Those of you who use Facebook, and who are part of the Sunbury on Thames group, will no doubt have been enlightened by Gavin Worrell’s many postings on Sunbury, including history and some fantastic photos. Gavin has allowed us to reproduce some of his postings for those of you who are not on social media.
Sunbury in Literature by Gavin Worrell Read More »
In the 1790s, the Board of Agriculture commissioned two qualified surveyors, Thomas Baird (1793) and John Middleton (1797) to report on the state of agriculture in Middlesex.
Where there’s muck, there’s money! Read More »
What does one wear when one visits the Lord Lieutenant, the Queens representative in Surrey? I selected my charity shop coat of course. Amongst his many charitable roles, Michael More-Molyneux is a major supporter of Shooting Star Chase (yes, that is where said coat was purchased!), having been involved in it since its foundation.
Coffee with the Lord Lieutenant of Surrey Read More »
Twenty years ago the Environment Agency made the conscious decision to halt river maintenance. They sold off the dredgers and plant. That decision was irreversible and deliberate and broke up what was an effective and professional management of our rivers.
To Dredge or Not to Dredge… Read More »
This month sees two years since the devastating floods of 2014. The front cover was taken at that time and beautiful as the image is, the memories still haunt river dwellers. This month we reconsider dredging and what a difference it would make to our communities. We also have coffee with the Lord Lieutenant of Surrey and hear about Sunbury featuring in literature.
I recently visited the Museum of London’s excellent (if gruesome in places) exhibition of items from Scotland Yard’s Black Museum, connected with infamous crimes. One of the displays was about the Great Train Robbery of August 8th, 1963.
Shepperton and The Great Train Robbery Read More »
In 1957 18 year old Mahmadur Rashid came to the UK from Pakistan to find his destiny. It had been an adventurous journey. With a one way ticket, he took a 28 seater plane from Dakar which had to make an emergency landing when the radio gear caught fire.
The History of The Shahin Read More »
January is the time for New Year resolutions. What have you been putting off? What do you want to change to make life better?
Facing Your Fears and Climbing Mountains Read More »
We look at what treasures have been found in the Thames over the years when it was being regularly dredged. Yet another benefit to dredging! We also share the story of a couple of cousins reunited through Sunbury Matters, and finally take a look at the 50 years since the Shahin restaurant opened.
Charles Dickens, who knew the Sunbury and Shepperton area well, was the man who popularised the idea of the Christmas Ghost Story, in the mid nineteenth century. Whilst looking through old Christmas editions of the Middlesex Chronicle at Spelthorne Museum in Staines, I came across the following story of ghostly goings-on at Battlecrease Hall in Shepperton in the edition for 27th December 1946.
A CHRISTMAS GHOST STORY Read More »
In this months issue we look at the role Middlesex played in growing the fruit and veg needed to feed the growing population of London. We also hear about a ghost story from Battlecrease house in Shepperton.
I recently visited a fascinating exhibition put on by the Environment Trust about the forgotten history of market gardening in South West London entitled “Feeding London”. It is on at the library of the Royal Botanic Garden, Kew and is well worth a visit.
Middlesex – London’s Market Garden Read More »
The ability to stand up in front of an audience and be able to give an address, is always going to stand you in good stead. Think of that best man’s speech, making a sales presentation or standing up and asking a question at a public meeting.
I was a shy young thing. Ironically, joining the Brownies, would have been just the thing for me, as I discovered when I went to the grand opening of the new HQ of the 1st Sunbury Scouts & Guides. The event was teaming with old and young, those who had been a scout or guide back as far as 40 years ago.
New HQ for Sunbury Scouts & Guides Read More »
The Légion d’honneur, is France’s highest decoration. It was established by Napoleon in 1802 to recognise individual merit. Among its recipients are those who have played a part in the liberation of France and so it was that Sunbury’s John Cairns was recently invited to a special ceremony at the French Embassy to receive such an award for the part he played in WW2.
Légion d’Honneur for Sunbury Man Read More »
At the turn of the last century, Sunbury was a weekend and holiday destination. The river was bordered by many little cottages and the beauty of the river and peace of the village offered sanctuary from the bustle of London. Many of those weekend retreats have been sold and redeveloped.
Historic Getaway sold at Auction Read More »
We revisit the past in this issue. A look at how the Thames was at Shepperton Lock in the 1920’s, a visit to a former holiday home on Wheatley’s Ait in Sunbury where actors and actresses got up to all sorts in the 1920’s.
How can six cows become such an attraction? There was much talk of it last year, but finally, with little warning, six Aberdeen Angus cows arrived in Sunbury Park.
Sunbury Park – Much More Than Just Cows! Read More »
Sunbury will be marking a remembrance on October 18th this year, the date when two brave RAF fighter pilots lost their lives 75 years ago, whilst attempting to land at Kempton Park Racecourse.
Kempton Memorial to Brave Pilots Read More »
For many years before the coming of the railway to our area in the mid nineteenth century, the main way of moving around bulky goods was by river.
Rope making in Sunbury and Shepperton Read More »
