Contacts

The Teddington Society
21 Teddington Park
Teddington TW11 8DB

Contact by e-mail:
secretary@teddingtonsociety.org.uk

The Spring 2009 issue of Tidings includes the following:

• Letter from the Chair
• From the Editor
• Peter Matthews
• Christmas Lights
• Teddington Grove
• Reports from the Groups
• Alan Hapgood
• Teddington Choral Society
• Teddington in Flower
• Lords of the Manor
• Magpie and Deer
• New Year Party
• Bert's Book
• Business Exchange
• Events
• Diary and Events

Letter from the Chair
This is a very dark time of year and we are surrounded by tales of economic gloom and disaster, vividly illustrated by the sad closure of Woolworths in Broad Street. It seems there are also unusually virulent viruses about this year affecting many Teddington residents and several of the Teddington Society Committee. However, there are gleams of brightness.

The switching-on of Teddington's Christmas lights was a great success with more music, stalls and events for children than in previous years. This takes much organising and we are very grateful to those who have found the time and energy to raise our spirits. Another delightful event that evening was the opening by the Mayor of the Powder Room gallery on the railway bridge which is a considerable addition to the cultural life of Teddington.

This week we had the Teddington Society's New Year Party which, as always, was an enjoyable occasion and helped to lift the January gloom.

May I wish you all a New Year that is happier and more prosperous than 2008.

Jenny Hilton

From the Editor
The recession is now official and I’m sure it has affected us all in one way or another. But life goes on and societies, large and small, always find the capacity to put their problems into perspective, to deal with them in their own way and fight to maintain their quality of life. The Teddington Society is no exception. You just need to look at the changes in the High Street, Broad Street and our other shopping areas. Big business rules, local businesses priced out of existence, developments which ignore the wishes of the local community and draconian parking policies which antagonise residents and shopkeepers alike. Nevertheless, individuals still contribute their skills and, more importantly, their time to fight the injustices besetting us. Your Group members, and especially their convenors, do a sterling job but they need your support. Please, please, please ……. come to the AGM and show them your support.

On a personal note, welcome to 130 LITHO as our newest Corporate member. My sincere thanks go to them for the patience and tolerance that they have shown me.

Mike Woods

Tributes to Peter Matthews
Members of the Teddington Society will be saddened to learn of the death of Peter Matthews on 3rd November. Peter was a long-time Teddington resident, and over many years a key member of the Society's Planning Group. He had suffered a number of strokes and following the death of his wife Mary earlier last year had been resident in Lynde House in Twickenham.

Born in 1921, Peter was brought up in Chingford and after service in the RAF (described by Philip Whiteman) trained at the Architectural Association School. He was later to become a head of department at the St. Martin's School of Art.

Peter's experience and integrity as an architect, his appreciation of craft skills and his meticulous approach to planning issues enabled him to make invaluable contributions to the work of the Planning Group. He was also, for many years, the Teddington Society representative on the council's Conservation Area Advisory Committee, which vetted sensitive proposals across the borough. He cared deeply about the defence and enhancement of our built environment. Even when confined to bed in Teddington Hospital he continued to take a keen interest in the work of the Planning Group. Before his illness he took a leading role in the discussions with Marks & Spencer on the design of their new store in the High Street; his sound judgement persuaded M & S to make a number of significant improvements.

Peter was a man of high moral probity with an artist's eye for form and a craftsman's concern for detail. His death is a great loss to all who knew him.

Michael Foss

Peter the Aviator

During the Second World War, Peter trained as a pilot in North America under the auspices of the Arnold Scheme. To his frustration, along with other trainees who showed exceptional abilities with he was 'creamed off' as an advanced flying instructor on single-engine aircraft. Thus, although Peter got to fly fighters, it was never in combat. "Very frustrating at the time," he said "but probably the reason I survived the war". Training was nevertheless fraught with danger, and Peter would never forget the many accidents he witnessed. Not all involved injury, and some involved an element of humour. Among his charges were Chinese students, one of whom ignored Peter's order to abandon the aircraft he was flying when its electrically- operated variable-pitch propeller failed, causing the engine to over-rev. The engine lasted just long enough for the student to land the aeroplane, then exploded. "The subsequent fire was so intense that it reduced the airframe to a puddle of molten aluminium," recalled Peter. "Ironically, the one major component to remain intact was that wretched electric propeller."

After the war, Peter trained as an architect with Frank Lloyd Wright. When prevailing restrictions on the amount of money British citizens could take out of the country threatened to curtail his training, the famous American architect underwrote Peter's fees - an act of generosity that Peter never forgot.

Peter continued to fly for the pleasure of it, latterly making an annual pilgrimage for gliding holidays at the Long Mind. He only gave up flying when heart problems prevented him from manhandling gliders at the launch point, and he felt that he could no longer play a full part in the club's activities. Although he was then confined to what he called "armchair aviation", he continued to paint pictures of aviation subjects, and delight grandchildren and other visitors alike with the model aircraft he built and occasionally flew in the confines of his house.

Philip Whiteman