Glover's Island facts for kids
Glover's Island is a small, tree-covered island in the River Thames in London, England. It was once known as Petersham Ait. The island is located between Richmond Lock and Teddington Lock, within the area of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.
Contents
About Glover's Island
This little island is covered with trees and is quite small. It measures about 0.536 acres, which is roughly half the size of a football field. It's a peaceful spot in the middle of the busy River Thames.
The Island's History and Its Name
In 1872, a man named Joseph Glover bought the island for £70. He was a "waterman," which meant he worked on the river, often rowing boats or helping with river transport. At that time, the island was called Petersham Ait.
About 23 years later, in 1895, Joseph Glover decided to sell the island. He asked for a much higher price, £5,000! Sir J. Whittaker Ellis, who was the first mayor of Richmond, lived nearby and could see the island. He thought the price was too high and suggested that the local council, called the Richmond Corporation back then, should try to buy it.
A Big Decision for the Council
The council's "Amenities Committee" talked about buying the island on April 2, 1895. They agreed it would be good for the town to own the island. However, they felt the price Joseph Glover was asking was too high. They decided it wasn't worth trying to buy it at that price.
The Advertising Hoarding Threat
In 1898, Joseph Glover tried to sell the island again. This time, he caused a bit of a stir! He suggested he might sell the island to a company that made Pears soap. The idea was that they would put a giant advertising sign on the island. This worried many people because it would spoil the beautiful view from Richmond Hill.
Glover used this idea to try and get the council to buy the island. He offered it to them for £4,000. The council still wanted the island, but they didn't think they could spend so much public money on it.
Community Effort to Save the View
People in the local area started talking and writing in newspapers about how important it was to protect the view from Richmond Hill. They suggested that the money to buy the island could come from two places: partly from the public (people donating money) and partly from the council.
By September, only £50 had been donated by the public. It also came out that Glover had bought the island for only £70 many years before. This news didn't help encourage more donations.
The Island Finds a New Owner
The island was put up for auction on September 21, but the highest bid was only £200. Someone living nearby offered Glover £1,000 for the island, planning to give it to the council. But Glover refused to sell it and took the island off the market.
Finally, in 1900, a man named Max Waechter bought Glover's Island for £1,600. Max Waechter lived in a house called Terrace House on Richmond Hill. He then gave the island to the council. He made sure that the island could never be built on, protecting its natural beauty for everyone to enjoy.
