www.shra.org.uk thebulletin Representing the views of all who live in the historic Thameside village of Strawberry Hill No. 142 March 2010 New pedestrian crossing opens on Special Issue: Waldegrave Road (finally) Shopping in n December 2008, we Strawberry Hill Ireported an initiative by two local mums, Ellen Purton and n this extended edition of the Bulletin, Emily Cotton who were pressing Iwe focus on the shops in and around for a pedestrian crossing on the centre of Strawberry Hill Village. Waldegrave Road, near the Three new shops have opened, phoenix- mini-roundabout at Cross Deep. like, from older businesses in the last four Ellen and Emily were concerned months so we’ve interviewed the new about the safety of children (and retailers and some of the longer-standing their parents) in the South East ones, giving them an opportunity to explain of our area who have to cross their reasons for choosing Strawberry Hill for their businesses and to tell you what they Waldegrave Road on their way offer. We have also commissioned a short to their schools. They raised a history of the shops specially for this issue. petition with more than 150 We know you like bargains, so there are two signatures and presented it to Emily Cotton, Ellen Purton and children try out the new crossing “readers offers” in this issue. the Council’s Traffic and Our shops, together with the station, are Highways department. February, work commenced in the new at the centre of our community and we are SHRA and our local councillors, crossing and it is now in operation. extremely lucky to have such a good particularly Cllr Clare Head, have supported We’re very pleased that the Council has selection of businesses on our doorstep. them throughout their campaign. The Council eventually taken note of residents’ concerns, However, in these conducted a traffic survey early last year and but we’re mystified as to why it has taken 15 uncertain economic consulted residents in September. Finally, in months to complete the necessary work. times, we need to support them in Carol donations Parking poles spark any way we can. The publicity in help Kinnear House anger this Bulletin is one of the ways that the rash of 18 grey metal poles on Pope’s esidents’ generous donations at the Association can Grove has upset residents who say they annual SHRA Christmas carol event in A help them to R are spoiling the streetscene. They bring the December meant that we were able to give prosper, but in the £350 to Roy Kinnear House, the home for total number of steel poles in the half-mile end, their survival severely disabled youngsters in Waldegrave long street, to 36. The poles display will depend on all of Road. information about new parking bays us supporting them. The carol singing, opened by Dr Arthur resulting from the South Twickenham CPZ We’ve said it before, repeatedly,:“use Naylor, principal of St Mary’s College, review. them or lose them!”. attracted a record attendance of children and Residents complain that the road is already parents. SHRA raised approximately £350 on inflicted with yellow lines, speed bumps, kerb Meet your the night. Richmond Council contributed £285 build outs and a chicane under the railway towards our costs. bridge. They add that while they were consulted neighbours and about the CPZ, there was no consultation about the parking display poles. have a glass of wine at the AGM he Annual General Meeting Tof the Strawberry Hill Residents’ Association will be held at 7:00 for 7:30 pm on Monday April 19th at Strawberry Hill Golf Club, Wellesley Road. All residents GARDEN DESIGN - PAVING - FENCING are welcome. BRICKWORK - DRIVEWAYS AND MORE After the meeting, you are invited to JOHN CURRY have a complimentary glass of wine and 75 ELMER GARDENS chat to other residents and the Committee. ISLEWORTH You will also be able to buy the new MIDDLESEX edition of “Strawberry Hill - a History of the TW7 6EZ Neighbourhood” at the meeting at a special 07958-615-461 introductory price of £5.99 - a reduction of email:j[email protected] £1. See page 4 for further information about www.thameslandscaping.co.uk Some of the crop of new poles in Popes Grove the book. Page 1 The Bulletin No. 142 March 2010 www.shra.org.uk Strawberry Hill Post Cheers! To Premier Wine's great offer Office ot only has with buying wine. NFeng Chen “The original team at saved Strawberry the shop has been kept Hill's Off-Licence on”, says Rory, following the “because we firmly demise of Wine believe that their Rack, he is also customer knowledge is offering residents a a vital part of the great offer. Present business”. this copy of the Flexibility of Bulletin and his service is key. Rory manager Rory and his team will Thorpe will give supply any wine you you a 10% discount want, from a single on any bottle of bottle upwards. They Rory Thorpe and assistant Linda Dormer will offer wine or 15% off six will be holding wine bottles. you a 10% discount with this Bulletin tastings are weekends, Mr Chen was also franchisee of the Wine Rack in Stanley Road and immediately saw starting on Friday evenings, highlighting Jay and Aparna Patel outside the Post Office, popular wines or wine of a country or region. 105 years old this year the potential of wine sales in the Tower Road shop. Premier Wines' range is 2 to 1 New World to Old World. There is also a choice of beers he future of the Post Office is more The aim, says Rory, is to create a relaxed and chocolates, while glass hire and free Tsecure than it has been for a long atmosphere where the personal touch will time, but Post Mistress Aparna Patel, replace the formality normally associated delivery are offered with payment on delivery. urges residents to keep up their custom. “If we don't use it, we might lose it” says Aparna. Better and better Everyday The range of servicesprovided by resh flowers will soon be blooming explains that the cash withdrawal fee has been the Post Office and the Foutside Everydays. Since taking over scrapped so as to encourage custom. shop is expanding. The the former Cost “It is used a lot,” shop, which has been a Cutters and says Kumar who has Post Office for 105 transforming it been working at years, is the only one in into Everdays, Everydays for four Strawberry Hill providing Oyster owner Kuri months. “We have cards and top-ups. Foreign currency Nadarajah has also just introduced a conversion continues to be a draw because extended the shop, big range of telephone the Post Office does not charge introduced a wider cards. Business is commission. Meanwhile, the dry cleaning range of goods, good. We seem to get service is popular with daily commuters. more attractive a lot of students from display, St Mary's College.” photocopying and a The bigger shop - it Discover Strawberry Hill’s sound system. was extended at the Best Kept Secret The latest back into a former innovation, along storeroom - has with flowers, is a encouraged trade, he free ATM machine. says. The shop is open Shop manager from 6 am to 10 pm Kumar Nadarajah, every day (as you who is Sri Lankan, Kumar Nadarajah: no charge for ATM withdrawals might expect). CAR SERVICING & REPAIRS Strawberry Hill Post Office Discover a golf course that has VOLVO & PROFESSIONAL been here for over 100 years SUBARU & We welcome beginners as warmly as CENTRE those that have played before Most other makes * plus * Shirts, Ironing, Tyres, batteries, exhausts Laundry, Curtains It’s a challenging but relatively quick 9 Duvets, Tailor Repairs holes and the clubhouse is never too far • Very Skilled Technicians away • Great Value SAME DAY SERVICE AVAILABLE • High Quality OYSTER CARD, BUS PASS, TRAVEL CARD, LOTTERY, CASH MACHINE, MOBILE TOP UP, We’d love to see you! 020 8892 4440 PHOTOCOPY AND FAX Agent for Kings Dry Cleaning in Visit us at www.shgc.net or call Paul MKG 3000 Twickenham Astbury on 020 8894 0165 for more 50 Tower Road information Tower Road, Strawberry Hill, TW1 4PP 020 8892 3293 Page 2 The Bulletin No. 142 March 2010 www.shra.org.uk A short history of shopping in Strawberry Hill

he building of the station at hairdresser. The corner of Rochester House, TStrawberry Hill in 1873, ten years next to the railway, was occupied by after the railway line, triggered McDowells grocery in 1966, which later development in the roads around the moved across the road where it still stands. station and by 1900 houses had been built This shop was occupied in the 1980s by the in Strawberry Hill Road, Waldegrave Strawberry Hill Delicatessen, a dry cleaners, Gardens, Waldegrave Park, Walpole Peaches and Cream, followed by an attempt Gardens, Popes Grove and Popes Avenue. to open a taxi company and, most recently a The first shop in Strawberry Hill was the barbers shop. Post Office which opened in 1905. The In 1958, the Post Office and the ladies first Post Master was Henry James Barry hairdresser next door were still as they were (he handed the running of his business to in 1940. The ladies hairdresser had gone by his wife in the following year) and the 1960, but there was later a doctor's surgery same building has remained a Post Office on that site, then another hairdresser, a video to this day. In the 1920s and 1930s, it was hire shop and, today, the dentist's surgery. At run by Charles Severn and the counter some time after the war, Yardley's (or The was described as being at the back of the Stores) had moved to the site of the current living room of the house. There were no off-licence from across the road, but had other shops until a bootmaker, RichardThe Post Office in the early 20th century. The two boys with thegone by 1966, being replaced later by bicycle are telegraph boys Madge, opened in a lean-to next to the Victoria Wine, Threshers, then Wine Rack Post Office in 1927. and now Premier Wines. Until the 1920s there was a limited need for shops as much fresh Closer to the station, the bootmaker, now Harji’s, has survived for 80 produce came from local market gardens and a dairy farm in Waldegrave years. Next door, Peggy's Pantry was until last year an estate agent; Bells Road, delivered as required. However the rapid development of housing from 1990, then Rawlinson & Webber. This shop was either an between 1900 and 1930 created a need for more local businesses. In 1930, auctioneer or an estate agent continuously from 1935 to 2009. The River the bootmaker was joined by a confectioner, a ladies costumier (or Trading site next to the level crossing was occupied by a dress shop draper), and shortly after, by a coal merchant (where the off-licence, (Strawberry Flair, later Jules) and then, from 2002, a sandwich shop, Fill McDowells and the dentist's surgery, respectively, are now). The Yer Boots. following year the opposite side of Tower Road was developed and a In 1960, on the present fruiterer, a baker, a car-hire business, Strawberry Hill Cars, opened on the site of Lexington Court at site of the present Lexington Court. A grocer and a Barclays Bank the corner of Strawberry sub-branch Hill Road, there was an opened next to estate agent and a car hire the railway. The business. The estate agent grocer, roughly had disappeared by 1964 where Kyzan and was replaced by an now stands, was enlarged car hire business, called The named Wallis Car Hire, Stores and was later Smiths Car and Van also known as Hire and traded until Boatswain's and Lexington Court was built later, in 1934, as in 2003. Yardley's. A The businesses in butcher opened Wellesley Parade were the in the following same in the late 1950s as before the war. However, The Stores in the 1930s. Most of the advertisements seem to year between the grocer and an ironmongery, Tower Road in the 1960s, with the estate agent be for alcohol Penningtons, replaced the on the corner and the car hire’s petrol pump the bank. behind When the three shops on the north side next to the station opened in greengrocer on the corner, 1935, the boot repairer moved into one of them on the site of the present in 1958. In 1960, the newsagent was L M Barratt, the confectioner was shoe repairer, Harji, and the confectioner moved to the River Trading site. called Bon Bon (which also hired out books), the chemist was H G M An auctioneer moved in between them at the same time, whilst yet Osborne and there was grocer, Burfords, next to the ironmongery (both another auctioneer occupied the vacant confectioners shop. The Messrs Osborne and Burford were, in 1965, founder members of SHRA). following year, Strawberry Hill's first hairdresser, Miss Geraldine In that year, Penningtons was replaced by Butlers hardware store, which Watson, moved into the vacated boot repairer's shop. Further east, at 15 many residents remember. By 1972, Butlers had expanded to take over Tower Road, a “naturopath and nature cure specialist”, Madame Varne, the 2 adjacent shops - a configuration which remains to this day. This, was operating from 1933 to 1938, presumably in a private house. Strawberry Hill's largest and most prominent retail site, has since been a Wellesley Parade was built in 1934 and the first shop was a locksmith and a succession of three restaurants; first, The Melting Pot, newsagent at number 1. The other five shops were occupied over the next which became a Thai restaurant and now Sopa. two years by a confectioner, a chemist (which remains a chemist to this Number 1 Wellesley Parade, the original Strawberry Hill newsagent, day), a ladies outfitter, a “provisions merchant” and another fruiterer. has developed in way that typifies many small shops in Britain - from All these shops remained mainly unchanged (except for one or two newsagent, confectioner and tobacconist (under the management, new proprietors) until the Second World War. At about midnight on 29th amongst others, of Anne and Jim Stevens), to small supermarket, November 1940, during the most intense air raid that Twickenham saw in Costcutters then Everydays, offering a far greater range of goods. the war, the Bank was hit by a high explosive bomb and all the shops on Changes in lifestyles over the years have been reflected in the types of shops. For example, the coal merchant, the bank, the specialist the south side of Tower Road were destroyed, though there seem to have confectioners and ladies costumier have long since disappeared, but we been no casualties. More than 70 people died in the Borough that night. now have an off-licence, a cafe and a restaurant. Businesses have come Records for the war and the years following are sparse, but is known and gone with worrying regularity in recent years but it is interesting that that Rochester House was built on the bomb-damaged site in 1953 and a there has been a Post Office, a shoe repairer, a newsagent, a chemist, a butcher (Framptons, then Lorie Meats, closed in 1989) opened where the hairdresser and an estate agent (or auctioneer) in Strawberry Hill almost Hill Dry Cleaners now stands, followed shortly next door by a continuously for the last eighty years. Even in these financially uncertain greengrocer, Quality Corner, in the shop now occupied by Kyzan, the continued overleaf ... Page 3 The Bulletin No. 142 March 2010 www.shra.org.uk Cooking up some lasting ties omance and a business Phil. “They get off the train and pop Ropportunity blossomed for in for dinner. We frequently see Phil and Sopa Rochford when they families. The English have really met in a chance encounter on taken to Thai cooking”. Phil platform 13 at Victoria station. appreciates the relationship which Sopa means beautiful in Thai and it have developed. was certainly true for Phil. Most popular dish? “It's Prik Pao Thirty-three years later, they are which means chilli paste,” Phil the very successful proprietors of explains. Sopa, the Thai restaurant in Wellesley Unlicensed, Phil likes the BYO Parade. Married with two sons (aged formula for drinks which makes life 22 and 33, an opera singer) they have simpler, and less expensive all been ensconced in Strawberry Hill for round; and they don't have to keep five years, but live in Surrey. alcohol on the premises. Many The restaurant alternates between customers buy their wine or beer a popular breakfast stop - the Full from Everydays so there is a close English is a favourite - a sandwich relationship between the two lunch break rendezvous during the businesses. day, and a Thai eatery at night. “Most Sopa and Phil, assistants Nun, Kris and Pat and customers enjoying the You can see Sopa’s menu on of our customers are regulars,” says lunchtime sunshine their web site:www.sopa-thai.co.uk Bharat has a privileged view of Strawberry Bharat’s healthy Hill society. The majority of his trade is business dispensing prescriptions. “I have seen mothers bring in their babies who have now grown into harat Patel has been the manager and teenagers, so I feel I have a special link”. Bpharmacist at Strawberry Hill He is married with two daughters aged 15 Pharmacy for 16 happy years. “It is the and 6. They occasionally help in the pharmacy, nicest place I have ever worked in,” he especially when Bharat broke his wrist during says. “The people are very pleasant and a charity bike ride. “I fell off while trying to do that makes it a pleasure to drive here every some good. But my daughters came in and day from my home in Wembley.” helped me open jars and boxes”. Bharat says business has slowed over the years because of competition from supermarkets. “It is important to support local Sasileka and Kugan Kugathasan with Santosh shops otherwise they will disappear”. He is discussing the possibility of upgrading the “People really like the fresh bread,” says shop with the owner. Kugan. “That’s why a lot of them come here. And the fresh vegetables, too.” Famous for fresh bread The day continues to 8 pm except on ugan and Sasileka Kugathasan have Sundays when they open at 8 am and shut at Ksteadily built up McDowells grocers 5 pm. Each evening when the trains unload shop since taking it over five years ago. commuters from London is the shop's busy Kugan has lived in Strawberry Hill for 14 period. Staples like milk, eggs, bread, bacon, years. Kugan worked for the previous owner. fly off the shelves. Life is busy for Kugan and Sasileka who In an echo of their homeland, Sri Lanka, have two children, a girl, Santhiya, 4, and a the tray of samosas and other spicy nibbles boy, Santosh, 2. The day starts with the bread Bharat Patel: “the people are very pleasant” such as onion bhajis on the counter, is a daily delivery from Belmont Bakery at 6.30 am. draw.

... from page 3 times, only one of the 14 retail MAPLE LEAF premises round the station is PHARMACY & CLINIC unoccupied at the time of writing (Waterlily closed in early March). www.mapleleafpharmacy.co.uk If you have any memories or facts about our shops, please 20 The Green contact Robert Youngs (details on Twickenham, TW2 5AB the last page of this Bulletin). An expanded and updated version of CLINIC this article, with many more pictures and your comments, will 020 8255 9666/7 be published on the SHRA web site Over 25 treatments in the “History Book” section soon. Information for this article has Wellesley Parade in 1972. Butlers hardware store (now Sopa) is on PHARMACY been taken from “Strawberry Hill - a the corner, with H G M Osborne’s chemist next door (now History of the Neighbourhood” 020 8898 5033 Strawberry Hill Pharmacy) (ordering information elsewhere in this Open every day of the year Bulletin), interviews with residents and from directories in Richmond Local Studies Collection. All images are courtesy of Richmond Local Studies Collection. Page 4 The Bulletin No. 142 March 2010 www.shra.org.uk St Mary’s College Strawberry Hill Community forum College rethinks waste site House launched online t Mary's College has withdrawn the Financial serendipity dedicated Strawberry Hill web forum Splanning application for the Ahas been set up by the Richmond United controversial relocation of its waste and boosts coffers Group (RUG) part of a network of forums recycling compound following strong t has been a good February for the covering the Borough’s villages. Topics objections from residents and SHRA. Ifinances of Strawberry Hill House, covered include Environment, Library The College planned to relocate the writes Judith Lovelace, Chair of the Events, Sport and Local Politics. New compound to a site behind a house in Friends of Strawberry Hill.The Trust was forums can be added on request. See the Waldegrave Park, used as student able to announced that it had achieved RUG website at: accommodation. Architects for the College the total of £9 million for phase one of the www.richmondunitedgroup.com have been asked to come up with new Restoration of Horace Walpole’s historic proposals. The resiting arises from the building house. The money was raised from a mix of the new sports hall. Work on the hall begins of heritage lottery grants with matching in April. funds from donors. Individuals, Green travel and antennae companies, Trusts, Foundations and the ssues raised at a recent liaison meeting Friends in the USA and the UK. Ibetween SHRA and the College focused But more cash is still needed for phase 2, on the College's green travel policy and which covers the restoration of the rooms. Fabulous homemade food using quality complaints, and how they are handled. The Trust thanks SHRA for its help and seasonal produce. Open all day for In the meantime, antennae have been looks forward to seeing its members taking superb Breakfast, Lunch, Afternoon removed from the roof of the College. part in special tours of the house before the Tea and Dinner. Residents concerned about student parking formal opening on September 24. Special Offer - 10% discount on your were told that a a second, smaller Streetcar For more information contact food bill on production of this would be restored to the campus shortly. ClaireLeighton: advertisement. Drama Students Celebrate ([email protected]) Arthur’s on the Green The Green, Twickenham, 400 years at Ham House Hot News TW2 5AB rama students from St Mary’s The reopening of Strawberry Hill House Tel: 020 8893 3995 www.arthursonthegreen.co.uk DUniversity College are teaming up with and the start of the Exhibition at the the National Trust at Ham House to create Victoria and Albert museum has spurred a unique community event celebrating the numerous articles in the media. Recently, properties 400thbirthday later this Spring theEvening Standard has run large feature STEVE CLARK – BLACKSMITH and are looking for recruits to take part. stories about the exhibition as well as a Since September 2009 Students have been two-page article in its property section working at the house as a resident theatre about the attractions of the Strawberry Hill company, planning a range of education and area. The exhibition continues until 4th July. performance based events encouraging a new So far bands, choirs, religious groups, generation of visitors to explore and enjoy the schools, the police, local pubs and businesses house and grounds. have all pledged support and will bring colour The work will culminate in a grand and life in what it’s hoped will be a huge st General metalwork - railings - gates birthday party, taking place on Sunday 31 celebration of the diversity and spirit of our May with community groups, families and local community. Arch 34, Popes Grove, local residents gathering on Ham Common If you’d like to be involved or just kept up Twickenham, TW1 4JW before parading in procession to join an to date with what’s happening please drop audience 3,000 strong for a mass community SMUC an email on[email protected] Tel: 020 8894 2212 sing-along event wishing the house Happy or go towww.smuc.ac.uk/yourstmarys. They’d Established 1989 Birthday. love to hear from you! [email protected] Strawberry Hill’s thrilling history his history of our wealth of recently Tneighbourhood, discovered new which has been a information. consistent seller since it Popular as Christmas was first published by presents, demand for the SHRA 19 years ago, has new edition is expected been updated. to be high as a result of Author, local the publicity generated historian and past by the Strawberry Hill chairman of SHRA, House exhibition at the Anthony Beckles V&A. Willson has revised the The book is available text and illustrations and now for £6.99 from the the first copies of a new A5-sized edition are on Secretary (see back page for contact sale in now. This, the third edition and the first information) and will shortly be on sale at major revision, comprises 84 pages (up from Langton’s in Church Street and the 64) on high-quality cream paper, contains 38 Twickenham Museum. It will be on sale at illustrations (previously 23) and 16 maps. Strawberry Hill House when it reopens in Apart from revisions to the text, there is a September. Page 5 The Bulletin No. 142 March 2010 www.shra.org.uk Tea, cakes and masses of sympathy isters Peggy and Stacy, helped by SLuca, created an instant hit when they opened Peggy’s Pantry in Tower Road nearly three months ago. Business is brisk as mums gather for coffee after the school run, while on Mondays an older lunch group T H E C O M M I T T E E gathers for a natter over bowls of Stacy’s excellent home-made soup. OFFICERS Peggy lives in Teddington and worked in the café at Langton’s Bruce Duff bookshop before taking over the former (Joint Chair) estate agents. Stacy, mother of two, has 8894 5271 lived in Strawberry Hill for six years. [email protected] The shop has been transformed with Robert Youngs reclaimed furniture from old churches (Joint Chair) and crockery from a former Wesleyan 8894 1121 Chapel. The result is a charming, [email protected] relaxed and friendly atmosphere. The John Naish tables are stripped oak and pine while (Hon. Treasurer) some of the chairs still have boxes for 8892 7953 Stacy and Peggy outside Peggy’s Pantry: creating a community hymn books on the back. [email protected] focus “We wanted to create a happy Clare Phelps community focus and bring people together,” Republic who lives nearby. (Joint Hon. Secretary) says Stacy who works part-time. They are also But it is the food as much as the friendliness 8892 5863 helped part-time by Luca from the Czech which attracts. Cakes are made by local mum [email protected] Jenny Hunt and a new Spring menu based on Pam Crisp salads is in preparation. (Joint Hon. Secretary) Open each weekday from 7.30 am to 4.30 8898 1878 pm, Peggy’s opens later on Saturdays (9.30 am [email protected] to 4 pm) and from 10 am to 3 pm on Sundays M E M B E R S when locals gather for breakfast over the Sunday papers. Mike Allsop 8891 1614 Distributors needed for [email protected] Milton Court and Roymount John Armstrong 8894 5218 Court [email protected] SHRA is looking for one or two volunteers to distribute the Bulletin in Milton Court Eugene Bacot and Roymount Court in Wellesley Road. 8892 2837 [email protected] The commitment is about half an hour, 3 times per year. Teresa Read If you can help, please contact: Clare [email protected] Phelps or email: ! [email protected]. RENEWAL OF SUBSCRIPTION of £3.00 (minimum) PER HOME FOR YEAR 2010 This subscription renewal may be made by cash or cheque made payable to Strawberry Hill Residents’ Name(s):______ Association. Please write your name and address in the box, Address:______ put your subscription in an envelope with this form and hand to either: ______ A John Naish, 12 Waldegrave Gardens, TW1 4PG ______Postcode: ______ B Everydays, by Strawberry Hill Station C Post Office, Tower Road Telephone:______ Payment may also be made by Standing Order. Forms are available from John or from the SHRA Email:______ website (www.shra.org.uk) Amount: £______Date: ______ Additional donations are always welcome! Published by SHRA, 40 Popes Grove, Twickenham, TW1 4JY. Email: [email protected] Page 6