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New Bridge House Gardens information board

The Richmond Society’s latest interpretation board, which tells the history of Richmond Bridge and Bridge House Gardens, was inaugurated by the Mayor of Richmond upon Thames, Cllr Julia Cambridge, with the Society’s Vice Chair Louise Fluker on Monday 24 April 2023.

Photo of Cllr Julia Cambridge, with the Society’s Vice Chair Louis Fluker at the inauguration of the board

Photo: Nick Andrews

The board, created by Chairman Barry May, is in Bridge House Gardens beside Richmond Bridge.

Several other boards have been placed by the Society over the years, including at the Church of St Mary Magdalene in Richmond town centre, on Richmond Green, at the river end of Old Palace Lane, at the Riverside, and elsewhere.

Richmond’s Trees – celebrating Richmond’s unsung green heroes

Trees on Richmond Green, Riverside Path and Terrace Gardens – the town’s unsung green heroes – are celebrated in our new handbook and trail guide.

Cover of Richmond's Trees bookRichmond’s Trees: A fascinating trail of discovery gives details of 34 specimens on Richmond Green, along the Thames Path and in the hillside Terrace Gardens. It is beautifully illustrated and includes many practical, literary and scientific references. Each tree is labelled for easy identification by walkers who follow a leisurely two-mile trail.

The book was inspired by our Patron Lord Lee of Trafford. When he came to live in Richmond a few years ago he noticed that whilst the trees of Kew Gardens and Richmond Park were celebrated, those elsewhere in the town were relatively unsung.

“When I moved to Richmond from the North I was immediately struck by the magnificence and diversity of so many of our trees – what a story many of them could tell of life in Richmond over the ages and what they would have witnessed,” Lord Lee said. “However, I was surprised that there was no publication which covered these trees – yes, coverage of those in Richmond Park and in Kew Gardens, but not in Richmond itself.”

A small team of Richmond Society members was assembled – Linda Christmas, journalist and author; Patrick Eagar, professional photographer; and Nicky Wood, Chair of the Society’s Landscape and Riverside Committee. Others who contributed advice and expertise were Livi Gosling, map and trail illustrator; Tony Kirkham, former Head of the Arboretum, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Craig Ruddick, Arboricultural Manager, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames; and Patrick’s daughter Kate Wakeham, book designer. We are hugely indebted to them all.

Lord Lee and Craig Ruddick spoke about the project when the book was launched on Thursday 10 November in the presence of The Mayor of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Cllr Julia Cambridge.

The 88-page book will make a wonderful gift for anyone who loves Richmond and admires its trees. It costs £10 and is on sale at, or can be ordered from:

The Open Book, 10 King Street, Richmond TW9 1ND.
Contact: 020 8940 1802 or theopenbook@btconnect.com.

It is also available at:

Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
Parade’s End Bookshop, Ham Parade
Kew Books, by Kew Station
Sheen Books, East Sheen
Daisy Home, East Twickenham
Orleans House Gallery, Twickenham
Strawberry Hill House, Twickenham
Barnes Bookshop, Barnes

Proceeds come to The Richmond Society.

Notice of Annual General Meeting 2022

All members of The Richmond Society (charity number 1169079) are invited to attend the Annual General Meeting on Thursday 15 December 2022 at 7:30 pm at Richmond & Hillcroft Adult Community College, Parkshot, Richmond TW9 2RE.

Before the formal business of the meeting a review of the Society’s work during the year will be presented and members will have the opportunity to ask questions.

Agenda

1. To note the Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of 9 December 2021.
2. Ordinary Resolutions:

2.1 To receive the Annual Report and Accounts for the year to 30 September 2022, available via this link.
2.2 To elect the Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer (Notes A and B).
2.3 To elect or re-elect other Trustees (Notes A and C).
2.4 To appoint the Independent Examiner (Note D).
3. Any other business.

Notes

A. Nominations are invited for the positions of Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and other Trustees. These must be submitted in writing to the address below or by email to the Secretary. Candidates for election must be Society members who are willing to serve, and must be proposed and seconded by Society members.
B. The following being eligible offer themselves for election:
• Barry May as Chairman
• Anne Koutsabeloulis as Honorary Secretary
• Andrew Coleman as Honorary Treasurer
C. The Society has six Trustees (other than the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer), one third of whom excluding Trustees co-opted during the year (rounded up to a whole number) must retire in accordance with the Constitution. Lizzie Danckwerts and Pamela Fleming were appointed in July 2022 and having been proposed and seconded offer themselves for election. Louise Fluker and Nicky Wood retire by rotation and being eligible offer themselves for re-election having been proposed and seconded.
D. Marian Williams has acted as our Independent Examiner for two years and is willing to be re-appointed.

The Richmond Society discovers ‘inspirational gem’

Richmond Society members and guests gathered at The Poppy Factory on Thursday 19 May to explore the new visitor centre and hear the story of the charity in its centenary year.

Barry May, Chairman, said: “There is so much history bound up in the place. The Poppy Factory is such an inspirational gem at the heart of Richmond, doing such fabulous work. It deserves to be better known and visited by all who live here.”

Group of Richmond Society members outside the Poppy Factory

The Poppy Factory moved to Richmond in 1926 from Old Kent Road, where it had opened four years earlier. A rapidly expanding workforce of wounded and injured veterans needed bigger premises. Flats were built on site for the workers and their families and within a few years, a thriving community had been established.

Since then, The Poppy Factory has developed into a national charity. All funds raised through the visitor centre are used to help veterans with health conditions move towards all kinds of employment, across England and Wales.

Terrace jubilee plaque unveiled

Richmond upon Thames Mayor Cllr Geoff Acton with Richmond Society Chairman Barry May unveiled a plaque on Tuesday 29 March commemorating new railings installed on The Terrace, Richmond Hill by the Council with a Society donation to mark Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee.
Richmond upon Thames Mayor Cllr Geoff Acton with Richmond Society Chairman Barry May unveiling the plaque

Richmond Society Chairman Barry May with Richmond upon Thames Mayor Cllr Geoff Acton

Visit Richmond’s Poppy Factory in its centenary year

Join a Richmond Society visit to The Poppy Factory
in its centenary year
Poppy Factory 100 years logo

Date Icon for 19 May at 10:30am

The Poppy Factory, founded to provide work for wounded First World War veterans, is celebrating its centenary throughout the year.

It was set up in a former collar factory on the Old Kent Road in London in 1922 and made a million poppies within two months. As demand increased, in 1926 the factory moved to a disused brewery in Petersham Road, Richmond. Housing for the workforce and their families was built on adjacent land and in 1932 the present factory was built.

To mark 100 years of the factory, The Richmond Society is organising a guided tour at 10:30 am on Thursday 19 May. Places are limited and can be secured for £12 each, all proceeds going to the Poppy Factory.

You can book on Eventbrite here.

Bamber Gascoigne

We are very sad to hear that our Patron Bamber Gascoigne has died at his riverside home in Richmond after a short illness. He was 87.

Bamber had been a Patron since 1989 and although he kept very busy with many social and cultural commitments he always found time to be enthusiastically supportive of the Society’s work to preserve the special character of Richmond.

He will be much missed as a distinguished figure in the town and a supporter of many local causes.

We offer our deepest sympathy to Bamber’s wife Christina.

Bamber (right) with Baroness Ronny Van Dedem, also a Patron, and Chairman Barry May at our Summer Party in June 2019


The photo shows Bamber (right) with Baroness Ronny Van Dedem, also a Patron, and Chairman Barry May at our Summer Party in June 2019.

The night The Beatles met The Stones – in Richmond


Andrew Humphreys, author of Raving upon Thames, a new book about Richmond’s role at the heart of Sixties London from Carnaby Street to the King’s Road and Richmond upon Thames, spoke about the music-led youth revolution that launched the careers of the Rolling Stones, the Yardbirds, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and more. What happened here changed the course of Britain’s musical history.

Richmond Society Forum: Richmond’s recovery

Anita Anand chaired the forum meeting to discuss Richmond’s recovery, on Thursday 11th November 2021.

Anita Anand, Richmond Society Patron and author, broadcaster and host of the BBC’s Any Answers, moderated the discussion with:

  • Ann Chapman-Daniel, Chair of Be Richmond, which represents three hundred and fifty businesses in the town
  • Pamela Fleming, South Richmond Councillor
  • Sarah Olney, Richmond Park MP
  • Gareth Roberts, Leader, Richmond upon Thames Council

Richmond Society AGM 2021

Annual General Meeting 9 December 2021

to be held at 7:30 pm at Richmond & Hillcroft Adult Community College,
Parkshot, Richmond TW9 2RE

Agenda

Introduction and review of the Society’s work during the year

1. To note the Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of 10 December 2020

2. Ordinary resolutions

a. To receive the Annual Report and Accounts for the year to 30 September 2021
The annual report is available at this link

b. To elect the Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer (Note A)

c. To elect or re-elect other Trustees (Note B)

d. To appoint the Independent Examiner (Note C)

3. Any other business

Notes
A. The following being eligible offer themselves for election:
– Barry May as Chairman
– Anne Koutsabeloulis as Honorary Secretary
– Andrew Coleman as Honorary Treasurer
B. The Society has seven trustees other than the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, one third of whom (rounded up to a whole number) must retire in accordance with the Constitution. Simon Clarkson and Neil Maybin are retiring from the Executive Committee and are not standing for re-election. Ginny Curry retires and being eligible offers herself for re-election having been proposed and seconded.

Under the Constitution, Trustees who were appointed during the year must retire but are eligible to stand for election. Andy Dowding was co-opted as a Trustee in December 2020. He is not offering himself for election.
C. Marian Williams was appointed Independent Examiner during the year and is willing to be reappointed.

After the meeting Alicia Hill, soprano, will give a performance of seasonal songs, to be followed by the Christmas Party.

Members are requested to register to attend the AGM via this Eventbrite link.

Tickets for the Party cost £10, and are available via this Eventbrite link.

The Richmond Society
The Bridge Workspace, 7b Parkshot, Richmond TW9 2RD