LETTER FROM THE CHAIR It is my sad duty to report the death of Angela Carvill who organised our Events for some 20 years, retiring in 2014. Many of you have enjoyed the trips she organised, the coffee mornings at Peg Woffington's and the Merits lunches both of which she originated. About two dozen of us were able to attend the celebration of her life organised by her family on August 11th at Strawberry Hill House and a full goodbye will be in the next issue of Tidings. If you would like to contribute a memory in a few words please send it to me. Our sympathies go out to her children: Paul, Steve and Emily. I'm sure that they, and you, will be comforted in the knowledge that two ladies driving by where Angela had fallen in the street stopped and stayed with her until an ambulance arrived. They were true Good Samaritans and we thank Vivienne and Diane. We have a lot on our plate at the moment with the Udney Park Playing Fields development, expansion of St Mary's University Teddington Lock campus, the threatened Cycle Route in the High Street and the skyscraper flats to be built on the Informer House site to name but a few. Helping hands are always welcome. So do offer your services. As Alan Benns has emigrated to the Isle of Wight, Nick Picton has taken on the website and bulk emailing duties. In his spare time he's tackling the straightening of the Mo Farah gold pillar box in North Lane which until recently was listing like the bell tower of Pisa! Congratulations go to Mo for becoming the world's greatest distance runner when he won his 10th global title at the recent IAAF World Championships where he took Gold in the 10,000m and then got Silver in the 5,000m. We welcome Alan Rolph, now our official film maker, and his first epic is the Pram Race and Village Fair film which is on the website. Alan Benns (Teddo the Clown) will still be organising the Pram Race but meanwhile you can read about this year's successes inside. We also welcome the Rev. David Innes to the Methodist Church where his welcome service is on 5th September at 7.30pm and all are invited. SHEENA Publicity & Promotions (inc. The Teddington Gardens) Roads and Transport Group Society Sheena Harold Brian Holder 020 8977 1579 1 Avenue Road, Teddington [email protected] TW11 0BT Membership Secretary Reg. Charity No. 802026 Jenny Michell 020 8977 0772 Environment Group www.teddingtonsociety.org.uk [email protected] Geoff Howland 020 8977 9404 [email protected] President - Jenny Hilton Website - Nick Picton Vice Presidents: History Group Roger Avins, John Demont Twitter - Peter Denton Dick Hughes 020 8977 0635 Paddy Ching [email protected] [email protected] Chairman Magazine Editor - Donald Bell Riverside and Open Spaces Sheena Harold 020 8977 2700 [email protected] Andy Weston [email protected] [email protected] Minutes Secretary - Judy Asher Secretary - Nick Picton Flood Working Group [email protected] Film - Alan Rolph Brian Holder Treasurer Planning Group Outings Sally Howland 020 8977 9404 Veronica Laughrin Pamela McHutchon [email protected] [email protected] LETTER FROM THE EDITOR The Autumn edition of Tidings is always a great opportunity to include lots of photos. We live in a beautiful part of the world, with rivers and parks all around us, as well as a High Street full of great character. And with the advent of high quality cameras built into the mobile phone, everyone is now an amateur photo-journalist. But thanks must especially go to Brian Holder and Peter Denton who have supplied many of the photos in this and other editions. The photo at the top of this page was taken at one of the Teddington Society Committee Meetings, so now you know what everybody looks like. During the summer, there have been many photo-opportunities. We have had Teddington in Flower, the Village Fair and, of course, the Pram Race. Choosing just the right photos has been quite a challenge. And, with Teddington800 being celebrated this year, the Sports Day in Bushy Park was a riot of colour for the eight Teddington clubs taking part in the tug- of-war, the sack race and the three legged-race. The Golden Pillar Box which celebrates Mo Farah's medals in 2012 has been leaning over at an alarming angle, so we thought that a photo was well overdue. But, would you believe it, the Council came and straightened it before our photographer could get there! If only they were equally quick at mending our cracked pavements. Page 2 Tidings 179, Autumn 2017 TEDDINGTON IN FLOWER – June 2017 Pictures by Peter Denton Tidings 179 – Autumn 2017 Page 3 SLOWLY DOWN THE THAMES Henley to Cookham via Marlow (number 8 in an ongoing series) Alan and Hilary Benns After a leisurely breakfast in Henley we crossed the two pubs and a community-run village shop. So, after bridge to the Berkshire side of the river. Sunday morning refreshments, we headed straight back to the river and is not an ideal time for a quiet stroll on the towpath crossed the wooden bridge onto the grassy lock island. north from Henley as after a couple of minutes the path The lock island has a teashop and toilets and an area for became congested with fast joggers, faster racing cyclists picnics but since it was a late afternoon in October there and the slower-moving bicycles of rowing coaches. The were no picnickers to be seen. We crossed the lock coaches seemed to be engaged in competitive bellowing stream again by a second high foot bridge and after and it was a great relief to get the end of the reach where crossing the river via Temple footbridge into the practice was taking place. We passed Temple Island Buckinghamshire we were on the final straight of the which is the starting point for the regatta races and soon day. A brief surfaced stretch of towpath gave way to a the crews and cycles thinned out and cries of the coaches grassy, slick surface and we encountered an gave way to the whistling of the red kites overhead. unexpectedly large number of elderly walkers clad in unsuitable footwear. It looked as though an over- The Chiltern red kites were reintroduced between 1989 enthusiastic tour guide had suggested a pre-prandial and 1993 and it is estimated that there may be as many stroll to his charges but neglected to take into account as 1,000 breeding pairs in the area now. They are mostly the previous week’s weather and resulting conditions scavengers but sometimes take live prey and call to each underfoot. other with whistles – not unlike the sounds used to train dogs or prey birds. The sound of the kites stayed with us Marlow Bridge came into view as we approached the as we rounded the bend in the river towards Hambledon town; this was designed by William Tierney Clark who lock and the hamlet of Aston. had previously designed the first suspension bridge to cross the Thames at Hammersmith but is more famous We arrived at Aston on the dot of 12:00 which was for his design of the Széchenyi Chain Bridge which links fortunate as that was opening time of the Flowerpot. The Buda and Pest. Marlow Bridge is an almost identical pub, which was already quite full of stuffed animals and design to that of its much admired “big brother” in fish, soon became further stuffed with both locals and Hungary. We crossed the bridge to our destination for walkers keen for Sunday lunch. It was a bit too close to the night; the Compleat Angler. The hotel is pleasant our breakfast time for more solids so we just stayed for a enough and our room had a view across the river to All pint. The path here climbs away from the river for about Saints church. However the bar felt rather corporate and half a mile then descends and passes Culham Court, unwelcoming so we walked across the bridge to the which is owned by a Swiss financier who has recently George and Dragon for a pre-dinner G&T. built a new chapel for his estate workers. This grandiose landmark looks like a pillared Greek temple and was The Angler is directly next to Marlow lock and the sound consecrated in 2016 by the Archbishop Emeritus of from the weir is tremendous so we were pleased to have Westminster. a room on the other side of the building. The weir noise however wasn’t half as irritating as the muzac which Back on the river we walked through a series of accompanied dinner and breakfast. We were pleased to unremarkable fields, then past houses and finally a camp leave for the comparative peace of the river bank and site beside Hurley Lock. Here we walked off-river to visit decided to continue our walk the next morning rather the village and, more importantly the Olde Bell for a late than return to Teddington immediately, which had been lunch. There’s not a lot to see in Hurley; it’s largely a our original plan. collection of houses clustered along a long high street, Page 4 Tidings 179 – Autumn 2017 We re-crossed the bridge, wiggled round Seven Corner Cock Marsh. The marsh has been used as common Alley then turned to join a road which runs parallel to grazing land for centuries and contains rare water the river.