On 24 January 2024 it was reported here that contractors had placed notices relating to the installation of electric vehicle charging points between 199-207 Upper Richmond Road West. It was the first that most of all the business owners and residents in the nearby flats had heard about the works to be carried out on behalf of TFL and London Borough of Richmond, athough planning permission had already been granted.

The effect of that decision was the loss of all the parking spaces in front of the businesses just to the left of Gilpin Avenue to the dismay of their proprietors. Since January they have been blocked with just a few loading bays adjacent. Attempts to persuade the Council to negotiate with TfL to change the loading bays to parking spaces have produced nothing.

There has been one recent change. Cones have been placed to ensure that no-one actually uses the empty spaces. Next step: actually bringing charging points into use after nine months.

Discuss more about Sheen at the Barnes Home Guard Club this Thursday, 24 October 2024 at 11am. Free entry.

In 1914 Admiral Sir Hedworth Lambton Meux (pronounced Mews, 1856 – 1929) sold land at Sheen House to Arthur Cecil Hovenden, a local doctor. We know this from an abstract of title in the possession of the Barnes Home Guard Club referring to conveyances at that time. The local reference books record that Sheen House was demolished in 1907. At some point 175 Sheen Lane was built and Hovenden lived there until 1946. The precise details of the sale of land to the Club in or about 1944 remain to be investigated but they now have a registered title at premises known as 76A Richmond Park Road.

Lambton had an illustrious and noteworthy naval career. He was commander of the Naval Brigade at Ladysmith in 1899 and helped in its relief. After hearing the story of the naval guns at Ladysmith, Lady Meux had ordered six 12-pounder cannon on travelling carriages to be made and sent out to Southern Africa. 

At that time Valerie Susan Meux, the beautiful socialite widow of Sir Henry Brent Meux (of Meux Brewery, later Friary Meux), who had died in 1900, owned the property at Sheen House. She lived at the family seat at Theobalds House near Cheshunt. An eccentric, she built a roller skating rink there and drove around in her phaeton drawn by zebras. Sheen House had a purpose built cycle track, the home of the Sheen House Cycling Club from 1896. Did they move straight to Richmond Park?

When Lambton returned to England, he called on Lady Meux to thank her for her gift of the guns. He described to her his naval experiences and praised the patriotic spirit of her gift. 

Lady Meux was “touched by this tribute” and, having no heirs herself, she wrote a will making Lambton the heir to the large fortune left by her husband on his death in 1900, including her house at Theobalds Park in Hertfordshire and Sheen House. The only condition was that Lambton should change his name to Meux. 

When she died on 20 December 1910, he willingly changed his name by Royal Warrant, and inherited the Meux Hertfordshire estate, a substantial interest in the Meux Brewery and Sheen House. 

Lambton became a naval aide-de-camp to Queen Victoria in 1901, attended her funeral on 2 February 1901 and then subsequently became naval aide-de-camp to King Edward VII. He was MP for Portsmouth from 1914 to 1918.

In 1910, Lambton married Mildred Cecilia Harriet, daughter of Henry Sturt, 1st Baron Alington and widow of Henry Cadogan, Viscount Chelsea; they had no children, though he acquired five step-children, who inherited the bulk of his estate. 

In 1914 he sold land at Sheen House to Arthur Cecil Hovenden.  He died in 1929 and is buried in Cheshunt Cemetery. His portrait is in the National Portrait Gallery.

So they’re off! There’s a hole but no-one is in it!

East Sheen Avenue will be closed at its junction with 215 Upper Richmond Road for electricity cable installation works commencing on 21/10/2024 to 13/11/2024. Contact: Envevo 07392058740.

Twenty four hour closure? Three weeks? Which works will be next? Can they be coordinated?

River levels are expected to be high as a result of spring tides. The forecast high tide at Richmond is 4.90 m at 18:00 on 21/10/24.

Flooding of low-lying roads and footpaths is expected, which may exist for one to two hours either side of high tide. This makes flooding at Thames Bank at Mortlake (and the White Hart on the River in Richmond) likely though flooding of properties is not expected. You can go boating down Ship Lane.

Just what are the implications of this level of flooding for the Stag Brewery development at Mortlake?

1700 today.

See the previous entry on 15 October 2024 in which it was written that notice of the Inquiry to start on 5 November with a timetable and venues had not been sent to individual local residents. Notices have now been sent out. One house has now had the same letter sent four times – two on the same day. Who is missing out?

There is no news about whether the Council is willing to livestream the event, although the Leader has said it is being considered.

Prediction: on or about November 1st the Council will, if asked, state that it is impractical and / or too costly.

East Sheen Avenue will be closed at its junction with 215 Upper Richmond Road for electricity cable installation works commencing on 21/10/2024 to 13/11/2024. Contact: Envevo 07392058740.

Twenty four hour closure? Three weeks? Which works will be next? Can they be coordinated?

There has been a spate of thefts in East Sheen in recent weeks. These have involved the theft of bank cards and a mobile phone, when the victim has been drawing money from a cash point or using a card to pay for shopping. Substantial funds have within minutes of the thefts been removed from a different local cash point. On at least two occasions there has been CCTV footage identfying the perpetrator.

The police appear to be powerless in these cases because they do not recognise the perpetrator. It seems that this type of case is not regarded as a high priority unless there is such violence that it can be described as a robbery.

East Sheen is of course a low crime area by comparison with many other parts of the Met. But these thefts are causing severe disruption and upset for the victims. It is essential that all offences are reported.

It is a harsh lesson to keep your cards and phone safe and avoid any oversight of PIN numbers. Especially as ‘There’s a Thief about’.