Winter 2012 - Arcadian Times

Ham&Petersham
Community Magazine
Winter 2012
magazine
Winter
warmers
Page 6
From Mongolia
with love
Page 14-15
MI5 in Ham
Pages 26

Telephone directory
News in brief
Useful local
telephone numbers
Doctors’ surgeries
Lock Road Surgery
8940 8922
Tudor Drive Surgery
8549 0061
Ham Clinic
8973 3500
Richmond Practice
8940 5009
Medica Optima
8332 7190
Schools
Strathmore School
8948 0047
Meadlands Primary School
8940 9207
St Richard’s School
8940 7911
The Russell School
8940 1446
Grey Court School
8948 1173
The German School
8940 2510
Dental surgeries
Perfect Smile
8948 4085
Tudor Lodge Dental Practice
8940 4747
Ham Dental Practice
8546 0326
Community services
Ham Children’s Centre
8734 3400
Ham and Petersham SOS
8948 1090
Ham Library
8734 3354
Ham and Petersham
Youth Centre
8288 0916
Churches
St Andrew’s Church
8948 7374
St Peter’s Church
8940 8435
St Richard’s Church
8948 3758
St Thomas Aquinas Church
8948 8292
Ham Christian Centre
8948 0721
Milk delivery
08456 063606
Help
little Samy
Samy, an eleven year old boy living in Ham, has spastic
quadriplegic cerebral palsy, which results in his muscles
being very tight, particularly in his legs, writes his mum,
Lisa Djebbar.
This means he can’t walk and must rely on a wheelchair,
and many day to day tasks such as dressing and toileting
himself are either very difficult or impossible for him. He
is often uncomfortable and very tired because his body
has to work so hard in physiotherapy programmes but he
rarely complains about this.
He goes to a Scope independent Secondary school in
Billinghurst, West Sussex where he accesses a tailored
programme adapted for his needs and uses Conductive
Education Method on a daily basis (Hungarian therapy,
Peto).
There is no cure for cerebral palsy; however, therapy
can help individuals function more effectively. Early
intervention is highly recommended as young children
have a strong ability to learn new motor plans (neural
plasticity).
Samy has been accepted to have an intensive special
Therapy called Cuevas Medek Therapy (CME) to
permanently improve his seating and hopefully help him
walk on his own. The Therapy for several sessions, the
travel expenses and the accommodation will cost around
£20,000.
The aim of our fundraising is we need to raise around 20K
from all kinds of events, sponsorships and donations.
St Richard’s Primary School in Ham has helped us by
organising, baking and selling cakes at the launch of their
new garden and raised £109 for Samy’s therapy.
For more details about our case, please, visit Samy’s
website: http://www.helpsamy.co.uk/ .
News in brief
Organic baker opens shop
Ham-based organic baker Igor Occhiali, who runs Ruben’s
Bakehouse in Broughton Avenue, has set up shop at 52 Heath
Road, Twickenham. However, fans of Igor’s bread will be pleased
to know that he will continue with doorstep deliveries in Ham
and Petersham. For more details about Ruben’s Bakehouse, go
to www.rubensbakehouse.com.
Handel’s Messiah at St. Peter’s
Selected highlight from Handel’s Messiah will be performed at
St Peter’s Church in Petersham on Sunday 16 December 2012 at
6.30 pm.
The Elysian Singers and Players, conducted by Sam Laughton,
will be giving the concert in aid of The New Vineyard Centre,
Richmond. Tickets, priced £15 can be purchased by calling the
box office on 07795 230208.
A walk in the park
Come and enjoy monthly walking meditations in Richmond Park
with The Quiet Circle. For more information and to join,
email thequietcircle@gmail.com.
award-winning organic veg,
meat & all the trimmings
avoid the trolley rage, we’ve got
everything you need for the tastiest
ever organic Christmas
Editorial team
Editor
Peter Rixon
handpmag@gmail.com
Advertising
Bettina Rixon
handpmag@gmail.com
Design
Tibor Miklos
t@tibormade.com
Printed at
Newman Thomson
www.newmanthomson.co.uk
Printed on recycled paper using vegetable based inks.
Submission deadline for the Spring 2013 issue is 10 March.
Do you have an idea for a story Email us on handpmag@gmail.com
Spare copies available from Ham Library.
Archive available at www.arcadiantimes.co.uk
Front cover shows skimmias in the frost at Petersham Nurseries.
Tree of Hope are helping us to raise money for Samy,
please visit our just giving page www.justgiving.com/
helpSamy.
Please help us give Samy this chance to be more
independent, he deserves it by letting our local
community know about him.
call for a free catalogue
01803 762059
www.riverford.co.uk
Ham&Petersham
Winter 2012 Winter 2012
Ham&Petersham
2 magazine
magazine 3
free
delivery

Christmas Services
Christmas Services
Room
somewhere
In countless nativity plays in schools and churches this
December much will be made of there being “no room at
the inn” for Mary and Joseph. At the heart of Christmas
celebrations is the story of a child born into a family
”with problems”. Mary and Joseph experienced the
problem of nowhere to stay, the problem of belonging to
a minority group, the problem of being refugees. These
problems were formidable challenges for a young family
to overcome, but they did so – with the help of others.
We enjoy nativity plays (and rightly so) because the
Christmas story is so uplifting. We know that Jesus was
born safely, escaped to Egypt and ultimately played a
crucial role in the history of the world. Without the help
of “others” the story might have taken a different turn.
Locally we see people “with problems” living in our
woods and doorways because the hostels are full. Thank
God for all those good hearted people of all faiths and
none in Ham and Petersham who volunteer to help
the needy in our community all year round (not just at
Christmas).
I hope that you be able to join us at one of the Christmas
Services advertised in this edition.
Canon Tim Marwood
Vicar of St. Peter’s, Petersham
Area Dean of Richmond and Barnes
Christmas Services
ST ANDREW’S, Ham Common
Sunday 16 December
8.00 am Holy Communion (BCP)
10.15 am Sunday School & Fish Nativity Service
12 noon Holy Communion (BCP)
6.30 pm Carol Service - Saint Andrew’s Choir & Friends
The Christmas Story in Readings and Carols
Wednesday 19 December
10.30 am Holy Communion (BCP)
Sunday 23 December
8 am Holy Communion (BCP)
10.15 am Parish Communion
12 noon Morning Prayer
6.30 pm Evensong
Monday 24 December – Christmas Eve
5.00 pm Crib Service
A special Christmas Eve service for all ages
11.00 pm Midnight Communion
Tuesday 25 December – Christmas Day
8.00 am Holy Communion (BCP)
10.15 am Parish Communion for all ages
12 noon Holy Communion (BCP)
Wednesday, 26 December – No service
Further details from the Parish Office
020 8948 7374 or standrewsham@btinternet.com
www.standrewsham.org.uk
German Lutheran Service at St Andrew’s Ham
9th December
4.30 pm Nativity Play
Christmas Eve
3.00pm Family Service
More services in Christ Church Knightsbridge
www.ev-kirche-london-west.org.uk
ST THOMAS AQUINAS CATHOLIC CHURCH
Ham Common
Christmas Eve
6pm Children’s Mass
12 pm“Midnight Mass”
Christmas Day
10.00am Communion
German Catholic Christmas Masses
(at St Thomas Aquinas ,Ham Common)
Christmas Eve
4.00pm Family Mass with Nativity Play in German
Christmas Day
11.45am Holy Mass in German
Ham Christian Centre
Tuesday, 18th December
7.15 pm ‘Christmas presence’ (with refreshments)
Sunday, 23rd December
10.30 am Carol service with mince pies. All welcome.
ST. PETER’S CHURCH
Petersham
Christmas Eve
3.00 pm - Crib Service
A simple re-telling of the Christmas Story with carols, designed
for young children who are encouraged to attend dressed as a
character from the Nativity story.
5.00 pm - Candle Service
The traditional service of Carols and Bible readings. (Not
suitable for children under 8)
11.00 pm - Christmas Night Holy Communion
Christmas Day
8.00 am - Holy Communion (BCP)
9.30 am - Holy Communion with Carols
St Richard’s
Ham Riverside
Tuesday 18th December
6.30pm St. Richard’s Church and School Carol Service by
Candlelight
Sunday 23rd December
4.00pm Carols round the tree
Christmas Eve
4.00pm Christingle Service
11.30pm Midnight Communion begins
Christmas Day
10.00am Communion
Dew from Heaven
A sumptuous feast of music
for an Advent Evening
Soprano
Alto
Bass
Organ
Sunday 9th December 2012, 6pm
St Peter's Church
Church Lane
Petersham
TW10 7AB
Katharine von Schubert
Elizabeth Benedetto
Henry Wickham
Ben Driver
Free Entry
Ham&Petersham
Winter 2012 Winter 2012
Ham&Petersham
4 magazine
magazine 5

Recipes
Olympic Legacy Pool
Winter
warmers
Hot Chocolate
by Flor Arcaya
The Spanish Conquest
brought the “oven”
to South America.
Hot chocolate is a
celebration beverage
for the Peruvians: First
Communions, Patriotic
Holidays, Christmas
day, New Year and
special days start with a
good Hot Chocolate for
breakfast. The Spanish
brought the sugar cane to America
and with it the cocoa bean became
the sweet chocolate known these
days. Before that, it would have
been a beverage to fortify and feed
the Mexican Emperor and probably
the Inca too as this bean is native to
the continent.
The Italian migration of the XIX Century brought the Panettone
and the hot chocolate must have a good piece of panettone
aside to be enjoyed properly.
Ingredients: (For 4 cups)
– 1 can of evaporated milk
– 2 tablespoons of Cocoa Powder
– 4 tablespoons of Sugar (Demerara or cane)
– A small piece of dried orange peel (1 inch)
– A small piece of cinnamon (1 inch)
– 1 clove
– A pinch of salt
– A teaspoon of butter
– 3 cups of water
Preparation: (Always at medium or low heat)
Place the water in a cooking pan together with the dried orange
peel, cinnamon and clove, take to the boil and allow to simmer
for 10 min in medium heat.
Remove the peel, cinnamon and clove and add the sugar and
the cocoa powder avoiding spillages by keeping the heat at
medium or low.
Allow to simmer for 1 min and add the evaporated milk, the salt
and the butter. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes until the milk boils
and turn the heat off.
Serve it very hot.
6
Ham&Petersham
magazine
Svenska pepparkakor
Swedish gingerbread
by Bettina Rixon
This is a recipe I got off a Swedish tourism webpage. I had
been craving for pepparkakor since I first came across them at
a Swedish pre-christmas/ advent party, when on the 13th of
December they celebrate the feast of St Lucia. These biscuits go
really well with glögg, a Swedish version of mulled wine.
They are easy to make and the dough keeps well for several
days, so you don’t have to bake it all straight away. It’s actually
perfect for making batches.
Ingredients:
– 10 oz sugar
– 2 oz Rübensirup (this is available from the German
bakeries in Ham - it resembles black molasses)
– 200g butter
– 2 oz water
– 1 ½ tbsp each of ground cinnamon, ginger and cloves
– 2 tsp cardamom
– 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
– 20 oz flour
Winter 2012
Preparation:
Melt the Rübensirup, sugar and water
in a saucepan. Beat the butter with
the spices, then add the melted and
cooled down mix. Sieve in the flour and
bicarbonate of soda. Let rest over night
in cool place (e.g. your larder). Roll out to
1 inch thick, then use your Christmassy
dough cutters! Bake for 5 – 8 minutes at
210°C.
Peruvian
cooking
in Ham
‘Peruvian Open House’
my new pop-up kitchen.
Come for dinner!
Please ring 07837823603
Catering service offered.
Legacy pool
for Grey Court
Grey Court students take the plunge
for Olympic legacy
Students from Grey Court School will be taking part in a
10-hour sponsored swim at Richmond Pools on the Park on
Sunday, December 9th to raise money for the Olympic Legacy
Pool for Ham.
The sponsored swim takes place from 7.45am to 5.45pm at
the Richmond Pool and follows on from a sponsored swim in
September by swimmers from Ham schools and the community
which raised about £4,000.
The 25m pool, used during the 2012 Olympics for training
purposes, will be relocated to Grey Court School in Ham
Street pending planning permission and the winning of
construction costs.
We deliver successful, tailored architecture and
interior design solutions through creative collaboration
with our commercial and private clients.
We have many years experience of local planning requirements
and specialise in high quality, bespoke residential design:
extending, upgrading, remodelling and new build.
Call Fiona or Richard to arrange a no-obligation visit and
find out how we can help you create your dream home.
Money currently being raised by the community is going towards
the business plan and studies required for the submission of a
planning application.
A third sponsored swim to raise funds for the pool will take
place later in December by Teddington Swimming Club. The
Teddington Club as well as Kingston Royals Swimming Club have
thrown their support behind the community pool bid for Ham.
To sponsor the Grey Court swimmers, contact
the school on office@greycourt.richmond.sch.uk.
larkfield studios 32 larkfield road
richmond surrey tw9 2pf
020 8332 1981
www.mcdanielwoolf.co.uk
info@mcdanielwoolf.co.uk

Ham Youth Centre
Ham House Garden
The year at
Ham Youth Centre
It’s been a busy year for the team at
Ham Youth Centre. We are now running
activities every evening of the week
including the Duke of Edinburgh’s
Award, music studio sessions,
skateboarding, free running, football
and bike maintenance alongside our
regular drop in youth club nights.
The year got off to a great start when
the film ‘Garden of Reason’ made in
partnership with Grey Court School
and the National Trust won the BFI
Flipside Youth film festival! Young
people were filmed performing parkour
in the grounds of Ham House whilst
Grey Court’s Year 11 music students
composed a sound track taking
influences from 18th Century Chamber
music. You can find the film on YouTube.
In June the Youth Centre worked with
Ham Multi Cultural Women’s group to
hold a Family Fun day for the whole
community which included face painting, drumming, circus
skills, football, arts and crafts and lots of yummy food.
Over the summer, alongside Heatham House Youth Club in
Twickenham we participated in an exchange programme with
two youth clubs in Helsinki funded by the European Union’s
Youth in Action programme. Young people who attend Ham Youth
Centre got to travel to Finland in August and stay in a youth club
over there whilst participating in various activities. The Finnish
group then came to the UK in September and took part in lots of
fun activities organised by the English young people including
cycling in Richmond Park, Orienteering in central London, eating
Fish and Chips and being in the audience for a dance TV show.
Part of the project was around raising awareness of the EU
and the group held a Q an A session with a local Euro MP to
understand more about how Europe affects their lives. The
theme of the project was the creation of a film comparing the
lives for teenagers in both countries called ‘Our Lives’ to be
screened at an event in Twickenham in December. The UK and
Finnish groups gelled really well and several of the Ham young
people had never been abroad before or been on a plane so it
was a great experience for them.
This summer the youth centre also worked with Grey Court
School and Fit for Sport on an Olympic themed sports camp for
8-14 year olds called ‘Going for Gold’. Participants got to try
taster in various Olympic sports during the two weeks of the
Olympics including cycling, BMX, canoeing, sailing, athletics and
lots more.
Over the school holidays a group of
young people from Ham went on a water
sports weekend to a beautiful activity
centre on the Cornish coast with young
people from other youth clubs in the
borough where they got to try activities
like surfing, canoeing and coastal
traversing. We had great weather and
the young people all bonded together
well together.
Ham Youth Centre was also involved
in the Transitions Project where we
worked with a group of young people
supporting them in their move from
local Primary schools to Christ’s and
Grey Court schools over summer
2012. We held various workshops and
discussions to enable them to prepare
for the change, carried out tours of
the new secondary schools meeting
teachers and participants were also
engaged in leisure activities over the
summer holidays.
We have some exciting projects planned for the rest of this year.
We are working alongside Ham Close Resident’s Association
to renovate Cally’s Garden at the rear of the youth centre. This
commemorative garden is frequently being vandalised and
covered in litter so we are looking to secure it and replant and
repaint it to make it the pleasant relaxing area for residents and
young people that it should be.
Over the winter the youth centre is also starting some bike
projects to encourage young people to take part in this healthy,
green activity and make use of the beautiful open areas around
where they live. We are starting with a six week course in bike
polo then in the New Year will be using our fleet of mountain
bikes to run organised rides in Richmond Park and down the
Thames. Lastly on the 14th December we are having a band night
for teenagers at Ham to show case local musical talent, working
alongside the organisation Groove Academy.
If you are interested in any of the activities that go
on at the youth centre please contact Ben Skelton on
020 8288 0916 or ben.skelton@richmond.gov.uk
For up to date information please check out our
new website going live mid November on
www.richmond.gov.uk/youth.
All activities are free and we welcome all young people
from 11 to 19 years of age.
Ham&Petersham
Winter 2012 Winter 2012
Ham&Petersham
8 magazine
magazine 9

Ham House Garden
Ham House Garden
Winter at
Ham House and Garden
A regular column by
Samantha Green, Garden
and Countryside manager
at Ham House and
Petersham Meadows.
Winter brings us new views, as trees
and shrubs lose their leaves revealing
their form, and glimpses of vistas
beyond. The framework and structure
of a garden can look intriguing and
beautiful in the frost.
As part of our winter preparations at
Ham House and Garden we have also
removed some plants from public view.
We have taken our citrus plants into
the polytunnel for winter, so they do
not become too exposed or wet. They
would have been stored in the Orangery
in 17th-century. Ham House and
Garden’s Orangery is one of the first in
the country and was built in 1674. It has
thick walls and fairly small windows, which is unusual for today’s
understanding of plants needing light for photosynthesis,
but was purpose built to show off and protect these new and
exotic citrus crops, grown as a collection for the House’s owner,
Duchess of Lauderdale (1626-98). Today the Orangery is used as
our café, and so the citrus is sheltering in the polytunnel behind
the scenes.
If you’re growing citrus at home, now is a good time to check
leaves again for scale insect, which you can scrape off the leaves,
or jet off with water, or use a soap, and then rinse the leaves.
Winter sees the trees approaching a dormant stage, and the time
to pick fruits that have been developing during the year. We
feed gently with winter citrus feed, being aware not to water too
often.
Winter harvests!
We will be harvesting from our winter vegetable plots in the
walled kitchen garden: chard, kale and scorzonera. Come and see
the winter crops over the first 3 weekends in December. You’ll
also be able to see the work of Russell School’s Year 3 Oliver
class in their community garden behind the Orangery.
In the wilderness…
Ham House’s Wilderness is a maze-like garden, set at the South
of the garden. Wilderness gardens are particular to the 17th
Century as design features go, and Ham Houses’ wilderness is a
very rare example. You can see it from Ham Avenue as you look
through Ham House’s South Gates. In winter its beauty is seen
in a new way, the leaves in the hornbeam hedges have fallen
and the framework of the garden looks very inviting. Inside the
compartments formed by the hedges you can enjoy seeing the
colour of the rose hips of Dog rose and Briar roses, the seed pods
of Bladder Senna and Bladder nut and berries on holly, hawthorn
and Guelder rose.
Mulching and a recipe for success
We have been mulching the soil with our compost made last year.
We’re lucky to have fairly large compost bays, and in general
larger compost heaps make hotter, faster compost. Turning the
heap speeds up the process. Anything that once lived will make
compost, although some things are best avoided. Good for the
home compost heap are fruit and vegetable peelings, weeds,
grass mowings and soft prunings, but don’t compost cooked
food waste, meat, fish, plastic, tins or glass.
We add as much material as we can, whenever it is available. For
best results we aim to add a mixture of different ingredients,
both soft and sappy, and old and tough. We keep woody prunings
separately, and shred them. We cover the finished heap with a
waterproof sheet to keep off weed seeds and to keep the rain
from leaching out nutrients. The compost is ready to use when
the original items are no longer recognisable and have broken
down into a dark, soil like material.
While produce is still bountiful for us, for birds it may be getting
more difficult. We clean our bird feeders to help prevent bird
diseases, and feed the birds over the winter, providing fresh
water every day for their needs. At weekends the Orangery is a
good place to see the birds feasting from feeders on the ‘Lane’s
Prince Albert’ apple tree just inside the kitchen garden entrance.
Christmas at Ham House and
Garden and Garden
Follow a trail to Santa's grotto
Weekends of 1&2, 8&9, 15&16 Dec, 11.30-3pm
(last trail at 3pm)
Follow a trail and receive a gift from Santa in his grotto
£3 per child, normal admission charges apply
Family fun
Weekends of 1&2, 8&9, 15&16 Dec, 12-4pm
(last entry at 3.30pm)
Family activities along with festive food and drink demos
Normal admission charges apply
Christmas ghost tours
Tues 4, Wed 5, Tues 11 Dec, 7.30–9pm
Atmospheric ghost tour including a drink and canapés
All tickets £22, booking essential
Registered charity No. 205846.
Call 0844 249 1895 to book
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hamhouse
Christmas in the garden
One lovely thing about the festive season is decorating the
house with greenery from the garden, gathering strands of ivy,
holly leaves and berries, taking them indoors to decorate inside.
At Ham House and Garden we’re decorating spaces with ivy for
the weekends of Christmas family fun, and the below stairs area
is open too, with samples of festive food and drink. We also have
a Christmas trail for children, where you can find Santa in his
grotto, and we are looking forward to snowfall and seeing all the
animal and bird tracks joining ours in the garden.
Visit our website at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hamhouse for
opening times, event information and ticket prices.
Winter at Petersham Meadows:
The beef suckler herd grazing at Petersham meadows this season
has returned to their farm in Berkshire, the cows to calve in
barns over winter. Petersham Meadows is now available for dog
walking while the cattle are not grazing: the grass has stopped
growing now it’s cold, and the cattle grazing season has finished
for this year. Petersham bats which have feasted on insects
earlier in the year, will be hibernating over the winter in mature
trees and cool, quiet places. They live off their fat reserves until
insects appear again in spring. The badgers in the meadow area
will be slowing down too, and will rest inside their set for a few
days if the temperatures fall considerably.
For more information please contact
hamhouse@nationaltrust.org.uk
Ham based,
RHS qualified
gardener is
looking for
gardens to look
after locally
Call 07500 65 85 61
Ham&Petersham
Winter 2012 Winter 2012
Ham&Petersham
10 magazine
magazine 11

Letter from the Chair
We have had another busy
quarter with planning issues
and kicking off our community
project in Ham Common Woods.
We had a very successful clear
up of the Avenues in October
with pupils from Strathmore
School, their carers and teachers
and the broader community
volunteering. Please try to join
our next clear-up in the woods
in December.
The committee has a representative
on the Police Liaison
Group which meets quarterly
and the commitment of our
neighborhood police team
gives us confidence that the
many benefits the community
have experienced from the
neighborhood working closely
with the community police force
over the years, will not be
undermined by the big cost
savings at national level. If you
want to contribute to this effort,
the team are looking for Neighborhood
Watch champions.
We are already planning our
much-loved Ham Open Gardens
for next summer; please contact
me if you would like to show
your garden.
info@hamandpetersham.com
Membership Matters
Let us keep you up to date
with the latest news by
emailing your current address
to:
membership@hamandpetersha
m.com so we can update your
record. If you are not yet a
member and would like to
join us, please go to:
www.hamandpetershamassoci
ation.com
Ham and Petersham Association
NEWSLETTER
Planning Matters
WINTER 2012
Ham Green play equipment
The council is planning to install additional play equipment on Ham
Green. The new equipment has been chosen based on a consultation
process with local children and is likely to include climbing frames, an
adventure course and agility trail. The HPA has learned that the new
facilities will be sited close to the existing apparatus on the east side of
the green opposite the entrance to Grey Court School.
Our Councillors say that some local residents have said they feel too
much equipment is being considered, while the main criticism of the
current layout was that the there was not enough.
In response to HPA enquiries, the council says it will ensure the layout of
equipment is sensitive to the site and that it may reduce the amount of
equipment depending on the feedback from consultation.
Dates for your diary
All open to members
and non-members
Litter-pick in and around
Ham Common Woods
Saturday 15th December, 10.30am
meet at the top of Ham Gate Avenue
Ham Pond clear-up
every first Saturday in the month
Ham Open Gardens
June 2013
Russell and Strathmore Schools redevelopment
The HPA is working with the LBRUT and our councilors on the planned
redevelopment of Strathmore and Russell Schools to find a solution that
will provide first class educational facilities for the children without
compromising the semi-rural nature of the environment.
It is commonly accepted that the educational needs of disabled pupils,
rising school entrants in coming years and increased expectations for
educational provision mean changes to the Strathmore and Russell site.
But there is significant local anxiety about the plans; in particular
whether financing for redevelopment will come from land being sold
off, since it cannot be funded within the current budget.
From our consultations with the Borough, we are confident that they
know that the planned public consultation process is critical to ensure a
balance between upgrading of educational resource and the needs of
the local residents. We will continue to represent residents in the
consultation process to ensure that plans for the area follow due
planning process and are submitted to full consultation by the
community. We welcome any comments that you have.
Pond News
Pond Progress
Restoration of the pond began in October,
after the nesting season was over.
This restoration work involves several
stages; removing some tree cover,
de-silting and then marginal planting,
including planting a reed bed which
acts as a natural filter.
The water in the pond was of
extremely poor quality and low
bio-diversity with heavy silting from
rotten leaves from the overhanging
trees. Diggers moved in and cleared
the surrounding area of scrub and
some tree cover to allow the light to
reach the water. This is essential to
encourage diversity of flora and fauna
in the pond.
The pond was then cleared of much of
the sediment, which was spread over a
nearby area. For the moment, this is
‘fenced’ off while it dries out. The slight
mound formed by this sediment will,
over several months, drain and flatten
down. Nothing can now be done for
approximately six months. During this
time the drainage pipes from several
culverts, which feed the pond, will be
inspected and repaired if necessary.
Already the water level has risen well.
The tree roots and branches, left at the
rear of the mound, will be removed
and the whole area tidied up.
Future Plans
The surrounding areas will be plug
planted with meadow flowers and
native bulbs, and an area of grass will
be encouraged with regular mowing.
The pond will be planted with wildlifefriendly
marginals such as yellow flag
iris, ragged robin, big bean, water
forget-me-not, brooklime, marsh
marigold and purple loosestrife. The
Ham & Petersham Assoc (HPA) will
fund some of this and will assist in the
planting with the help of local schoolchildren.
We also hope to have bat and
bird boxes around the pond, and a
local resident has generously offered
to gift a carved wood bench. The HPA
will provide the granite setts for the
base which in addition to being
aesthetically pleasing, are the most
secure footing for seating and as such
should prevent theft of the bench.
Ham Common Woods
Above, the pond last year, and top, the pond
now after de-silting and tree removal.
The Woods
Richmond Council have applied for a
grant from Natural England and if
successful this money will be added
to the existing council budget for the
management and improvement of
the woods. The grant would be used
for managing and expanding the acid
grassland and general work on the
whole area of the woods. We should
hear news of the grant before
Christmas.
Litter and clear up days
Last month saw another successful
clear up day. Our thanks to all who
turned up to help. We hope to organise
these days more frequently. Our
next date is the 15th December. Meet
at the top of Ham Gate Avenue at
10.30am.
The H&P is sponsoring 3 litter-bins to
be placed in Ham Gate Avenue,
Church Road and at the corner of
Latchmere Lane. They will be specially
designed for us and hopefully will
discourage much of the litter and dog
poo bags, which we are finding along
the pathways.
Geocaching
Our plans for the Woods include setting
up Geocaching. This is one of the fastest
growing hobbies in Britain, imported
from the US. It’s a treasure hunt that
uses GPS satellite technology to find
‘treasures’ that are specially hidden in
the undergrowth or in hollow trees,
under rocks and logs and behind
bushes and tree stumps. (Never buried,
as digging in the ground is forbidden).
Inside each ‘container’ (often an old
army ammunition case) is a log- book
that you sign to confirm that you have
found it, as well as a low value toy or
trinket that you replace with your own
gift. (Or simply leave the trinket if you
have nothing to replace it with). It is the
locating of the ‘treasure’ that is more
important.
Anyone can play; you just look up the
geocaches online, plot the co-ordinates
on a GPS device (on mobiles) and start
searching. Trails within the woods can
be educational too and a great way to
get the children out exploring the local
area.
For more details visit;
www.geocaching.com
The H&P Assoc is always eager to
have your views and opinions. If
you have suggestions for the
woods then please contact us.
We would also welcome anyone
who is interested in any of our
projects, to join us in our work.

Travel Feature
Pierre-Frederic
plays the
horse-fiddle
Because we’ve
never been…
A journey into
Mongolia by
Pierre-Frederic Barriere
Writing a piece about our journey
into Mongolia was an unexpected
outcome of going to the first lunch at
the Ham Peruvian pop-up restaurant
discovered in the Ham & Petersham
Magazine. But venturing into
Mongolia was unexpected itself. A
friend once asked “why Mongolia”...
After some time my response came
as “because we have never been”.
Mongolia is indeed not the typical
tourist destination, no palm tree,
no resort, no fancy gastronomy.
It is a land of vast expanses and
barren landscapes. A country for
vultures and wolves. During our stay
in the country, my wife and I were
privileged to share a few days with
nomadic families in the lunar Gobi Sylvine meets the family.
desert.
The bus trip to the Gobi was a sign of
things to come. After 10 kilometres, no more of the traffic-ridden
streets found in central Ulaanbaatar. After 30, no more tarmac
roads. After 50, no more towns. Only a greyish desert surrounding
us. A place without feature. Nothing but horizon. The boredom of
our 9 hours, 200 kilometres journey only interrupted by sights of
escaping gazelles and the hammer repair of a broken suspension.
Arriving late in sleepy
Mandalgovi we were keen to
move on quickly. The battered
Russian minivan waiting for
us hinted otherwise. Arriving
at our destination, after a
bumpy two hours on dirt tracks
enjoying Mongolian pop on a
crackling radio, was welcomed
by our tired backs and sore
eardrums.
Looking at the white Mongolian
Yurt in front of us, and the
desert beyond, we realised we
were now firmly on nomadic
territory. The next few days
would see us visiting family
after family, sometimes for
the night, some other just for
tea and a chat. The community
programme encourages visiting as many encampments as
possible to spread the benefit between families. We moved on
horses, on foot and once on a rickety camel cart.
Nomadic family life is centred around the ger, local name for a
yurt. It is a round tent made of a folding wooden structure and
layers of felt and strong fabric. This is where the family sleeps,
cooks, eats, bathes and receives guests. Most things in a ger are
multi-purposes. A bed would be in turn a sofa for guests or a
kitchen worktop when covered with a wooden board. Opposite
the door, you will always find a small shrine and the pictures of
ancestors. A most respected place. Guests must be careful not
to point their feet in this direction. From the first family, a warm
and traditional welcome would always be extended. Guests are
offered a tea with salt and milk, the salt to prevent dehydration in
this harsh environment. Often Boortsog, a form of chunky fried
dough, would also be served. Armed with a short Mongolian
phrasebook we introduced each other, us in Mongolian, them
in English, using their own phrasebook. Our hosts found a great
source of pride in describing how many heads of livestock they
were raising. Most people in the family knew exactly how many
sheep, camels and horses were kept at the time.
These proud farmers live a sustainable life, moving four times a
year to lead their flock to fresh pastures. Horse and camel hair are
turned into cord, sheep wool into felt. Dried cattle dung is used
for fuel in the kitchen stove. We spent some delightful hours
playing “Shagai”, a sheep ankle bone throwing game, similar to
marbles and listening to the sounds of the horse fiddle music.
Our most memorable memory It must have been the eyes and
smile of this little girl, opening an old handbag, a place to hide
treasured possessions, and raising, not a Barbie doll, but a sheep
jaw, complete with teeth.
Pierre-Frederic and Sylvine travelled
in the Gobi with gertoger.org
14
Ham&Petersham
magazine
Winter 2012
Winter 2012
Ham&Petersham
magazine
15

Ham Wildlife
Ham Wildlife
ZSL’s intention was to set up a long term
programme that would uniquely provide
information on the number of young eels
joining the resident population, in the
Thames catchment, over a number of years.
Meet your aquatic
neighbours
Local residents join the Zoological
Society of London to help shed more
light on our aquatic wildlife.
We are lucky to live in a part of London rich in wildlife. Richmond
Park for example is London’s largest Site of Special Scientific
Interest, a National Nature Reserve and a Special Area of
Conservation. Yet it is not London’s largest wild space. That
honour goes to the River Thames of course. The Thames is home
to a wonderful variety of wildlife that largely go about their
aquatic lives unnoticed by the surrounding human population.
Many of these creatures have epic tales to tell. One such creature
is the European Eel, Anguilla anguilla. These eels start life in
the Sargasso Sea and spend their first two years of life being
carried across the Atlantic by oceanic currents as willow-leaf
shaped, transparent, leptocephalus larvae. In the final phase of
their oceanic journey, over the continental shelf, the eels body
changes to a bootlace shaped ‘glass eel’ and then as they enter
the river they develop their lovely olive brown colour, at which
point fishermen call them ‘yellow eels’. Many will travel up
into the Roding, the Wandle, the Hogsmill and other tributaries
that run through London. They remain within these freshwater
An elver recently arrived
from its trans-Atlantic
migration
© David Curnick
systems for up to 30 years before they change once again; their
eyes getting bigger and their bellies turning silvery before they
start the 6000km journey back to the Sargasso where they will
breed and die. This story is almost as old as the Atlantic Ocean
itself and as the Atlantic has grown over the last 80 million years
so too has the eel’s journey.
On the River Thames the eel’s upstream freshwater migration
starts in mid to late April, when the water warms to about 14ºC.
There are plenty of historical accounts of Londoners helping
themselves as the river edges turned black with the countless
bodies of wriggling elvers during the migration. In 1832, perhaps
the first eel citizen scientist, Dr William Roots of Kingston upon
Thames, had a go at counting the number of elvers traveling
upstream. He tied a length of string across the
margin of the river and estimated 1600 elvers
per minute passed over it. In recent years,
more sophisticated monitoring programmes,
by many researchers, indicate that all is not
well with the European eel. The number of eels
arriving each year to Europe from the Sargasso
is believed to have declined by up to 95% in
some rivers since the 1980s. The reasons for
this decline are not fully understood, but it is
mooted to be a combination of habitat loss,
barriers to migration such as weirs and dams,
the presence of a newly introduced swim
bladder parasite, over-fishing, and climate
change affecting the oceanic currents that
carry the leptocephali.
Since 2008 the European eel has been listed
as critically endangered by the International
Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List
of Threatened Species and a year later the
European Union issued regulations to try and
conserve eel populations.
ZSL’s European eel monitoring programme
was launched in 2005, in partnership with the
Environment Agency. Its aim was to assess
the presence of migrating elvers and juvenile
eel and identify potential restrictions to their
movements.
In the first year we deployed simple traps at
barriers on the River Darent, Roding, Mole
and Wandle. Although it is a fairly simple task,
eel trap checking has been time consuming
often involving ZSL staff spending far too
long in London traffic. Since the start of the
programme there has also been a drive to try
and monitor on more of London’s tributaries
to get a better picture of where eels are
migrating. It was with these issues in mind
that in 2011 ZSL launched its Citizen Science
eel monitoring project. A citizen scientist is a
volunteer who collects and/or processes data
as part of a scientific enquiry. In recent years
there has been a huge rise in the number of
projects that involve citizen scientists and
appreciation of their value, particularly in
ecology.
In the first year of the project we were very ©ZSL
grateful indeed to be joined by members
of the Ham United group. After receiving
training from ZSL, Ham United citizen
scientists visited a trap at Teddington lock twice per week
through the late spring and summer of 2011. Very frustratingly
however the trap was dogged with technical issues and after just
a few months of operation had to be withdrawn from service.
At other sites the programme has continued. This year, the
second year of the project, we had over 60 volunteers checking
traps at eight sites across the catchment. The highest catch of
The Ham United Group
eel monitoring team
© ZSL
Releasing eels from a trap on the River Roding
over a 1000 eels was recorded on the Medway and the lowest
catch of zero was on the River Crane. We have to be careful about
reading too much into just one or two year’s data, this sort of
environmental monitoring has most significance if we repeat the
same procedure year on year. The longer we gather data for the
greater its value in showing trends.
Often it is the absence of eels, as recorded for the last two years
on the River Crane, that is of most interest. We have recently
investigated why there might be no migration into the river Crane,
by walking the river from its mouth up to the trap site. During
this survey we found a considerable number of barriers that
block upstream migration. ZSL is working with the Environment
Agency, The London Wildlife Trust and Friends of The River
Crane Environment to try and improve the river for the upstream
migration of eels. This can be done by adding simple ‘eel passes’
that allow eels to crawl over weirs and other obstacles. Across
the wider Thames catchment there are thousands of barriers that
block or impede eels. The EA, ZSL and others have a huge task
on their hands to try and address the issue. Work is underway
though for example last year eel passes were added on the River
Lee, Wandle and Hogsmill . Readers of this magazine might
notice that over the coming winter the EA will be adding an eel
pass next to the boat rollers at Teddington lock.
This will provide an opportunity once again to get out there
and start checking how many eels are traveling past Ham and
Pertersham on their epic journey upstream. We hope that the
kind volunteers who joined us last year will come back to the
project and others might also get involved when we restart
monitoring at Teddington Lock from, all being well, April 2013.
If you would like to help the magnificent eel we
would be very interested to hear from you on
marineandfreshwater@zsl.org.
16
Ham&Petersham
magazine
Winter 2012
Winter 2012
Ham&Petersham
magazine
17

News
Look after your frogs
in winter, says Froglife
Generally our garden ponds are pretty quiet in winter. The
plants don’t grow very much. Toads and most adult newts will be
hanging out under logs, buried in mud or in compost heaps only
to appear on the sunniest days. A few baby newts may overwinter
in the water but most will have lost their gills in the autumn and
returned to land. Frogs however will be buried in the mud at the
bottom of the pond breathing happily through their skin. They
may occasionally show themselves on warmer days.
So how can we make sure that our most treasured amphibian
stays safe amongst the ooze
Firstly, it is important to note that no matter what you do, some
animals will die. Hopefully, by following these simple tips you
can limit the numbers, but death is a fact of life and winter is often
when animals are put to the greatest test. The majority of ponds
won’t freeze solid even in the coldest weather. As long as your
pond is more than 10cm deep, it should still contain liquid water
at the bottom.
Prolonged freezing stops gases from moving in and out of the
ponds and can lead to a lack of oxygen and build up of toxic gases
as plants decompose. The best thing you can do about this is to
clear any snow from the ice so light can reach the submerged
plants and they can continue to produce oxygen. This will also
make the pond easier to see and avoid for any young children
making snowmen. You could also create a hole in the ice by
leaving a pan of hot water to slowly melt through or leave a ball
floating in the water. If you make the hole at the edge of the pond
it has the added benefit of making drinking water available for
other wildlife. I am sure it goes without saying, but please don’t
put antifreeze or salt in the pond. It is also not a good idea to smash
the ice as shards can damage your liner and the shockwaves can
kill animals in the water.
Clear the snow and make a hole and your frogs will stay
comfortable and safe over the cold months. If you do find lots of
dead frogs in your garden in the spring. It is likely to be just winter
kill, but check out http://www.froglife.org/disease/identification.
htm if you think it may be due to a disease and you can record this
and send it to us.
Doctor’s practice
wins business award
Richmond Practice was
commended in the Best
Professional Services
category at the Richmond
Chamber of Commerce’s
Business Awards.
It is a one-stop clinic in
the centre of Richmond
providing support
through pregnancy and
the early years of life.
Dr Sebastian and Mrs
Johanna Renz, the owners
received the award on
behalf of the Practice.
For more information contact us at
richmondpractice@btconnect.com,
call 0208 940 5009 or visit richmondpractice.co.uk.
Time to
Sparkle
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020 8332 1369
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Recipe
Yoga and Pilates
Group classes at the Hawker Centre
(Lower Ham Rd, KT2 5BH):
Yoga on Fridays 11.30am – 12.30pm
Pilates on Sundays 11am – 12pm
One-to-one yoga tuition
One-to-one Pilates tuition
Yoga – tones, helps relieve stress, improves balance and
flexibility, eases tight muscles
Pilates – builds core strength, improves postural problems,
low impact (easy on the joints)
Private tuition – adaptable to suit your needs,
works at your pace, 100% focus on you
www.yogapilatesnow.com yogapilatesnow@yahoo.com
Tel Jo: 07580 423386
“After an hour’s yoga with Jo, I feel like I’ve had a really good
stretch, I feel stronger with a calmer mood. She has a gentle
yet instructive style and makes sure the pace is right for the
whole group.” Abi from London
Sivananda yoga teacher (accredited by Yoga Alliance)
STOTT Mat Pilates / REPS anatomy & physiology level 3 / ITEC anatomy
& physiology
Jo has over 20 years practical experience with yoga, Pilates, meditation
and natural health and healing techniques
Ham&Petersham
Winter 2012 Winter 2012
Ham&Petersham
18 magazine
magazine 19

Badgers
Stop the badger cull,
says London Wildlife Trust
Physiotherapy
in Ham
Chartered Physiotherapists
Sports Injury Clinic • Back & Neck Pain Clinic • Pilates Studio
In recent months the fate of
Britain’s badgers has been
hitting the headlines with
the public and concerned
groups vociferously
defending badgers
against the government’s
proposed cull.
The Wildlife Trusts (made
up of 47 regional Trusts
including London Wildlife
Trust) are urging the
government to listen to
Parliament, after MPs
backed a motion last month
calling on the government to
abandon its planned badger
cull. We are making the case for vaccination and we will continue
to press them to reject the badger cull.
The Wildlife Trusts have been involved with this issue over
a long period of time, leading us to the conclusion that a
sustained programme of vaccination, alongside improved
biosecurity measures is the best means of tackling bTB. Last year
Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust was the first non-governmental
organisation to begin deployment of the injectable BadgerBCG
vaccine.
We are very conscious of the hardship that bovine TB (bTB)
causes in the farming community and the need to find the right
mechanisms to control the disease. However, we believe that a
badger cull is not the answer.
Tackling the disease should therefore include the following
measures:
Biosecurity: All possible measures should be pursued to prevent
disease transmission on-farm.
Badger vaccination: Support landowners to use the injectable
BadgerBCG vaccine. We also urge Defra to continue development
of an oral badger vaccine.
Cattle vaccine: Complete development of a cattle vaccine
and secure change to EU regulation to permit its commercial
deployment.
It was announced in October that pilot culling schemes in
Gloucestershire and Somerset would be delayed until 2013,
following a request from the farmers carrying out the cull.
20
Ham&Petersham
magazine
To find out more about how to make your voice heard
against the badger cull and to join London Wildlife Trust
go to www.wildlondon.org.uk
Winter 2012
© Andrew Mason
MPs voted by 147 to 28
in favour of the motion,
which called for the cull to
be stopped in favour of a
vaccination programme for
badgers and cattle, along
with improved testing
and biosecurity. The vote
followed a five and a half
hour Parliamentary debate,
triggered after more than
163,000 people signed a
petition opposing the cull.
Paul Wilkinson, Head of
Living Landscape for The
Wildlife Trusts, said:
“Scientists oppose the cull, the public opposes the cull and now
MPs have voted against a cull. It is time for the government to
listen and use the available alternatives to tackle bTB. We are
grateful to those MPs who took part in the debate. We hope
that the Secretary of State’s early departure from the Commons
Chamber… does not mean his mind is closed to this issue.”
“A badger vaccine is available now and improved biosecurity
measures can help to reduce the spread of the disease. In the
longer term a cattle vaccine can play a very real part in helping
deal with the problem and the government should now be
putting the effort into ensuring this vaccine can be deployed as
soon as possible.”
Mathew Frith Deputy CEO of London Wildlife Trust said, “Whilst
bovine TB is not a major concern in and around London, London
Wildlife Trust opposes the cull. Despite the emphasis placed on
the ‘humane’ and controlled culling of badgers, such a course of
action is highly likely to encourage the persecution of badgers
by those using bovine TB control as a cover.”
The Wildlife Trusts strongly urge the government to use this time
to focus on and plan a comprehensive vaccination strategy. The
government has not prioritised deployment of the BadgerBCG
vaccine, taking a piecemeal approach with minimal effort to
market and support its use.
Biomechanical Assessment & Orthotics • Work Related Injuries
Post Operative Rehabilitation • Sports Massage • Acupunture
Tel 020 8541 5556
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8 Dukes Ave KT2 5QY (1 minute walk from Ham Parade Shops)
Virgin Active Health Club Kingston Richmond Rd. KT2 5EN.
Winter 2012
We have just moved to a different Virgin clinic in Kingston.
Ham&Petersham
magazine
21

Ham Library at 60
Coming up
Happy anniversary
Ham Library
News & Events at
Ham Library
The tidal
stretch
Ham library celebrates its 60th anniversary
Ham Library was opened by Sir Compton Mackenzie on 5
September 1952. During the week beginning 3 September a
sequence of events organised by a small committee of local
people under the guidance of the Librarians celebrated this
important occasion.
Local history was celebrated on Wednesday the 5th when
Leonard Chave gave a talk on ‘Hidden Histories of Ham’; he chose
eight topics on the history of the area, some of which now tend to
be forgotten, or unknown to more recent residents. The meeting
was chaired by Stephen Jacobi, the President of the Ham and
Petersham Association, and attracted a good number of people
who listened while the proper work of the Library carried on
around them. The following day was the actual anniversary day,
when representatives of all local groups, and some from outside
Ham and Petersham, joined in an evening party, during which a
short talk on the history of the Library movement in Ham was
given. On Friday Geoff Hyde led one his popular walks over Ham
Lands, followed by tea at the Library. Local children came to
plant crocus bulbs on Saturday followed by a tea; some of them
were dressed as characters from Roald Dahl’s books
Although a public library as part of the Local Authority services
has been in Ham for 60 years, there is also a history of other
libraries in the area, and some non-events. At Ham House,
in the seventeenth century, a library was established by the
Duke of Lauderdale, but was sold off before the end of that
century. Later the 4th Earl of Dysart purchased a distinguished
collection of books from the the Harleian Library that included
a number printed by Caxton and deWorde (the first English
printers) and some handsome French volumes. This was a
well-timed acquisition, as the British Library now owns the
remainder, acquired not long afterwards which can be seen
in their catalogue under the Harleian name. Later purchases
or acquisitions included 1st editions of Alice in Wonderland
and Gulliver’s Travels; there was also a copy of Shakespeare’s
Third Folio in excellent condition that once belonged to Samuel
Pepys; another less distinguished volume came from the same
source. The Shakespeare was one of the last items to be sold, and
fetched a disappointing price.In 1904 the Ham House library was
described as containing ‘in proportion to its size books of greater
value than any other in Europe’. Eventually, as the fortunes of
Ham House declined, the library was auctioned by Sotheby’s on
30 May and 20 June 1938. 389 volumes went under the hammer,
realising just under £39,000, a considerable sum in today’s
money.
So far as the public were concerned, early in 1930 the (then)
Ham Urban District Council tried to persuade the headmaster of
Ham School (now St Thomas Aquinas Church) to run a library in
addition to his normal duties: wisely he declined.
In 1937, after Ham was absorbed into Richmond, the Council tried
to establish a library as part of a development of community hall,
reading room and branch library, Mother and Child clinic and a
cultural centre roughly on the site of the present Library.
The proposal was blocked by Buckminster Estates (agents for
the Ham House family), who considered it would make things
too noisy for the inhabitants of the Tollemache Almshouses
opposite. Then came the war, and nothing happened for many
years.
A great friend of Len Chave, who has lived in Tudor Drive all her
life, told him that there was a small ‘circulating library’ in one of
the shops on Ham Parade.
Here you could pay a few coppers to hire books for reading
at home, which must have been a godsend in the times of the
wartime blackout.
Eyecare Opticians was established to
provide independent, state of the art and
comprehensive eyecare to the community of
Ham and Petersham.
As a husband and wife team of Optometrists
they are dedicated to ensuring continuity of
care and outstanding levels of service whilst
providing value of money. Nish and Jaimini
also provide NHS home visits for those who
have difficulty getting to the parade.
Practice details
www.eyecareopticians.com
Tel.: 020 85490331
307 Richmond Road, Ham, KT2 5QU
£30 off spectacles* with this voucher
*when you spend £150
Here is what your local library has on offer
in the coming weeks.
Free Events for children:
Mondays at 10am
“Monday Fun Time” 0-5 year olds with parents and carers.
Stories, rhymes and the chance for a cup of tea and a chat.
Tuesdays at 4pm
“Storytime” ages 2-5 years
First Wednesday of the month at 10.30am
“Tiny Teddies- rhyme time” ages 0-3years
New starting in October
Third Wednesday of the month
Chatterbooks book group for school years 4-5. Fun session
based around books with puzzles and quizzes and much more.
Booking essential – please ask staff for further details.
Free events for adults:
Second Monday in the month at 11am
Adult readers Group – ring library for latest book
Once a month on a Tuesday 1-2pm
Writers Group – contact library for next dates
Last Wednesday in the month 1-2pm
Poetry group – contact library for next theme
2nd and 4th Friday of the month
1-2-1 IT sessions – 45 mins sessions between 1-3pm
– ask staff for further details.
Special events coming up are:
Friday 21st December 3pm
Christmas afternoon at Ham Library with music and festive
readings:
• A chance for local people to meet up and celebrate Christmas.
• Seasonal light refreshments
• Free event
Contributions of poetry, readings or music gratefully accepted.
Tuesday 29th January 3pm
“Two great houses of Ham” a talk by Leonard Chave and Dr
Jacqueline Latham:
Cassel Hospital and South Lodge are very familiar buildings to
those of us who know Ham. However, do you know the history
behind them Come and find out about their stories.
A fascinating afternoon for those interested in their locality.
£2 including refreshments.
A 31-mile walk in a day to raise funds
for SWLEN and Ham Hydro
South West London Environment Network is helping local
not-for-profit organisation Ham Hydro, which won the right to
develop a hydro power scheme on Teddington Weir, to raise
funds. The ‘Tidal Stretch’ is a walk from the Thames Barrier to
Teddington Lock organised by SWLEN to support Ham Hydro
CIC to raise money to cover ongoing environmental studies. In a
marathon effort, Ham Hydro C.I.C.’s Environment Director, Alex
Beckett, plus other Ham Hydro team members and friends, will
walk the 31 miles from the Thames Barrier to Teddington Lock
in one day, Saturday 1st December. Alex said: ‘I am going to try
to cover the distance in about 12 hours. We’re also pleased to
be raising money for SWLEN, which will benefit from the gift aid
from the walk.’
The walk will be starting at 7 a.m.
at the Thames Barrier and takes
in established roads and the
Thames path. You can also join
the walk at the 15-mile and 25-
mile marks. Alex added, ‘Please
donate generously for this epic
endeavour. I’ve never attempted
anything like this before!’
If you would like to join the walk and/or
sponsor the walkers, email sponsoredwalk@swlen.org.
uk or call SWLEN’s on 0208 892 0590.
local architect
Lorna Mishan has 12 years
experience in residential
extensions and renovation,
planning and construction.
To discuss your own project
please call 07768647783
Ham&Petersham
Winter 2012 Winter 2012
Ham&Petersham
22 magazine
magazine 23

Ham Lands
Lantern parade
You won’t be chased
by a deer here…
Claire Fifield, Chair of Friends of
Ham Lands, sings the praises of
Ham Lands Nature Reserve.
With Richmond Park taking most of the
local limelight, Ham Lands Nature Reserve
is often overlooked. True, there are none
of the ancient oaks, cycle paths, cafes and
other such temptations for the visitor to
enjoy. Ham Lands, to the casual observer,
appears to be a waste land, overgrown
with scrubby hawthorn and dense bramble
thickets. But, for those who wish to escape
the rather frantic atmosphere
of the park, Ham Lands offer
a more relaxed experience…
without the hazard of an angry
stag to disturb your equanimity!
The 200 acres making up Ham
Lands provide a mosaic of
diverse habitats that attracts a
wide range of fauna and flora. For
the botanists among you, unusual
plants such as the wonderful
Bee Orchid and the nationally
scarce Yellow Vetchling, can be
found here. For the Lepidotorist or
Ornithologist (or any other “ist”) there are also treats in store -
and if you don’t know what to look for or where to look, there
are many enthusiastic local experts who offer “wild” walks
and talks.
A walk along the towpath is not enough to fully appreciate
the Lands. Delve through the wet- woodland adjacent to the
towpath to find wide meadows..The woodland beyond is filled
with many self-seeded fruit trees, such as apples, plums and
damsons. There is much of interest throughout the year. In the
darkest of winter months, pleasure can be found by spotting
clumps of naturalised snowdrops along the tow-path. Winter
flooding of the meadows brings an influx of water fowl and
gulls, paddling in the ephemeral lakes. In the spring the area is
quite delightful with fruit trees and black thorn, all frothy with
blossom. Summertime is when the meadows are at their most
magnificent, full of brightly coloured flowers.
The landscape is heavily influenced by the Thames, which is still
partially tidal along this stretch, between Richmond half-tide
lock and Teddington lock.
The twice daily ebb and flow provides a dynamic environment
which is much appreciated by wild fowl and walkers alike.
I always feel satisfied if I manage to find a tennis ball
or two after high tide!
Other finds can be less exciting -whole rafts of polystyrene
sheeting and the associated flotsam and jetsam that results from
thoughtless disposal upstream. I did find a whole kayak once,
washed up by Ham House car park, Sadly it was much too big to
carry away!
Ham Lands requires sensitive on-going management such
as annual hay cutting and removal of scrub, to maintain the
meadows.The existing management contract expires in March
2013 and the Council is looking for new contractors.
The Friends group (www.fohl.org.uk) has been liaising with LBRuT
to find ways in which the management can be improved e.g. by
providing bigger litter bins in Ham House car park, organising
information boards and arranging volunteer work days.
Please join us and have your say in the future
of the Lands. Contact Claire@fohl.org.uk.
Ham goes
lantern style
About 150 people, drawn mainly
from the Ham and Petersham German
Community, gathered on Ham Common
in November to celebrate the feast of St
Martin (November 11).
This Hungarian-born soldier (AD316/17 –
AD397) of the Roman Army later became a
bishop following a life-changing encounter
with a beggar.
Seeing the poor man pleading for food and clothing, Martin
shared half his cloak by cutting it with his sword and wrapping
it around the beggar’s shoulders. That night Martin had a dream
where he saw Jesus with the cloak around his shoulders telling
Martin it was him he had shared his cloak with.
After this vision, Martin got baptised and relinquished his
military career as his faith grew and later became Bishop of
Tours, France.
The life of St Martin was re-enacted at St Thomas Aquinas Church
on November 14 and was followed by a lantern parade across
Ham Common.
Lantern made
by Rose Rixon,
St Richard’s
CE School,
in cooperation
with DSL
(German
School)
The lantern
parade begins.
THE HAM HEALING CENTRE
www.HamHealingCentre.co.uk
email: info@hamhealing.co.uk
Do you suffer back pain, physical ailments, bereavement, stress,
depression, emotional problems & need peace and calm in your life
We are experienced and qualified hands-on healers with
a reputation to put you at your ease and are good listeners
EVERY SATURDAY 1pm - 7pm (no fees - modest donation)
Marcus: 07976 287701/0208 439 9220 Anita: 020 8687 1120
Ham Common, Richmond TW10
Members of the Surrey Healing Association
24
Ham&Petersham
magazine
Winter 2012
Winter 2012
Ham&Petersham
magazine
25

Local History
Intrigue
in Ham
Spymasters and WWII code-breakers are some of the colourful
inhabitants of Ham’s Latchmere House. Following a recent
consultation on 17 October over its expected sale next year,
Lucie Emerson takes a look at its turbulent history.
Built in the 19th Century as a private dwelling, Latchmere House
on Church Road in Ham became a hospital during World War I for
the treatment of shell-shocked officers. In World War II, it earned
its notorious reputation as a secret MI5 interrogation centre for
suspected spies, mostly Nazis, with the code name Camp 020.
The Camp Commandant was Lt Colonel Robin Stephens, known as
‘Tin Eye’ for the monocle he wore, allegedly even when he slept.
As Camp 020, Latchmere House was bombed twice in the winter
of 1940 - 1941 and was renowned for the vital information
it obtained from suspected spies, as well as for the number
it ‘turned’ into double agents. Camp 020 contributed to the
security service’s ‘Double Cross System’ - MI5’s anti-espionage
and deception operation - and provided information to Bletchley
Park’s code breakers.
‘Tin Eye’ Stephens was known for his psychological approach
to interrogation and said:”Violence is taboo. For not only does
it produce answers to please but it lowers the standard of
information.” However, some of those who did not cooperate
sufficiently faced execution at the Tower of London. In the book
Spooks, authors Thomas Hennessey and Claire Thomas cite an
extract from the security service papers that “the penalty for
espionage is death. If the spy tells the truth he may live. There is
no guarantee; it is a hope, not more ... Psychology and discipline
should produce that result.” In an extract of his recent book Cruel
Britannia, however, Guardian journalist Ian Cobain highlights
more extreme measures used in Camp 020, which may have
gone beyond psychological pressure.
In 1948, Latchmere House was bought by Her Majesty’s Prison
Service and from 1991 until 2011, was the site of a resettlement
prison for young adults coming to the end of their sentence.
Some of these young men could be seen at a recent Ham Fair
with birds of prey for children to pat.
In Spooks, Hennessey and Thomas write “The story of Ham is
stranger than fiction; indeed, as a work of fiction it would violate
the probabilities”, referring to Camp 020. Ham and Petersham
residents will no doubt be very interested to see who will
occupy this location next, perhaps providing it with some peace
after such a turbulent history.
The Grotto
Stories
Two Princes, hellbent on power
and destruction.
Marble Hill House burnt to the ground.
Ham Library in peril.
Out this Christmas!
Order ‘The Grotto Stories’ now
and get it delivered to your door.
Copies, priced £7.99,
can be ordered by emailing handpmag@gmail.com
40% of each book sold goes to
Shooting Star Chase Children’s Hospice
Diamond Jubilee Party
THE HAM
BREWERY TAP
4-6 Ham Street, Ham, Richmond. Surrey. TW10 7HT Tel. 0208 255 0208
Try Our New Freshly Made Panini Lunchtime Menu
Tuesdays-Poker Evening from 8.30pm
£5 + £1(bounty) enjoy a one-off game or play for points to gain a seat
at the final table, and a chance to double your winnings.
Thursdays-Quiz-Bingo from 8.30pm
It’s not always the most intelligent who win this fresh idea for a pub quiz.
Play on your own or part of a team.
Saturdays – Famous Meat Draw 3pm
£1 Tickets are available all week, but be here at 3pm to choose your
favourite piece of meat for your Sunday Roast.
KARAOKE, LIVE MUSIC, DARTS, POOL – Real Ales & Cocktails
Opening Hours 11am – Midnight
Ham&Petersham
Winter 2012 Winter 2012
Ham&Petersham
26 magazine
magazine 27

News in brief
Advertisement
News in brief
Mervyn Smith & Co. would like to wish
all our many valued clients and friends in Ham and Petersham
a very Happy Christmas and a Healthy and Prosperous New Year.
If you’re thinking of selling or buying in 2013...
or maybe renting or letting...
please get in touch with us on 020 8549 5099
or follow our website at www.mervynsmith.co.uk.
315 RICHMOND ROAD, HAM, SURREY, KT2 5QU
TEL: 020 8549 5099 / FAX: 020 8546 0277
E-MAIL: sales@mervynsmith.com
WEBSITE: www.mervynsmith.co.uk
Ham&Petersham
magazine
28
Winter 2011
Winter 2012
Ham&Petersham
magazine
28