Imagine you are watching TV one evening and it is a strain to see detail. What do you do? In our privileged Western world, you simply call up your local optician, get an appointment and sort some long distance glasses. No problem!
Mission for Vision Read More »
Sir Edward Nicholl was born at Pool, in Cornwall, on the 17th June, 1862. He came from a fairly modest background, and was apprenticed as an engineer. On completing his apprenticeship, he became a ship’s engineer, and worked his way up to become marine superintendent. Eventually he managed to raise some money and became a ship owner himself.
Sir Edward Nicholl of Littleton Park Read More »
We look to the river this month again, having visited the Jubilee River, and worry about the effect the River Thames Scheme will have on our communities. We also look to the proposed development on Kempton Park green belt land. When is Green Belt not Green Belt? As magazine publishers we are always interested in how things have been done in the past, so it was with great interest that we have been lent some old community magazines from Kenyngton School in the 1950’s. Fascinating!
Here in Sunbury they have thrived for the 12 years I have been keeping bees. There is plenty of forage for them, the apple, pear, cherry trees in spring, then the lime trees, sweet chestnut take over.
In this months issue you can find out about the history of Chertsey Bridge in advance of a talk about Bridges of the Thames. We also meet Tony Kinsey, a jazz legend, who has composed music to celebrate the Millenium Embroidery which celebrates its 10th anniversary.
One of my dear friends had suggested I join her for a charity bike ride in March to raise money for the British Heart Foundation. 40 miles with my old bike seemed like an impossible challenge.
Cycle Repairs on my Driveway Read More »
I was amazed to learn that its literally never too young to start with the famous Spelthorne Gymnastics. As well as their groups of older children who perform at world class level, the club offers pre-school classes from the age of only eight weeks old!
Never too Young to Train as a Gymnast Read More »
This year sees a series of events to mark the 10th anniversary of the Embroidery Gallery. Hopefully most residents will have visited the gallery and marvelled at the incredible Millenium Embroidery depicting our village.
Embroidery Gallery Read More »
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 »
