Petersham, London facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Petersham
Petersham
Population	10,317 (2011 Census. Ham, Petersham and Richmond Riverside Ward)
OS grid reference	TQ179733
London borough	Richmond
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Region	London
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	RICHMOND
Postcode district	TW10
Dialling code	020
Police	Metropolitan
Fire	London
Ambulance	London
EU Parliament	London
UK Parliament	Richmond Park
London Assembly	South West
List of places UK England London 51°26′42″N 0°18′11″W / 51.445°N 0.303°W / 51.445; -0.303

Grave of the famous explorer George Vancouver

The old watchman's hut and lock-up, built in 1787

St Peter's parish church

The former All Saints' Church, now a private home

Sudbrook House, home of Richmond Golf Club

Montrose House was once home to Tommy Steele.

Petersham war memorial, in the churchyard of St Peter's Church

Petersham is a lovely village in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It sits on the east side of a bend in the River Thames, just south of Richmond. Petersham shares this beautiful riverside spot with its neighbour, Ham. From Richmond Hill, you can enjoy a fantastic view across Petersham Meadows, with Ham House visible further along the river. Other nearby places include Twickenham, Isleworth, Teddington, Mortlake, and Roehampton.

Petersham's Past

Early History

Petersham is very old! It was first mentioned in a famous old book called the Domesday Book in 1086. Back then, it was called Patricesham and belonged to a place called Chertsey Abbey. The book recorded that Petersham had a church, fields for farming, and even a fishery that caught lots of eels and lampreys!

Famous People and Places

• Archibald Campbell, who later became the 3rd Duke of Argyll, was born at Ham House in 1682. He was a very important person who helped start the Royal Bank of Scotland in 1727.
• The famous explorer George Vancouver lived in Petersham after his amazing voyages. He wrote a book about his discoveries called A Voyage Of Discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and Round the World. He lived in a house on River Lane, which is now two separate homes. George Vancouver passed away in 1798 and is buried in the churchyard of Petersham Parish Church. His grave is a special historical monument.
• In 1839, the famous writer Charles Dickens rented a cottage in Petersham called Elm Cottage. He renamed it Elm Lodge and wrote part of his well-known book Nicholas Nickleby there.
• In 1847, Queen Victoria gave Pembroke Lodge (which is in the Petersham part of Richmond Park) to John Russell, 1st Earl Russell. It became the home of the Russell family. Lord Russell's grandson, Bertrand Russell, who became a famous philosopher, spent some of his childhood there. During World War II, a special army unit called Phantom had its headquarters nearby, with its base at Pembroke Lodge.
• In the early 1800s, a nobleman named Charles Stanhope, also known as Lord Petersham, gave the village's name to a type of greatcoat (a heavy overcoat). Much later, in 1955, a ship called HMS Petersham was named after the village. It was a type of ship called a minesweeper.

Petersham's Landmarks

Special Buildings

• One interesting old building is a watchman's box, which also served as a small village lock-up (a temporary jail). It was built in 1787.
• Petersham Road has a very sharp bend near two beautiful iron gates. This is the entrance to Montrose House, one of the most important houses in Petersham. Years ago, there were many accidents on this bend. Local people worked together to get the owner of Montrose House to give up some land to make the bend less sharp. Even today, you can see dents in the wall, showing that drivers still find it tricky!
• Next to Montrose House is Rutland Lodge, another impressive historic home. It was built in 1666 for a Lord Mayor of London and is a very important listed building.
• Douglas House is another historic home, located near Ham House. One famous person who lived there was Catherine Douglas, Duchess of Queensberry. In 1969, the country of Germany bought it to use as a German school. New buildings have been added, but the original house and stables are still there.

Getting Around Petersham

Petersham is served by two bus routes: the 65 and 371. These buses connect the village to Richmond and Kingston upon Thames. There are a few bus stops in the village, like Sandy Lane, Sudbrook Lane (The Russell School), and Ham Street and The Dysart.

Learning in Petersham

• The Deutsche Schule (DSL), London, is a German school located at Douglas House.
• The Russell School, now on Petersham Road, was started in 1851 by Lord John Russell, who was Britain's Prime Minister twice. The original school building was in Richmond Park but was damaged by a bomb in 1943.
• Sudbrook School is a nursery school for young children. It is located in Petersham's village hall.

Places of Worship

St Peter's Church

Petersham Parish Church is believed to be very old, possibly even older than the Norman conquest of England. A church in Petersham was mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086.

All Saints' Church

All Saints' Church, on Bute Avenue, was built to be a church but was never officially used as one. It was built between 1899 and 1909 as a memorial to a woman's family. During World War II, it was used as a military command post. It has also been used as a recording studio and a place for filming movies. Today, it is a private home.

Sports and Recreation

• Richmond Golf Club, a private golf club, is located in the historic Sudbrook Park, right next to Richmond Park. The beautiful Sudbrook House, a very important historic building, has been its clubhouse since 1898.
• Ham and Petersham Cricket Club was started in 1815. Their home matches are played in Ham.
• Ranelagh Harriers is a running club based near The Dysart restaurant.

Well-Known People from Petersham

People Living Today

• Shirley Bloomer (born 1934) is a tennis player who won three major tennis titles. She and her husband, Chris Brasher (mentioned below), raised their family in Petersham.
• Michael Frayn (born 1933), a famous playwright and novelist, and his wife Claire Tomalin (born 1933), a journalist and writer, live in Petersham.
• The entertainer Tommy Steele (born 1936) bought Montrose House in 1969 and lived there for many years.
• Lynne Truss (born 1955), an author, journalist, and radio personality, grew up in Petersham.
• Fearne Cotton (born 1981), a TV presenter, lived in Petersham from 2004 to 2008.

Historical Figures

• Daisy Ashford (1881–1972), famous for writing The Young Visiters when she was a child, was born at Elm Lodge in Petersham.
• Chris Brasher (1928–2003) was an athlete and sports journalist who helped start the London Marathon. He lived in River Lane, Petersham.
• The author and illustrator Charles George Harper (1863–1943) lived in Petersham later in his life.
• Lodowick Carlell (1602–1675), a courtier and writer, and his wife Joan Carlile (around 1606–1679), a portrait painter, lived at Petersham Lodge in Richmond Park. They are buried together in St Peter's churchyard.
• Prince Rupert Loewenstein (1933–2014), a banker and financial manager for the famous band The Rolling Stones, lived at Petersham Lodge in River Lane. This historic house was built in the early 1700s.
• The businessman Tony Rampton (1915–1993), who was in charge of the clothing company Freemans, lived at Gort Lodge in Petersham. He and his wife Joan were known for their kindness and generosity. They raised their family there, including their son Richard Rampton (1941–2023), who became a well-known lawyer. Tony and Joan Rampton are buried in St Peter's churchyard.
• Sir Robert Wilmot-Horton (1784–1841), a politician and colonial administrator, lived and passed away at Sudbrook Park, Petersham.