A large audience exceeding 200 enjoyed four entertaining and informative talks at St. Mary’s Church Barnes on Thursday 11 December 2025. And among the other refreshments was a delicious celebratory cake!

Nick Oliver, the Community Action Manager at the Barnes Wetlands, spoke of the history of the Wetlands Centre. It was four Victorian reservoirs. It opened in 2000 and occupies more than 40 hectares of which 29.9 hectares was designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 2002.

In partnership with Richmond Council and Barnes Common Ltd it operates the Community Bluescapes scheme: see https://childlawobserver10.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=1259&action=edit

Nick spoke with affection of the variety of birdlife, including rare visitors to the UK and encouraged volunteering!

Helen Deaton, the well known author of various works on local history, spoke about Mortlake  Brewery, and how it dominated the area for two hundred years. It provided a working and social centre for the area. She noted that when it closed in 2015, UK brewing capacity halved. There was mention of the Bughutch Cinema – but EastSheenMatters has been unable to find anything about it! 

Tim Catchpole, Chair of the Mortlake with East Sheen Society (MESS) spoke of his time as an Urban Planner with the GLC and the debates about management of the South Circular Road. In 1984 there was fiery arguments, led by Tim and a fearsome campaigner, Jackie Caminer fresh from Greenham Common, best viewed on a chariot. Difficult as current conditions are at least we do not have a dual carriageway dividing the area.

Finally Lucy Handscomb, Deputy Chairman of the Society, spoke of its work since its foundation in 1955. The Society has 400 members and its aim is to educate the public about the history of Barnes, Mortlake and East Sheent.

The Society owes its foundation to the life-long vision of Maurice Cockin, a prominent local resident who lived at Leyden House on Thames Bank, Mortlake. Cockin’s dream came true on 25 November 1955 when a public meeting at East Sheen Library led to the formation of The Borough of Barnes History Society. The absorption of Barnes into the Greater London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in 1964, precipitated a name change to the Barnes & Mortlake History Society on 17 March 1965.

Early BMHS meetings were held at Cockin’s ‘beloved Leyden House’, before migrating to Watney’s Staff Canteen at the corner of Sheen Lane and Mortlake High Street. Subsequent lecture locations have included All Saints in East Sheen, St Osmund’s in Barnes, Sheen Comprehensive School, Sheen Lane Centre and latterly St Mary’s Barnes.

A significant chapter in the Society’s history closed in 2011 with the death of the last surviving founder member and insatiable local historian, Mary Grimwade, at the age of 94.