London Borough of Richmond upon Thames

London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
London borough
Coat of arms Council logo
Richmond shown within Greater London
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Constituent country	England
Region	London
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Status	London borough
Admin HQ	Twickenham
Created	1 April 1965
Government
• Type	London borough council
• Body	Richmond London Borough Council
• Leadership	Leader: Cllr. Lord True (Con) (Conservative)
• Mayor	Cllr. Jane Boulton
• MPs	Tania Mathias (Con) Zac Goldsmith (Con)
• London Assembly	Tony Arbour (Con) AM for South West
• EU Parliament	London
Area
• Total	22.17 sq mi (57.41 km2)
Area rank	262nd (of 326)
Population (mid-2014 est.)
• Total	193,585
• Rank	90th (of 326)
• Density	8,700/sq mi (3,400/km2)
• Ethnicity	71.4% White British 2.5% White Irish 0.1% White Gypsy or Irish Traveller 11.9% Other White 0.7% White & Black Caribbean 0.4% White & Black African 1.5% White & Asian 1% Other Mixed 2.8% Indian 0.6% Pakistani 0.5% Bangladeshi 0.9% Chinese 2.5% Other Asian 0.9% Black African 0.4% Black Caribbean 0.2% Other Black 0.6% Arab 1% Other
• ONS code	00BD
Time zone	GMT (UTC0)
• Summer (DST)	BST (UTC+1)
Postcodes	TW, SW, KT
Police force	Metropolitan Police
Website	www.richmond.gov.uk

The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames (<phonos file="En-uk-LBRichmond.ogg">pronunciation</phonos>) in south-west London, England, forms part of Outer London and is the only London borough on both sides of the River Thames. It was created in 1965 when three smaller council areas amalgamated under the London Government Act 1963. It is governed by Richmond upon Thames London Borough Council.

The borough is home to the National Physical Laboratory and the attractions of Kew Gardens, Hampton Court Palace, Twickenham Stadium and the WWT London Wetlands Centre that draw domestic and international tourism.

Settlement, economy and demography

The borough is approximately half parkland – large areas of London's open space fall within the borough boundaries, including Richmond Park, Kew Gardens, Bushy Park and Old Deer Park. The predominant other land use is residential use and most businesses within the boundaries consist of retail, property improvement/development and professional services; parts of it – including Barnes, Richmond, St Margarets, Cambridge Park and Marble Hill, some areas of Twickenham and much of East Sheen – rival Stanmore Hill and Kenley as the highest house-price districts and neighbourhoods of Outer London. In 2006, research commissioned by a major mortgage lender found that, on the quantitative statistical indices used, the borough had the best quality of life in London and was in the top quarter of local authorities nationwide. A neighbouring authority in Surrey achieved the best quality of life in that report.

Demography is a diverse picture as in all of London: each district should be looked at separately and even those do not reflect all neighbourhoods. Whatever generalisations are used, "the fine-grained texture of London poverty" by its minutely localised geography must always be taken into account according to an influential poverty report of 2010. Every borough bar one – Richmond-upon-Thames – contains at least one ward with an above-average level (for London) of working-age adults receiving out-of-work benefits, but even this borough – reflecting the best result – has two standard poverty indices of sixteen in which it is placed in the worst quarter of boroughs.

German community

See also: Ethnic groups in London

Douglas House in Petersham, which houses the German School London

The German business and expatriate community is centred on this borough, which houses the German School London (DSL) and most German expatriates residing in London. Fiona Moore, author of "The German School in London, UK: Fostering the Next Generation of National Cosmopolitans?", wrote that the borough "does not immediately show signs of hosting a German community" due to a lack of obvious German businesses and storefronts, but that most residents know of the location of the DSL and that there are "more subtle signs of German presence."

List of districts

Districts and neighbourhoods or villages

London SW13	Barnes	Castelnau	Barnes Common
London SW14	East Sheen
	Mortlake
Richmond TW9	Richmond (approx. half)
	Kew	Kew Green
Richmond TW10	Richmond (approx. half)
	Petersham
	Ham
Hampton TW12	Hampton
	Hampton Hill
Kingston upon Thames KT1 Like E. Molesey, post town is not in the borough	Hampton Wick
East Molesey KT8 Like the above, post town is not in the borough	Hampton Court
Teddington TW11	Teddington
Twickenham TW1	Twickenham (part)	Marble Hill/Cambridge Park/East Twickenham
	St Margarets
	Strawberry Hill
Twickenham TW2	Twickenham (part)	Fulwell	Twickenham Green
	Whitton

The above are arranged by post town

Aerial view of Richmond and East Twickenham from the north, August 2015

Attractions, parks and open spaces

Main article: Richmond upon Thames parks and open spaces

Hampton Court Palace

A view from Richmond Hill over the Terraced Gardens

Parks take up a great deal of the borough and include Richmond Park, Bushy Park, Kew Gardens, and Hampton Court Park. There are over 100 parks and open spaces within its boundary and 21 miles (34 km) of river frontage. 140 hectares within the borough are designated as part of the Metropolitan Green Belt.

The borough is home to the National Physical Laboratory and the attractions of Hampton Court Palace, Twickenham Stadium and the WWT London Wetlands Centre that draw domestic and international tourism.

In December 2006, Sport England published a survey which revealed that residents of Richmond upon Thames were the second most active in England in sports and other fitness activities. 29.8% of the population participate at least three times a week for 30 minutes.

The river Thames becomes narrower than at any part of Inner London towards its flow into the borough and becomes non-tidal at Teddington Lock in the borough; its main axis runs south to north, rather than west to east through more than half of the borough.

History

The borough was formed in 1965 by the merger of the Municipal Borough of Twickenham from Middlesex with the Municipal Borough of Richmond and the Municipal Borough of Barnes from Surrey; the new council's offices were centred at York House in Twickenham. The name "Richmond upon Thames" was coined at that time; it is now commonly but inaccurately used to refer to Richmond only.

Coat of arms

The borough's history is reflected in the coat of arms, which was officially granted on 7 May 1966. It is: Ermine a portcullis or within a bordure gules charged with eight fleurs-de-lis or. The crest is: On a wreath argent and gules out of a mural crown gules a swan rousant argent in beak a branch of climbing red roses leaved and entwined about the neck proper. The supporters are: On either side a griffin gules, armed and beaked azure, each supporting an oar proper, the blade of the dexter dark blue and that of the sinister light blue. The portcullis was taken from the arms of the Municipal Borough of Richmond; the swan crest, from the arms of the Municipal Borough of Twickenham; and the griffin supporters and oars from the arms of the Municipal Borough of Barnes. Red, gold and ermine are the royal livery colours, reflecting Richmond's royal history. The swan represents the River Thames, which flows through the borough. The oars are from the Oxford University Boat Club and the Cambridge University Boat Club, reflecting the fact that the Boat Race between the two universities ends at Mortlake in the borough.

Politics

The borough currently has a Conservative-led council which has been the most common administration since its formation.

		Conservative	Lib Dem	Labour	Others
2014	Conservative	39	15	–	–
2010	Conservative	30	24	–	–
2006	Liberal Democrat	19	35	–	–
2002	Conservative	39	15	–	–
1998	Liberal Democrat	14	34	4	–
1994	Liberal Democrat	7	43	2	–
1990	Liberal Democrat	4	48	–	–
1986	Liberal/SDP Alliance	3	49	–	–
1982	Conservative (minority)	26	26	–	–
1978	Conservative	34	18	–	–
1974	Conservative	36	10	8	–
1971	Conservative	37	3	14	–
1968	Conservative	54	–	–	–
1964	Conservative	41	–	12	1

Transport

Buses

The borough is served by the following London bus routes: 33, 65, 72, 110, 111, 190, 209, 216, 265, 267, 281, 283, 285, 290, 337, 371, 391, 411, 419, 430, 465, 481, 485, 490, 493, H22, H37, R68, R70, X26 and night route N22.

Rail services

The borough is connected to central London by the National Rail services of South West Trains. The London Underground's District line serves Richmond and Kew Gardens stations: both are also served by London Overground trains on the North London Line.

The other stations are: Barnes; Barnes Bridge; Fulwell; Hampton; Hampton Wick; Mortlake; North Sheen; St Margarets; Strawberry Hill; Teddington; Twickenham and Whitton.

Travel to work

In March 2011, the main forms of transport that residents used to travel to work were (of all residents aged 16–74):

• driving a car or van, 23.4%
• train, 7.7%
• underground, metro, light rail, tram, 7.7%
• work mainly at or from home, 6.4%
• on foot, 5.9%
• bus, minibus or coach, 5.5%
• bicycle, 4.4%.

Education

Main article: List of schools in Richmond upon Thames

Richmond upon Thames is the local education authority for the borough.

Sport and leisure

Main article: List of sports clubs in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames

Harlequins during the 2005–2006 season

View from a helicopter of Ham House, the River Thames and Ham Polo Club

The borough has a non-League football club, Hampton & Richmond Borough F.C., who play at Beveree Stadium in Hampton. The Twickenham Stadium hosts rugby internationals and the Twickenham Stoop is home to the Harlequins Rugby Team and London Broncos rugby league team.

Richmond Rugby Club are also active and share their grounds with London Scottish F.C.. The Richmond Minis is a large youth rugby organisation whilst the Richmond Heavies organise games for more veteran players.

Cricket is played in many locations around the borough including Ham Common, Richmond Green and Kew Green.

The River Thames flows through the borough and there are a number of sailing and rowing clubs located along it.

The borough has a large amount of equestrian activity; this includes the Horse Rangers Association and Ham Polo Club.

Richmond's swimming pools, Pools on the Park, are located in Old Deer Park close to the town centre. The outdoor pool is open in the summer months only.

Arts and culture

The Twickenham Museum is a volunteer-run museum opposite St Mary's parish church. It is open every day except Mondays. Admission is free.

Richmond's Old Town Hall, which now houses Richmond Reference Library, The Museum of Richmond and the Riverside Gallery

The Museum of Richmond, in Richmond's Old Town Hall, close to Richmond Bridge, has displays relating to the history of Richmond, Ham, Petersham and Kew. Its rotating exhibitions, education activities and a programme of events cover the whole of the modern borough. The museum's highlights include 16th-century glass from Richmond Palace and a painting, The Terrace and View from Richmond Hill, Surrey by Dutch draughtsman and painter Leonard Knyff (1650–1722), which is part of the Richmond upon Thames Borough Art Collection. Admission to the museum, which is open every day except Sundays and Mondays, is free.

Orleans House Gallery in Twickenham displays material from the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames' art collection. This includes a portrait of James Johnston by Thomas Gibson, paintings of Orleans House by Arthur Vickers and several other artists, and the Burton Collection, which includes artwork, personal effects and photographs of the explorer Richard Francis Burton. The gallery is also the site of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames' arts service and provides educational workshops for a wide variety of ages, using the converted stables and coach house as educational spaces.

The Riverside Gallery, also at the Old Town Hall, has a year-round programme of exhibitions by local artists including paintings, prints and photographs. Admission is free.

Garrick's Temple to Shakespeare in Hampton hosts a free Sunday afternoon Shakespeare exhibition from April to October and a series of summer drama, music and exhibitions.

Richmond Lending Library and Richmond Theatre

Richmond has two theatres. The Richmond Theatre at the side of Little Green is a Victorian structure designed by Frank Matcham and restored and extended by Carl Toms in 1990. The theatre has a weekly schedule of plays and musicals, usually given by professional touring companies, and pre-West End shows can sometimes be seen. There is a Christmas and New Year pantomime tradition and many of Britain's greatest music hall and pantomime performers have appeared here.

Close to Richmond railway station is the Orange Tree Theatre which was founded in 1971 in a room above the Orange Tree pub. As audience numbers increased there was pressure to find a more accommodating space and, in 1991, the company moved to current premises within a converted primary school. The 172-seat theatre was built specifically as a theatre in the round. Exclusively presenting its own productions, it has acquired a national reputation for the quality of its work for staging new plays, and for discovering undeservedly forgotten old plays and neglected classics.

The Cabbage Patch pub on London Road near Twickenham railway station has, since 1983, been a regular venue for live music on Sunday nights, organised by TwickFolk.

Twin towns and sister cities

Richmond upon Thames is twinned with:

• Fontainebleau, France(since 1977)
• Konstanz, Germany (since 1983)
• Richmond, Virginia, United States (since 1980)

See also

• List of people from Richmond upon Thames

Sources

• Moore, Fiona. "The German School in London, UK: Fostering the Next Generation of National Cosmopolitans?" (Chapter 4). In: Coles, Anne and Anne-Meike Fechter. Gender and Family Among Transnational Professionals (Routledge International Studies of Women and Place). Routledge, 6 August 2012. ISBN 1134156200, 9781134156207.

External links

• Richmond upon Thames Council
• Richmond and Twickenham Times
• Richmond Online Communities website 1997–2008 (archived)
• Totally Richmond website
• This is Our Town Richmond community website
• VisitRichmond
• Your Richmond
• Local history notes by London Borough of Richmond upon Thames Local Studies Library