest welcome incumbents.

Veterinary Surgeon Alice McCartney (centre) with Registered Veterinary Nurses Kiri Poliszewski (with Fergus) and Caroline Gittins

500 RECIPES AND HOUSEHOLD HINTS Joy Bell

Did you know that there’s a way of recycling those stiff, detachable shirt collars? You can cut them to shape to fit in the back of your down-trodden slippers!

Or so I read in the book I won at the Teddington Society New Year Party. It is a reproduction of a collection of handy hints and recipes, first produced over 70 years ago to raise funds for a children’s ward at Teddington Memorial Hospital.

I decided to test a simple recipe for Ashbourne ginger biscuits. I'm not sure where the Derbyshire connection comes, but the biscuits were delicious, though could have contained more ginger. I made a half quantity and it yielded 3 dozen 2 inch biscuits. A recipe worth using again, perhaps with a little lemon icing and crystallized ginger on the top. Now, where's that old shirt collar of Donald’s?

POLYFILLA

(Sometimes the Editor really has trouble filling the last bit of white space in the Magazine)

TURING HOUSE A New School for Richmond upon Thames Janet Hilton Turing House School is the result of the determined effort of a group of Twickenham, Teddington and Hampton Hill parents and the strong support of families in those communities. Faced with shrinking catchment areas and increased demand for local secondary schools, we saw our community breaking up as families moved away or chose non-local schools. Our group found a supportive and knowledgeable sponsor, the Russell Education Trust, which has opened four other successful new schools in recent years, and we made a successful application to the Department for Education to open a new school. The mixed comprehensive secondary school was set up to serve the Middlesex side of the Borough of Richmond and opened its doors on Queen’s Road, Teddington in September 2015. Since then, the school has been hugely popular and is operating waiting lists in all year groups. From our temporary base in Teddington, we have forged many and significant links with the town including, of course, our name in honour of the inspirational mathematician and scientist, Alan Turing. After his key role in cracking the Enigma Code during the Second World War, he worked at Teddington’s National Physical Laboratory, where he began his ground-breaking development of the earliest modern computers. We continue to build local connections; visiting our feeder primary schools, outdoor sport in Bushy Park, swimming at Teddington Pool and Christmas Music at St Mary with St Alban church to name but a few. Our pupils regularly visit our local over-60's social hub at Elleray Hall to chat, sing and perform as well as running an iPad support course! Our building and grounds are used to host community events such as the CoderDojo programming club for local children, and the very popular Farmers’ Market running every Sunday in the playground. With 325 pupils on the Teddington site, we have now run out of room on Queen’s Road. With the support of Richmond Council, we will receive our September 2018 and 2019 intakes into Clarendon School in Hampton, after some refurbishment over the summer holiday. Clarendon pupils are moving into new accommodation. In 2020 we will all move to our final, permanent site on Hospital Bridge Road in Whitton; from where we will continue to serve Teddington, as well as Whitton itself and families from other areas across the Middlesex side of the borough. Janet Hilton is Chair of the Local Governing Body of Turing House School. A Teddington resident, she works as a National Leader of Governance, supporting school improvement in Richmond, Kingston and further afield.

VISIONS OF TEDDINGTON Peter Denton Eight hundred not out! Some 30 local organisations, together with the Teddington Society, combined their resources in September to produce Visions of Teddington – an exhibition at the Landmark Arts Centre covering 800 years of the town’s history.

This remarkable retrospective of our community ran for a fortnight and was part of the six-month Teddington 800 festival celebrating the Parish of Teddington’s anniversary, which has just concluded.

Introducing Teddington 800, the Rev Joe Moffatt, vicar of Teddington, declared, “A parish is an area, a district. The whole country is split up into parishes, but each parish has a unique identity. Teddington 800 is about our identity, from 1217 right up until 2017 and beyond. We are still a community, we are still a parish, so let’s celebrate that!” Teddington took him at his word!

SHEENA’S AWARD FOR "OUTSTANDING PUBLIC SERVICE" Peter Denton We report with pleasure that our Chairman, Sheena Harold, has been presented with the Richmond Borough Community Award for her outstanding public service.

Sheena has been active in the Society for more than 20 years. With the History Group and the Trees and Garden Group, she instigated the redesign and replanting of Jubilee and Elmfield Gardens, the erection of history display boards in Grove Gardens and Elmfield Gardens, and the annual Teddington in Flower event which raises around £1,000 a year for local charities. In 2013 with the assistance of the Landmark Arts Centre and St Mary with St Alban Church, she reinstated the annual Teddington Village Fair which since then has raised more than £8,000, all of which has been given to local charities.

In addition to her Society work, Sheena sits on the Richmond in Bloom committee judging numerous gardens across the borough, and she’s a member of Teddington 800, which organises the celebrations marking the parish’s 800th anniversary. At a ceremony held at York

House, the Leader of Richmond Council, Paul Hodgins, told Sheena and the other 46 recipients of this year’s award, “At the centre of our borough life is the community and the people who get involved. This is the core of what makes Richmond such a special place – that and the fact that you’re nominated not by us, but by your peers.”

EVENTS Thursday November 23rd 8pm St John Ambulance Hall, Park Road. David Ivison of Friends of Bushy & Home Parks talks about Bushy Park in WW1. Thursday November 30th The Mayor of Richmond switches on our Christmas Lights in the High Street. Full details inside. Come and see us on our stall in the Cedar Road Car Park. Lots of fun and entertainment for all the family. MERITS LUNCHES We have two lunches coming up at Merits Training Restaurant, Richmond upon Thames College, Egerton Road, Twickenham TW2 7SL. Monday 4th December Christmas lunch at 12.00 cost £18 Thursday 18th January A New Year lunch at 12.00 cost £10.95 Menus for the lunches are enclosed. Please make your choices and return the form to Pamela McHutchon. Mobile: 07802 822812 Email: pmchutchon@btinternet.com No need to send any money as you can pay directly at Merits on the day. Saturday January 6th 2018 Concert by Teddington Summer Music at Normansfield7:30pm – “New Year in Old Vienna”. Music by Mozart, Schubert, Sullivan, J Strauss II, Lehár, Stolz, Kreisler, Ivor Novello and Noël Coward. Helen Clutterbuck (soprano), Daniel D'Souza (baritone) Tony Lamb (clarinet), Tom Higgins (piano) Tickets: £12 and £10 Call 0333 1212 300 or online at www.langdondowncentre.org.uk Saturday January 13th 2018 New Year party - see enclosed invitation.

SPECIAL CHRISTMAS EVENTS Saturday 25th November Normansfield Christmas Craft Fair 11am-4.30pm Saturday 25th November Christmas Bazaar St. Mary with St. Alban Church Hall 10.30am-2.30pm £1 entry for Adults Sunday 26th November Strawberry Hill House Craft Fair 10am-4pm £4 Saturday 2nd December Christmas Fair at Elleray Hall. 10am-4pm £1 Monday 25th December Christmas Day Lunch at Elleray Hall To register attendance or to offer help please contact Colin & Elizabeth Hicks: Tel.8977 8000 or email office@teddingtonbaptist.org.uk

CHURCHAM HOUSE Lifestyle Residences Ltd, the property development company, were recently presented with a Teddington Society PAT award for the quality of their work on Churcham House in Bridgeman Road, near Teddington Station. Now they have become a Corporate Member. John O’Neill, chief executive, introduces the company to Tidings readers:

Diana Gillespie (left) presenting the PAT award to John and Geraldine O’Neill outside Churcham House. My wife and I were thrilled to receive this award from the Society, not least because we have lived in Teddington since 1987. We acquired Churcham House in 2007 and with my own background in refurbishing and restoring buildings in London, we set out to put this former Victorian Presbytery back to its former glory. We were particularly keen to retain the profile and character of the building, which is why we added the black iron railings similar to those on the more traditional homes. To have our work acknowledged by the Teddington Society’s Planning Group for the positive contribution we made to the environment and the town was an honour that was both a very pleasant surprise and very gratefully received. We established Lifestyle Residences to focus on breathing new life into town centre buildings, particularly in Teddington and the surrounding area. We cater for those wishing to downsize to a well-designed and proportioned home within walking distance of local shops and transport. Properties of this style are more and more in demand, and we also have corporate lettings and first time homes for young people and couples. Having lived in Teddington for 30 years, we are particularly pleased to have made this contribution to our town centre and to have been welcomed by the Teddington Society as a new Corporate Member. We look forward to becoming more involved with local business and to support the aims and objectives of the Society in your work to keep Teddington town a great place in which to both live and work for future generations.

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