My involvement in local politics – by David Williams

I first got involved in local politics at the 1970 general election just over 3 years after we had moved here. Ham had no Liberal Association, it was one of the derelict wards, to use the standard term, and I was asked would I go round and collect a few memberships, which was a gentle way of getting involved, collecting five shillings off this person and five shillings off somebody […]

Ham’s open green environment – by David Williams

Actually Ham is a combination of suburban and plentiful open space and it is a London suburb, it’s not rural, it has about probably more than half of the geographical area is open space, particularly if you include the half of Richmond Park that is in Ham and Petersham ward and this gives an open green environment which is unusual in London and very valuable.  It also has because it […]

Petersham Hole 1978 – by David Williams

The one big drama we had at the end of the 70s was the Petersham Hole.  The sewer collapsed right in the middle of Petersham where there is no alternative route between Richmond and Kingston apart from Richmond Park and it was patched up in the Spring of 1978 and almost immediately collapsed again and the Council engineers and the transport people decided they had to replace both foul water […]

My father’s association with Ham Evangelical Free Church – by Mildred Howes

My father was sent to St Paul’s School but was rather a lonely boy, taking long walks on his own. When he was in his teens he walked along the river to Petersham meadows and sat in a field, reading his Bible. He was spotted by the local farmer, from Secrett’s farm, and after some conversation was asked if he would like to come to the small church in Lock […]

Working at Bentalls for 20 years – by HS

Well, there was a problem after the war, what do I do now. I’d got no real skill behind me which was going to be of any use and I went back to Bentalls again but this time went into the carpet department where I stayed for quite a number of years, over 20 years.  I became a buyer there eventually and then I realised that I wasn’t going to […]

Trips to Scotland for grouse shooting – by HS

You said you father was a driver for someone who lived in the park.   Was he around a lot or was it a very busy job?  Very funny hours, never sure whether he was going to be there or not.  I went on trips quite often with them, in fact every year they went to Scotland for grouse shooting in August and he, of course, had to go with them […]