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Archive and History
Including back copies of the Eel Pie Magazine, and towards the bottom of the page, listings of meetings dating back to 1977.
Recent Events:
Tuesday, 29 April, 2008
Talk: Michael Karn on Freemasonry
The meeting was held at the Mason's Hall, 150 London Road, Twickenham.
Tuesday, 18 March, 2008
Special meeting: Flood Risk Management on the River Thames
This meeting was hosted by the Richmond Environment Network in conjunction with the Twickenham Society and the York House Society, will look at the implications of climate change on the tidal Thames. Cllr Martin Elengorn was chairman.
Speakers included Jason Debney, Thames Landscape Strategy, on the Thames Estuary 2100 project, sustainable urban drainage, emergency planning in response to flooding, and restoration of floodplains.
Thursday, 27 March, 2008
Guest Speaker Cathy Cooper, on Twickenham's
industrial heritage and the Hamilton Road Electricity Works (HEW).
Cathy gave an excellent presentation about the
works, built in 1901 to bring electrification to Twickenham at a time
when trams were becoming a common mode of public transport, and electric
lighting was beginning to replace gas lamps. The works went out of
use in the 1960s, and there is now pressure for them to be redeveloped.
Since
2005, local people have been campaigning to preserve the three Victorian
brick buildings on the site, and convert them sympathetically to housing
and workspace. The HEW group's greatest victory came in 2006 with the
defeat of an over-large and unsympathetic development. With the recent
submission of new plans, the work to save HEW continues in 2008. The
buildings are now recognised as having Townscape Merit, and the site
is part
of the Twickenham Green conservation area.
A
full version of Cathy's talk can be found on the HEW
website, and the illustrated history of the site is at HEW
history.
The AGM followed, and Doug Orchard outlined the Society's financial position
and produced the list of events planned. The members of the committee were re-elected,
unopposed: Doug Orchard, Chairman; John Bell and Jack Betteridge co vice-chairs;
Rodney Bennett, membership; David King, events; and Yvonne Hewett, website manager.
The Society urgently needs a Secretary and a Treasurer, and volunteers will be very welcome.
18 February, 2008
Special meeting on the Council's Draft Development Brief
for Twickenham Poolsite
The meeting questionnaire, for those who were unable to take copies away, is available here (.pdf, 2 pages, 69Kb). Much appreciation to Crusader Travel for providing additional paper copies so quickly.
This meeting, held in conjunction with the York House Society the River Thames Society, the Thames Eyot Residents' Association and other local groups, discussed the draft development brief and its implications for the riverside, the community, and for traffic, parking and access. The venue was changed from the church hall to the church, with thanks to the Vicar, when large numbers turned up for the meeting.
Speakers were:
- Jack Betteridge (Twickenham Society): a brief background, the concept of the development, finance, and the problems of traffic, access and parking
- Angela Kidner (Environment Trust for Richmond upon Thames): the River Centre
- Derek Plummer (Architect): What do we mean by open space? Examples, and costs
- The discussion panel included Paul Chadwick, LBRuT; Anthony Benson, Urban Practitioners; and Rob Gray, for the River Centre.
Conclusions from the meeting and the results of the survey forms will be provided to the Council.
29 November, 2007
Law & Order - "A view from the Beat and the Bench"
Speakers were Chief Superintendent Rick Turner, the Borough Commander, and Mrs Eileen Stuart-Clarke, the Bench Chairman, Richmond Magistrates' Court, in an interesting and illuminating meeting. Our thanks to both speakers.
28 November, 2007
Gifford House: Public Meeting
The meeting, at Archdeacon Cambridge School Hall on Twickenham Green, is being held by the Gifford House Action Group to discuss the development of this important site.
Notice of the meeting (.pdf, 1 page, 61KB)
Residents' Planning Brief for Gifford House (.pdf, 12 pages, 128KB) Produced by the Gifford House Action Group, who are responsible for its contents.
27 September, 2007
Francis Francis - 19th C Angling in Twickenham
Report of the joint meeting of the Twickenham Society and the River Thames Society
Bill Rushmer, one of the UK's leading writers on angling, and long-time member of the Francis Francis Fishing Club gave a very entertaining and informative talk about the Club and angling in the Thames.
The Club, named after a Twickenham notable, Francis Francis, who achieved fame as a writer of the stature of Isaac Walton and introduced fish farming to the UK, has been active for over 100 years. Every Sunday morning during the fishing season, tideway conditions permitting, the fishermen go out in their distinctive punts for a 4-hr session. The club is the last punt club to moor in traditional style across the river using ryepeck. These are wooden poles fitted with a shoe with a sharp point to go into the river bed. The design of these points has been modified over the last 100 years and are made by the club blacksmith. Fish that are caught are placed in a protective wet well, taken ashore to be quickly weighed and returned to the river in good condition. Because of the insistence on a fixed time and procedure, the club's records of fish catches provides firm ad valuable evidence for the variation of fish stocks over the last 100 yrs.
Some of these changes were pointed out and graphically illustrated:
- Salmon, introduced in the late 1950's is now established in the river.
- Sea trout are now being observed in increasing numbers.
- Catches of Roach, a common fish, have been halved over the last 10 years. Cormorants are being driven to explore rivers because changes in deep sea fishing practices have reduced their traditional fishing areas. Roach is one of their staples.
- The carp have more than doubled in average size with fish over 20 lb relatively common.
- Mitten crabs are becoming common. They seriously undermine river embankments and are avid eaters of crayfish. If they migrate to the non-tidal river, the crayfish population will be exterminated.
- Pike are common, and they are also voracious eaters, especially of other pike.
- In the wake of theses natural predators, humans are not far behind. The English angling custom is to return caught fish to the river. This was not always the case, and some slippage still occurs, but river fish is no longer a staple of the British diet. However, the growth of other cultural groups within our midst, whose diet naturally includes river fish, is dramatically overturning established angling custom and practice. River fish, especially carp, and birds, including coots, are being caught and taken for human consumption.
- The demand for this illegal consumption is constant year round, so that gangs of fishers operate during the closed season and violently resist the attempts of Environment Agency bailiffs to arrest them. Fish stocks are being seriously reduced as a consequence. Bill's solution is to abolish the close season, thus enabling legitimate anglers to monitor and help police the offenders.
There was a great deal of audience participation throughout the presentation, and by its end, all felt they had a very enjoyable and informative evening.
9 August, 2007
Twickenham Society Group meeting about Twickenham
Poolsite.
The meeting on the 9th of August discussed the group's input to Urban
Practitioners, the consultants who have been engaged by the Council to draw up a
development brief for the Twickenham Swimming Pool site.
The Twickenham Society Group (TSG) is an informal discussion group that draws together representatives from
other local groups and societies who have an interest in the riverside and
the pool site. The group's activities in the past have included
participation in the working parties, with the Council, on the Alsop
Zogolovitch scheme, and feeding into the development brief for the Dawnay
Day scheme for the poolsite. In addition, we gave evidence at the planning
inquiry into the short term scheme that resulted in demolition of the old
pool building and the building of the play area and the café.
The TSG is chaired by Prof Jack Betteridge. It is currently feeding
information into the poolsite development brief, and advising on the
constraints of the site, in terms of access, size, and realistic development
expectations for it, and the need for redevelopment of the Embankment - with
the aim of making the whole area a better to place to live and enjoy in our
leisure time. We are also advising on traffic, access and parking around the
poolsite, drawing on information and data we have gathered over several
years.
Members of the group include representatives from the York House
Society, the Twickenham Society, Friends of Twickenham Green, the Eel Pie
Island Association, residents of Twickenham Embankment, the Thames Eyot
Residents' Association, Strawberry Hill Residents' Association, HANDS (Help
a Neighbour in Distress: the charity which is located in the old caretaker's
house on the poolsite), and river users, with advice from architects
specialising in riverside and sustainable development.
TSG Recommendations for the Poolsite Development Brief - August, 2007. pdf,
7 pages, 90KB - background and briefing on traffic, parking, and difficult areas.
30 June, 2007
Twickenham Riverside: Poolsite Development Brief
The team has been chosen to write the development brief for the redevelopment of the poolsite. The Council has already determined that the Environment Trust for Richmond upon Thames's River Centre will be located there. (Please see the Environment Trust's website for more detail, and the Twickenham Riverside website for updates on the development.)
Local planning guidance calls for public open space and some enabling commercial development - housing and some retail and cafés, bars or restaurants.
This brief should be completed in time for the Council Cabinet meeting in December (not September, as originally planned). When it's approved it will then be put out for developers to come forth with their proposals.
The brief writing team are:
The swimming pool was closed in 1980. Since then several attempts have been made to develop the site. These schemes have foundered, generally because they were too large and out of keeping with the riverside and the location, close to some of the oldest and most picturesque parts of Twickenham.
12 June 2007: Gifford House reprieve
Gifford House from Twickenham Green |
Care UK have withdrawn their application for redeveloping the Gifford House site on Twickenham Green. This follows a determined campaign by the Gifford House Action Group and many local groups, including the ward Councillors, Dr Vincent Cable, and the Twickenham Society.
Twickenham Society Chairman Doug Orchard's letter opposing the redevelopment is here (1 page .pdf, 89KB). |
The HANDS May Fair, Twickenham Green, Monday 28 May 2007
The Twickenham Society stall at the HANDS May Fair |
Despite the awful weather, the Twickenham Society team - Jack Betteridge, Yvonne Hewett, David King and Michael Scott-Cumming - had a good result at the HANDS May Fair.
Sales of donated books, CDs and DVDs netted £121.85, for donation to local charities. Thanks to everyone who came by the stall - and to those who bought and/or made contributions. |
The Eel Pie
"Eel Pie" is the (now irregular) magazine of the Society. It is not certain when the Society was founded as a going concern - but the 30th anniversary was celebrated in 1993. Surviving copies of "Eel Pie" go back as far as August 1977. Their contents are summarized here - particularly special articles and reports of Twickenham Talks. Copies are deposited at the Local Studies Library, which also has a bound copy of earlier editions. These can all be studied at the Old Town Hall in Richmond.
 To read the .pdfs you will need the Adobe Acrobat reader. It's downloadable free of charge from Adobe.
Previous Issues
Eel Pie from Autumn 2001 .pdf, 284KB
AUTUMN 2001
Environment Trust for R-u-T (Angela Kidner); The River Thames Boat Project (Miranda Jaggers); Kew Gardens, Present, and Future (Prof. Peter Crane); Twickenham Riverside Development - An update; Fulwell Depot 1902-2002 (Bryan Woodriffe); Recollections of a Diplomat (Willie Turner); New Directions for Community Policing (Inspector Mark Jones); A Life in Local Politics (Robert Hancock); And How Good is Your Town? (Mick Lowe); Conservation Matters, some observations by Brian Parker; Traherne's Treasure (Barrie Armstrong); A Twickenham Diary by Peter Hill (including items on: Orleans House Gallery, Maynard Mack, New Portraits and New Books at Marble Hill.); Accounts, list of committee members and future events.
AUTUMN/WINTER 2000/2001
Report of the AGM held on the 3rd November 2000; "From Cryptography to Local History and Conservation" Summary of a talk by Mavis Batey OBE; "Twickenham Riverside Development" An update by Jack Betteridge; "Forty Years in a Business Everchanging" Bruce Lyons; "Alexander Pope Esq. of Twickenham: An Entertainment" John Grimsey, Freda Hammerton and Arthur Horwood; "Improving the Sustainability of the Borough" Alison Quant; "Twickenham and Art" Osmund Caine; "Turner and Twickenham" Professor Harold Livermore; "The significance of the Normansfield Theatre" Peter Longman and John Earl; "Pope's Chair" Peter Hill; "Walpole's Portrait Sold" Peter Hill.
SPRING/SUMMER 2000
Environment Trust for R-u-T (Derek Plummer); First Impressions of Twickenham (Elizabeth Stonehill); What is Rotary? (David Martin); Our Public Libraries (Michael Lee). Reports on Twickenham Talks by Simon Tompsett (assuring our future); Gillian Norton (New millennium, new management); Joe Horsley (Trains must go); and Donna Clack (a landscape strategy for the Thames). Update on Twickenham Riverside development by Jack Betteridge; letters on the subject by Brian Parker. A Twickenham Diary by Peter Hill (including items on Mrs Ionides, Osmund Caine, James Johnston and James Greathead.) Buildings at Risk in Twickenham, by Peter Hill. List of committee members and future events.
AUTUMN/WINTER 1999/2000
Updates on the Environment Trust for R-u-T, and the River Thames Boat Project, by Derek Plummer; Partnership in local policing by John Bell; Twickenham as seen from Stoke, by John Edwards. Report on 1999 AGM and debate on the Twickenham Local Studies collection. Report on talk on the Orange Tree Theatre by Sam Walters. Report on TwickSock team at Strawberry Hill Quiz night. Reports on talks by Sir David Williams (on local government), Alex Bass (London Ambulance Service) and Galen Rosenberg (on pharmaceutical dispensing). Update on Riverside Development by Brian Parker, with documents and text of letters. "In defence of General Howe" and "In search of Walpole's pictures" by Peter Hill. "Fleur de Lys Galore" by David Wood. List of Committee members.
SPRING/SUMMER 1999
Recent members' publications; the Environment Trust for R.U.T.; Twickenham on the Internet; reports on talks by Ken Dwan, Jane Byrne, Jack Betteridge, Patricia Mowbray(RFU), and Janet Knox. Report on Twickenham Riverside Development, with text of documents and letters. Articles (by Peter Hill) on the origins of Kilmorey's Mausoleum, Capt. William Hoste RN, and Victorian Strawberry Hill, as seen by Chichester Fortescue. Committee list, Aims, AGM Agenda. 1998 Accounts, forthcoming events.
AUTUMN/WINTER 1998
The baths site; the AGM, and report on the year; Twickenham and Tourism (Jackie Ellis); an appreciation of Lilian Dring; the River Thames Boat Project; the restoration of the Octagon; an approach to urban architecture (Roger Zogolovich); recycling policy (Sue Duckworth); Twickenham seen from Westminster (Vince Cable MP); Pope and Lady Mary Wortley Montague; Edward Lear and Strawberry Hill; the Jews of Twickenham in the 18th century; Henry Labouchere; Turner in Twickenham (Prof. Livermore); the Hammerton Ferry; the Eel Pie Island Bridge; memories of Gp. Capt. Tim Vickers DSO; recent publications by members.
SPRING/SUMMER 1998
The Boat project; Landscape and streetscape in Twickenham (Marc Wolfe-Cowen); domestic life at Walpole's Strawberry Hill (John Iddon); the work of the Chief Executive (Richard Harbord); Black Jack and the Needhams; Lady Waldegrave(review); the origins of the name Strawberry Hill; Lady Mary Wortley Montague and the Walpoles.
AUTUMN/WINTER 1997
AGM; Alan Urwin; River Thames Boat project; Twickenham Museum, and a gift from July 1915; The future of Twickenham (John Barkley); 111 years of Chapman's (Neal Chapman); Recording Twickenham's history (Jane Baxter); Richmond-upon-Thames College (Eric Kirby); Planning for Leisure (Simon Cook); More about Black Jack; Kilmorey Mausoleum Update; Lady Mary Wortley Montague in Twickenham; Rev. William Gilpin; potted biographies of the Committee.
SPRING/SUMMER 1997
Progress report on the Octagon restoration; the Walpole Bicentenary; the River Thames Boat Project; The Twickenham Borough mayoral chain. Planning application for 28-30 King Street. The sculpture of Anthony Beckles Willson. Malcolm Richards' talk on editing the Richmond and Twickenham Times. The Gerald Heath Archive. Visit to Turner's Sandycombe Lodge. Talk by clockwork radio inventor Trevor Baylis. Godfrey Jezzard on the Twickenham and District Chamber of Commerce. Articles by Peter Hill on Twickenham's War memorial, on Kneller Hall, and on Holly Road Garden of Rest (with its new cast iron notice board).
AUTUMN/WINTER 1996
Twickenham Riverside site competition. Reports of talks by Jack Betteridge (pioneers of Science and engineering in Twickenham), Paul Trew (Firefighting in Twickenham), Len Smith (69 years of of the family business) and David King (the French connection). Plaque unveiled to Sir Christopher Wren. Behind the scenes at Orleans House Gallery (by curator Fiona Robertson). Speech by Anthony Beckles Willson at unveiling of plaque to Pope in Chiswick. Articles by Peter Hill on Pope in Chiswick, on Bandmaster Ricketts, the march king of Kneller Hall, and "Twickenham's oldest".
SPRING/SUMMER 1996
The Richmond Boat Project; our aims and priorities, with report by the Chairman. Reports on talks by Sir Peter Wakefield (Saving the Nation's Art collections), by Bob Alker (Transport policy in Twickenham), by Graham Marriner (a day in the life of a Twickenham school), by Robert Tough (shipbuilding on the Thames), by Andy Pinder (caring for Twickenham's trees), by Iden Adams (on South West trains), and by Colin Squire (on maintaining a garden centre). Report on a visit to Normansfield Theatre. Report on the Octagon restoration. Appeal for Walpole bicentenary. The Privy Garden at Hampton Court (charges to residents). Articles by Peter Hill on Coward in Teddington, and Eric Fraser of Hampton.
AUTUMN/WINTER 1995
Walter de la Mare - plaque unveiled in Montpelier Row. List of Blue Plaques in the Borough. A visit to Kneller Hall. Article by Peter Hill on "Colonel Bogey". Report on the Octagon Trust; on a talk by Tim Miller on recycling of waste; on a talk by Inspector Bill Mainprize on policing Twickenham; and on a visit to Hampton Water Treatment Works, by Brian Parker. Annual accounts. Draft evidence of the Twickenham Society to the Terminal Five Public Enquiry.
AUTUMN/WINTER 1994
Twickenham Views (art exhibition) by Peter Hill; River Thames Past and Present, by Albert Ellis; Black Jack comes to Richmond, by Peter Hill; obituary of Gemma Hunter; annual accounts
SPRING/SUMMER 1994
Jack Ellis reminisces; biog. of new chairman, Brian Parker; Twickenham in 1798 by Peter Hill; Richmond's art collection by Peter Hill; Richmond Lock and Weir centenary.
SPRING/SUMMER 1993
Derek Plummer's chairman's editorial on UDP, 30th anniversary of the society, and the Charities Fair. Visits to Reading and the PRO, Kew. Blue Plaque for Walter de la Mare; local amenity groups; HACAN. Holly Road Garden of Rest by Peter Hill. Committee list.
AUTUMN/WINTER 1992
AGM (speaker John Griffith's on Hampton Court.) Twickenham Town Committee. Museum for Twickenham. Richmond Boat Project. Short notes on various items. The Octagon, by Peter Hill. Dove flies down at peace picnic, by Jack Ellis.
SPRING/SUMMER 1992
Conservation and Design Awards. York House statues. Review of book on Strawberry Hill's history. All Hallows Church - Peter Coles.
AUTUMN/WINTER 1991
Editorial: death of Ron Wall, and of Andrzej Panufnik. Town Committee. Enquiry into Marks and Spencers' riverside plans - Inspector's report. Richmond Boat Project. A museum for Twickenham. York House. Summary of last AGM, and agenda for 1991 AGM. Committee list and programme.
SPRING/SUMMER 1991
Editorial. Death of Lord Reilly, designer. Champion's Wharf. Gift of Corot painting. Duck's Walk - letter from Alan Urwin. Twickenham Rugby Ground, by Albert Ellis. Planning Decisions. Walpole-on-the-Neva, by Peter Hill. O'Higgins in London, by Peter Hill. What final decision for Twickenham Embankment?, by Jack Ellis. Committee list and programme, including visits to the houses of Lilian Dring and Bart Williams.
AUTUMN 1990
Death of Cyril Barnes. Proposed museum for Twickenham in Orleans House stable block, with drawing. Scott, the English Canaletto, by Peter Hill. Twickenham Riverside, part three. Jack Ellis reminisces. Friends of Kew Gardens. Holly Road cemetery consultation plan. Visit to Valentine Ellis's house. Riverside development. Committee list and programme, including Michael Fishlock on Hampton Court, and Norah Ponsonby on Marianne North. AGM agenda.
SPRING 1990
Twickenham Museum. Church Street. Twickenham's Past. General Howe.
AUTUMN 1989
Embankment. Blue plaques for former residents - by Peter Hill. Restoration of the Octagon. Statement by Twickenham Museum Group. Retirement of Stephen Hebron.
SPRING 1989
List of names proposed for Blue Plaques, by Peter Hill. Station noticeboard. Crane Park. Charity Fair stall (after first venture in 1988). Visits to Montpelier House and Strawberry Hill. Photo competition prize giving. Demolition of Ice Rink.
AUTUMN 1988
Twickenham Residents 200 years ago (on S. Lewis map) - Peter Hill. Replacing lost trees - talk by Gerry Davis. Prof. Ghillean Prance addresses AGM. Opposition to landing stage at Marble Hill. Request for Tilleman's view of Twickenham.
SPRING 1988
York House statues. Alexander Pope.
AUTUMN 1987
Ice Rink.
SPRING 1987
Odeon Cinema site. Eco Fair at Parkshot. William Hickey, by Peter Hill. Committee list.
AUTUMN 1986
The River Thames and Twickenham
AUTUMN 1985
Odeon Cinema Site. Great Mills Site. Eel Pie print.
SPRING 1985
Great Mills site.
AUTUMN 1984
Visit to Sandersons Wallpapers. Talk on Apartheid.
SPRING 1984
Eel Pie Island. Yacht at Tough's yard.
AUTUMN 1983
Arragon Road. York House and Gardens. Eel Pie Island. John Betjeman and Twickenham.
SPRING 1983
Odeon Cinema site. Baths site. Fifth terminal at Heathrow. Twickenham Week.
SEPT. 1982
Odeon Cinema site. Baths site. Fifth Terminal at Heathrow.
FEB. 1982
Civic Centre site.
OCT. 1981
Odeon Cinema site. Oak Lane Burial Ground. Baths site.
APRIL 1981
Improvements to the station.
SEPT.1980
Improvements to the station. Local events.
MAR 1980
Improvements to the station. Committee list. (sec. William Marsden)
AUG 1977
AGM agenda. Chairman: Cyril Barnes.
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