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 else, and nine months after I got involved were the local elections.

As far as Ham is concerned what was good about Ham as a local Councillor particularly an active campaigning Councillor like I was and in opposition, was that it was a distinct community, it was separate from Richmond and Kingston and this is part of the joy of Ham and Petersham.