Tag Archives: Surrey

Richmond riverside: a family story

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Robert and Owy Richmond 1960s

Sixties snapshot: me and Mum at Richmond, circa 1969

Richmond, Surrey has long been one of my favourite places, as I've explained before on Ertblog. I was thrilled a few years ago to find this photo of Mum and me on the riverside as it brought back so many childhood memories. I wonder if it was the day I had an ice cream from a kiosk just beyond the bridge, near where Gaucho is today?

On Friday, Karen brought Owen, now three and a half, to my office. He got to sit at my desk, typing his name. He charmed everyone at work. And we had a fun lunch at Giraffe. But we also got to recreate that 1969 photo. 

 

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A few curiosities. I couldn't quite replicate the shot, even though this part of the riverside has hardly changed since the year of the first moon landing and Swindon Town winning the League Cup. How did Dad get so much space between Mum's head and Richmond's historic bridge, when Karen rose over it like a giant? (Mum is short, but that can't make that much difference, surely?) I can't imagine depth of field differences or standing further back making such a difference either.  Did he bring a stepladder? It seems very unlikely. The mystery remains.

Out of shot, Richmond riverside has changed totally since my childhood photo. For years, the area was derelict as a fierce debate raged about what to do with the site. The 1980s saw the Quinlan Terry redevelopment opened by the Queen. It was criticised by some as a pastiche concoction, but it has stood the test of time.  

A spring day by the river, Richmond

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Misty morning: the Thames, Richmond, Surrey, 8.50am

I love working close to the River Thames in Richmond. Especially on a day like today, when the river alters its appearance faster than a quick change artist. 

As I approached the office, I just had to take a photo of the moody, misty vew of Richmond Bridge. I knew that the mist would soon give way to a glorious spring day. So it proved, and I went back at lunchtime to take a contrasting shot from the same place (below). 

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But the river had a further surprise. As I started my drive home, Water Lane and Riverside were flooded by the high tide, so I quickly reversed – and took another couple of photos!

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One last image. I was struck my the fine features of this Great War soldier, carved in stone on Richmond's war memorial in front of the office. That stony sentinel has seen countless tides in the last 90 years!

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The tide is high in Richmond

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There's something magical about the rise and fall of the tide – especially on an urban river. It shows that nature still exerts a power over us. And it can catch people out. 

Today, I turned left rather than right out of the office car park in Richmond, Surrey. Within seconds, I realised that I'd have to think again. The tidal river Thames had reclaimed Water Lane, blocking the route round to Richmond Green from the waterfront. I couldn't resist getting out of the car to take this photo, especially as the sun was shining – a rare event in January 2011.

Richmond has long been one of my favourite places. I got to know the place in the late Sixties when we lived in nearby Whitton. (We regularly saw drivers in tears as they returned to find their parked cars under water after the tide came in.) Twenty years later, I spent a lot of time here when I moved back to London from Wales. And now I'm lucky enough to work in an office on the waterfront.