fulham Resident s Journal ’
OCTO B E R 2 0 1 3 • I s s u e 1 4
We highly value your feedback: fulham@residentsjournal.co.uk or 020 7987 4320
w w w. R e s i d e n t s J o u r n a l . c o . u k (020) 7987 4320
Proudly published by
RUNWILD M
E
D
I
A
G
R
O
U
P
Dear Resident, When there is a chill in the air and your heart begins to pump ferociously, with the hairs on the back of your neck on end, there is only one woman in Fulham that you need to call: Lauren Romano. Our resident ghost whisperer and paranormal investigator explores SW6’s haunted happenings and murky past (p. 6). We also delve back into the annals of time for another feature this month, examining the origins of the Women’s Institute (p. 12). Lulu Rumsey discusses the growing popularity of an organisation which has seen its name and work in local communities enjoyed, teased and iconicised (the latter courtesy of everybody’s favourite rainy day heart-warmer Calendar Girls featuring Helen Mirren). Another local embedded within his community is Duke on the Green landlord, Neil Dunning. The Journal catches up with the busy family man to talk Halloween parties, the hugely successful Fair on the Green and hearty winter food (p. 22). Lauren Romano also has the pleasure of meeting the ambitious and talented Georgie Fowle, founder of boutique events company Addoastra, this month. The company was created from altruistic and charitable roots and at its heart sits a very motivated young woman (p. 16).
Image / Milton Court Winkworth (winkworth.co.uk)
Managing Editor Katie Randall
Managing Director Eren Ellwood
Publishing Director Giles Ellwood
Assistant Editor Lauren Romano
General Manager Fiona Fenwick
Associate Publisher Sophie Roberts
Editorial Assistant Jennifer Mason
Senior Designer Lisa Wade
Client Relationship Director Felicity Morgan-Harvey
Editorial Intern Kara Wright
Production Hugo Wheatley Alex Powell Oscar Viney
Communications Director Loren Penney
Editor-in-Chief Lesley Ellwood
-3-
Business Development Manager Alexandra Vogel
FULHAM Residents’ Journal
local news Keep your finger on the pulse with our round-up of local news
Match made in paint heaven Those in the throes of an interior makeover will testify that selecting the right colour from the kaleidoscopic scale of shades can involve much head scratching. However, Fulham residents can put down the tester paint points following the news that local painting and decorating specialists Portland Decorating Ltd have recently entered into a partnership with Farrow & Ball to offer its in-house colour consultancy free of charge to clients. This means specialists can drop by to discuss plans, assess the space and light and deliver colour advice to suit your home. 368 North End Road, SW6 1LY, 020 7385 7686 (portlanddecorating. co.uk)
Play time at Ray’s
Around the clock buzz From the early morning espresso shot to a lights out latte, as of 3 October the barristers at Barossa will be manning the coffee machines until later into the evening, staying open from 6pm-10pm, Thursday to Saturday. For those in the mood for something stronger than a cup of Joe, a selection of wines can be sipped accompanied by spiced lamb and mint burgers or pulled pork tacos from the food menu. 277 New King’s Road, SW6 4RD, 020 7751 9711 (barossafulham.com) -4-
Little ones will be brimming with excitement at the news that Ray’s Playhouse has been given the green light for a new state-of-the-art outdoor playground. Following an extensive fundraising programme, £50,000 has been raised through a combination of events, generous donations and grants for a large sand pit, a water feature and specialist climbing frames, all designed with under-fives in mind. The work is expected to begin at the Sands End not-for-profit children’s centre in November and should be completed by February. In the meantime, the last wave of fundraising has begun for phase two of the facelift, which will be used to pay for new water play equipment. Donations can be made via the link on the homepage at raysplayhouse.org
Totes page-turning As part of the national Books Are My Bag campaign, those feeding their reading habits locally at Nomad Books last month were presented with a free cloth carrier emblazoned with the mission statement at the checkout. In a pledge of solidarity to the endangered species that is the high street bookshop, it is hoped that those lugging the tote bags around will become ambassadors for the campaign that hopes to raise awareness for the crucial role bookshops play in fuelling the imagination, getting people reading and helping them discover new authors and connect with the written word in a physical way. As part of the initiative, the Make your Mark competition enables people to nominate their favourite bookshop too. For information on how to take part in the competition and how to support your local bookshop, visit booksaremybag.com Photo by Julian
a Johnston
A sticky situation Jars of the first batch of Fulham Palace honey to be harvested in a century are now lined up on the shelves at Fortnum & Mason. Having spent months foraging on lime, wisteria, chestnut, orchard fruit blossom and meadow wildflowers, the walled garden’s resident bees have produced a floral honey, undercut with lime blossom. A partnership with Groundwork London has enabled Fulham Palace to train staff and volunteers as beekeepers under the watchful eye of Mark Patterson from the London Beekeepers’ Association. While there isn’t quite enough honey for commercial sales yet, a jar of the precious 40lb bounty is currently sitting in the larder of the Palace’s caterers who will be making a special honey cake for Apple Day on 13 October. Drop by for a slice and stay to watch the results of the apple cake baking competition, judged by chef Phil Howard, unfold.
The art of education St John’s Walham Green has been shortlisted as one of three lucky finalists in the first UK campaign to offer free framed art to schools. The brainchild of Art.co.uk, the Art Sparks Learning drive to decorate school corridors and classrooms is intended to ignite creativity and inspire budding artists; but it doesn’t end there. On top of the guaranteed 20 pieces of framed art already chosen by pupils, St John’s Walham Green is in the running to win an additional £750 worth of art supplies if they secure the most votes in the pupil poll. Voting is open until 11.45pm on 10 October and the winning school will be announced on 15 October. Visit art.co.uk/artsparks to support one of our local schools.
New artworks set to grace the wall at St Johns Walham Green include: (clockwise from top) Starry Night, c. 1889 by Vincent van Gogh; Goldfish by Henri Matisse; Campbell’s Soup Can, 1965 by Andy Warhol, all courtesy of Art.co.uk Words / Anna Castaldi
-5-
FULHAM Residents’ Journal
The grave of Granville Sharp at All Saints graveyard
beneath What lies
If there’s something strange in your neighbourhood, who you gonna call?... Lauren Romano goes ghost-hunting
F
loating amid the flotsam and jetsam of the SW6 phantasm, the spirits of many notorious former residents skulk around their old stomping grounds. From merciless, executionsanctioning bishops to a mass murderer with a method so gruesome his victims’ bodies literally dissolved without trace; Fulham harbours its fair share of dark secrets…
clerics are, according to eye witness reports, stuck in some kind of poltergeist purgatory in the palace. After collecting a metaphorical tome of anecdotal ghost stories over the years, Fulham Palace has recently been working with paranormal investigators The Ghost Club, the oldest ghost institution in the world. Several tall tales have been ruminated, chewed up and spat out like Chinese whispers over the years, ensnaring Fulham Palace with a shroud of spine-tingling episodes. A former caretaker Bill Newman was privy to several cases of things going bump in the night; footsteps denoting the tread of no discernible figure in the corridor leading to the chapel, or the organ playing in the locked chapel, for instance. Elsewhere, a strong whiff of cigarette smoke has been sniffed in the Porteus Library and in the corridors running along the north side of the building. Museum steward Peter has associated the smell with Bishop Creighton who reportedly died from a smoking-related illness. There have also
Blood on their hands
Ghost lore narrates that spirits are almost always at home in a big, old pile. No pokey bungalow for this spoilt rotten lot; the nooks and dusty crannies of a grand home seem to inaudibly cry out for a stowaway or a ghost or two in residence. Blissfully fulfilling many a haunted house cliché, Fulham Palace steps up to the mark, with many spectres at large in the local area counting the historic home as their pied-a-terre. For countless centuries the residence of the Bishops of London, a couple of these notable -6-
been sightings of a rogue harlequin figure appearing on the staircase of the south side of the west courtyard, the apparition of which is supposed to presage death of a close relative. In true ghostly fashion, a male figure in Tudor dress has been seen crossing the Great Hall in front of the fireplace before vanishing into thin air through the wall, where according to old plans, a doorway used to stand (curator Miranda Poliakoff jokes with visitors on her tours that they can learn about the history of the building from the ghosts!). However, it isn’t just men that are in on the act. A temporary security guard once had a close encounter with a woman in a long white dress stalking around the grounds after hours. When he told her the grounds were closed she replied that she lived there and then disappeared before his eyes.
and he was sent to the Tower of London and burnt at the stake in 1555. With Ridley banged up in the tower, Bonner was restored to his Bishopric soon after the Catholic Queen Mary took to the throne and it wasn’t long before he started earning the ‘bloody’ moniker. In 1555 he began the task of rooting out and dealing with religious dissenters. The Palace’s cellars and underground chambers were used to keep prisoners and some were reportedly tortured there and forced to work the land. His tyrannical reign was felt in the tranquil grounds of the palace too. Charles
This cannibal in three years space three hundred martyrs slew. They were his food, he loved so blood, he spared none he knew (Foxe’s Book of Martyrs) But perhaps the most spine-tingling of legacies has been left by Fulham Palace’s most wicked resident: Bishop Bonner, also known as Bloody Bonner. In the 16th century a game of Bishop’s musical chairs commenced with Bishops Bonner and Ridley playing for the hot seat. The English Reformation was a bone of contention for many clerics. As the fraught battle of faith that came to define the Tudor dynasty set in, the Protestantism it unleashed swept through the country and brought with it the compulsory end of clerical celibacy and the Mass service. Edmund Bonner was one such bishop with whom these changes did not sit well under his mitre. Angered by the reforms introduced, he made an unwise enemy of Archbishop Cranmer and was sent to brood over his newly rekindled Roman Catholic devotion in his dingy Marshalsea prison cell from 1550 to 1553. In the interim Bishop Ridley filled the boots at Fulham Palace. Hailing from a prominent Northumberland family and educated at Cambridge and the Sorbonne in Paris, Ridley initially promised much; unfortunately, however, his ill-judged proclamation that the Tudor Princesses Mary and Elizabeth were illegitimate led to his conviction for heresy
James Feret’s Fulham Old and New describes an overgrown, winding path called the Monk’s Walk, at the end of which was an old chair. It was in this seat that the persecuting Bonner would sit as he passed sentence on the heretics brought before him. The orchard, to the south-east corner of the grounds, was another flogging venue of choice for Bonner. Today, the ghost of Bishop Bonner is supposed to haunt the south side of the west courtyard, restlessly pacing the site of his brutal deeds; committed to the annals of time but never forgotten, the Bloody Bonner reign of terror lives on…
The perfect murder
What might be the weapon of choice for a murderer: a dagger, a revolver, a length of rope, a candlestick in the library, à la Colonel Mustard even? Not so for notorious serial killer John George Haigh, convicted to death by hanging after six gruesome murders in the 1940s. Huge 40-gallon drums of sulphuric acid were his preferred method of body disposal. Leaving his victims’ corpses to dissolve to sludge, which he poured down manholes, he would then set about meticulously forging papers in order to sell their possessions and rake -7-
FULHAM Residents’ Journal
parents, cashing in pension cheques and selling their possesions and properties – the rapscallion, drowning in gambling debts, moved onto SW6 pastures to strike again. Feigning interest in a house the Hendersons were selling, he lured Archibald to his lair, a workshop in Crawley, shot him in the head with – it turned out in a cruel twist of fate – the doctor’s own
The bodies of convicted highwaymen dangling from the gallows at the corner of Parsons Green Lane and the Fulham Road acted as little deterrent gun, and doused him in acid. Rose befell the same tragedy. The story made one of the hardest-hitting headlines in the postwar years and was met with public shock. Although Haigh’s increasingly careless methods (pathologists sifted three human gallstones and part of a pair of dentures from the putrifying sludge) led to his eventual capture, the nightmarish circumstances surrounding his victims’ demise refused to budge from the minds of many for years to come.
in money. Two such unfortunate Stand and deliver victims, Dr During the 1800s, London Archibald Road was little more than a Henderson rural, bumpy thoroughfare – and his wife a narrow vein which formed Rose, were the part of the main arterial proprietors route running from the of The Doll’s western fringes of London Hospital in to its central conclave. Fulham – the Later renamed the Fulham workshop which er at the Latimer burnt togeth t) Bishops Ridley and Road as the century wore repaired the Fulham Palace Trus of y rtes (cou ord stake in Oxf on, the nearby New King’s beloved playthings Road was the king’s private of SW6 youngsters route throughout the preceding century so and once occupied 16 Dawes Road. he could travel between Westminster and It was during a spell in prison for fraud Hampton Court via the Fulham ferry. that the evil mechanics of Haigh’s mind It is no geographical coincidence, then, set about plotting the perfect murder, that Parsons Green became a mecca for mistakenly thinking that if a body could a string of royal mistresses. However, not be found, then a conviction would be the wealth and splendour of the area’s impossible. He later tested his theory on peacocking residents attracted a rather mice and found that it took less than an more insalubrious band of ragamuffins in hour for a body to disappear in acid. their wake – the highwayman. These horseAfter killing his first string of victims mounted robbers would gallop through – his former employer and the affluent the area, preying on those who had the owner of a number of amusement parlours, misfortune to pass them. The bodies of William McSwan and both of McSwan’s -8-
convicted highwaymen dangling from the gallows at the corner of Parsons Green Lane and the Fulham Road acted as little deterrent, however. The legacy of one such luckless highwayman has stood the test of time. Next time you find yourself on Pursers Cross Road, spare a thought for this man; about to be cornered at the crossroads by his capturers in hot pursuit, he flung his stolen purse into the crowd and shot himself. To this day, his final resting place is here, buried deep below the rumbling road above with a stake through his heart.
who have changed the shape of the world far beyond the confines of Fulham. Interred in this sleepy patch by the river is Granville Sharp. A major driving force in helping the abolitionist movement to gain momentum, Sharp was one of the first English campaigners to voice his objection to the slave trade and he went to extraordinary lengths to action changes to the law. He is buried alongside his brother William, surgeon to King George III.
Rest in peace
For every restless spirit gallivanting around, there are many more peacefully laid to rest. Fulham Palace Road Cemetery aside, many famous luminaries of Fulham have found their final resting place at All Saints Church. The weather-ravaged gravestones erupting from the ground – some encroached upon by vines and others half swallowed up by the earth, choking on the hulks of rain-beaten stone – mark the beds of the great and the good entombed below; the bishops and the baronets and those
The Highwayman, illustration by Mai Osawa
-9-
FULHAM Residents’ Journal
the calendar Diary dates for residents looking for the best of the local area’s events
4-6 & 11-13 October
10 October
20 October
Weekend art attack Dig deep for charity The inaugural Kensington and Fulham Open Studios begins this month, putting the creatives living and working on our doorstep under the spotlight. Taking place over two weekends, local artists will be flinging wide the doors of their studios, attics, houseboats – any space, in fact, in which they create their masterpieces – to showcase their latest work. Don’t miss the opportunity to see Fulham painter Ekaterina Zakharova’s acrylic and watercolour still-lifes up close at her studio at Cooper House, Michael Road on Friday 4 and Saturday 5. 4 & 11 October: 6-9pm; 5-6 & 12-13 October: 11am-6pm. Free. Visit pocketarts .org/KFOS for a map and full listings
The Asthma UK Annual Gift Fair returns for the 31st year with more than 70 fashion, homeware, food and antiques stalls snaking around the stately interior of the Hurlingham Club. Founded in 1982 by Selina Thistleton-Smith, the annual event has raised more than £1million for Asthma UK since its inception. Those who would like to peruse the selection of items on offer before the hubbub descends can preview the stalls at a private view on 9 October from 5.30pm with a glass of wine. Private view ticket (includes general entry on Thursday, £15). General admission £5 9am-4pm, Ranelagh Gardens, SW6 3PR (asthmagiftfair.com)
DIG DEEP FOR CHARITY
Bold as brass
For a soundtrack to the approaching autumn season, take refuge from the colder evenings to hear the Fulham Brass perform its annual autumn fanfare of horns, trombones and tubas. Formed in 1895, Fulham Brass Band has made its presence heard in the community ever since. Aimed at making classical music accessible to people of all ages in the local community, past concerts have included an aural smattering of music from the likes of Fauré and Peter Graham and guests can expect a similarly varied musical cacophony later this month. 7pm, St John’s Church, North End Road SW6 1PB (fulhambrassband.co.uk)
By Ekaterina Zakharova
WEEKEND ART ATTACK
BOLD AS BRASS - 10 -
Words / Kara Wright
HEALTH & BEAUTY We trial local beauty hotspots
A little bird
W
told me...
e’ve all encountered one at some point since our parents realised the bowl cut was a playground faux pas and marched us off for a turn in the chair with the professionals. A hairdresser with an ego as attentionseeking as his or her bouffant that is, and the singular ability to envisage a request for a trim as anything but. Not at Fulham’s latest coiffeurs, Hair of the Bird. It’s all about the client here. ‘From the minute they sit down it’s all about making them feel fabulous,’ Cyril Arekion chimes in his melodic French tones. Instilling plenty of confidence to women via a great cut and blow dry has been Cyril’s lifelong passion. ‘I wanted to take myself out of the equation,’ he adds. Opening in early April, this light-filled shrine to the scissors is no ‘Cyril’s salon’ after all. Its moniker is more inclusive than that. ‘“Bird” is colloquial English for women from all walks of life,’ the Frenchman’s helpful translation comes, laden with Gallic charm. ‘An older lady popped in and tentatively
Lauren Romano meets Cyril Arekion, the owner of Hair of the Bird, to find out why his New King’s Road hair salon is a cut above the rest
asked if we did perms, presuming we didn’t. “We do everything,” I answered. She left with a spring in her step; that’s what my job is all about.’ ‘You have to read between the lines too,’ he reveals, insinuating that the consultation process can be a minefield of what women say they want and what they actually want. These chats are a fundamental part of the process and before Cyril even whips out his comb, he untangles the mane matter as it were; the daily demands of the woman sitting in front of him: her job, her kids, even her spouse’s opinion. For many women, hair is their security blanket; a comforting veil of silky reassurance which can deflect insecurities and bad skin days in a swoosh of a ponytail or a cascade of waves. ‘We introduced a £15 walk-in blow dry recently and it has been a huge success. Women in need of a quick boost can stop by after work.’ Cyril made the leap from Paris to London more than 13 years ago and worked in Putney and then in Wimbledon Village before the village - 11 -
feel of Parsons Green beckoned him to start up on his own. The salon is in possession of an enviable vantage point, stretching out across Eel Brook Common. Inside it is sleek and spacious while downstairs a warren of rooms will be put to good use for private hair consultations. The space will be used to offer hair extensions in due course. There is also talk of developing a trainee apprentice programme. ‘I don’t want to rush; I want to take the time to develop naturally,’ he says. A fleet of cyclists pedal past as the traffic lights outside flash green. ‘That’s the one thing Paris has over London – the public transport,’ Cyril tells me as I get up to head for the District Line (the ‘disturbance line’ as he calls it). ‘I’ll stick to my bike. Other cyclists whizz by like it’s a race, but I go at my own pace, taking it all in.’ Slowly but surely does it. Hair of the Bird is open: Tues 7am-9pm Weds 7am-6pm; Thurs 12-9 pm; Fri & Sat 9am-6pm. 61 New King’s Road, SW6 4SE 020 7731 2595 (hairofthebird.co.uk)
FULHAM Residents’ Journal
The way they were: clockwise from right / Wartime fruit preservation centre, 1940; Mereworth jam centre, 1943; vegetable growing, 1943; an ambulance is presented to the British Army by NFWI, 1941 (all images courtesy of NFWI archives) Opposite page / Chair of the NFWI Janice Langley speaks at the 2013 AGM (image courtesy of Andy Lane)
- 12 -
A long way
from
Jam
AND
Jerusalem
A new wave has defined the Women’s Institute since its urban evolution a decade ago saw it pull in impressive numbers of Londoners. With south west London home to two of the capital’s newest branches, Lulu Rumsey uncovers changing perceptions of the century-old organisation
T
here is a moment in the 2003 sleeper hit Calendar Girls, where Helen Mirren’s scene-stealing Chris Harper, rogue leader of a mutinous yet well-intentioned nudist rebellion in a subdued Yorkshire WI, hears the latest instalment in the society’s long list of yawn-inducing speakers and mutters sardonically: ‘Oh, thank God. For a moment I thought it was going to be dull.’ About to take to the stage, the object of Chris’s contempt is an expert in the tame world of carpeting. Chris’s slur, so expertly delivered with the glinting eyes and tight-pursed mouth of Mirren, seemed to echo the assumptions of the 21st century woman, whose era had
line of the advancement of women’s rights. In a dependable string of campaigns, from demanding equal pay for equal work in 1943, breast cancer screening in 1975 and women’s role in Europe in 1999, the WI hasn’t blinked in its commitment to women’s issues. If in recent years the ill-founded jokes and knocks have ceased somewhat, the WI’s urban reinvention (or more accurately, invention, since it traditionally steered clear of the city and was known primarily as a rural, village-led organisation) might be considered key. London has seen some of the highlights of the WI’s urban awakening: from the first opening in the capital in 2003 here in Fulham, to the much-lauded independently
The new wave WIs are anything but ordinary; they are the mutual meeting place for women of all walks of life and a far cry from the ‘bored housewife’ tag cast the WI into a role of mock-worthy naffness at best, and irrelevance and provincialism at worst. On account of the date of my birth, I cannot pinpoint the moment the WI transcended the gulf between wartime champs, praised for helping stave off the imminent threat of U-boat-induced countrywide malnutrition, to a nationally derided group, dismissed as encapsulating nothing more than jam and Jerusalem. There’s little to explain popular derision of the WI. Cinematic licence saw Mirren’s on-screen WI preoccupied with the study of broccoli, but the past speaks volumes for the depth of the organisation’s character. This is a group that has maintained an almost century-long steady presence at the virtual picket
minded Shoreditch Sisters, who ‘aren’t afraid to call themselves feminists’ and ‘choose not to sing Jerusalem’ while ignoring a few of the WI’s more oldfashioned stereotypes. Don’t be mistaken, this isn’t a backlash; it’s far closer to an appreciation, but it’s a fresh and modern interpretation. The new wave WIs (so known because they meet in the evenings and not during the day) congregate more often than not in a local pub or wine bar. The Fulham branch call The Hollywood Arms home for its monthly meetings. There are now 51 WIs in London alone, a regional symptom of the year-on-year increases in membership which the WI has experienced since 2008. ‘Perceptions are changing,’ says Janice Langley, Chair - 13 -
FULHAM Residents’ Journal
of the National Federation of Women’s Institutes (NFWI). ‘Women who wouldn’t previously have thought about joining are becoming increasingly keen to join.’ So what’s the draw? Toto James, President of the Fulham WI, credits the mixed age of members, which you would struggle to find in any other organisation elsewhere in London, as proving an unparalleled pull for many members. ‘Our membership has always been a mixture of ladies from their mid-20s to mid-80s. This eclectic spectrum of ages is, I feel, typical of London life, and something that we are very proud of.’ ‘I have been a member of Fulham WI for five years,’ Toto tells me. ‘During that time Fulham WI has constantly remained a supportive and friendly group of women. Members can come and immerse themselves as little or as much as they want. Living in London, having a close-knit network is invaluable. Women move to the area and want an opportunity to meet and socialise with a group of like-minded women and the WI is the obvious choice.’ Female assertiveness has always rung true for the WI (how many other organisations can say they’ve survived the whitewash of political correctness to remain strictly women only?). Back in her younger days, Janice herself was drawn to the WI because ‘it was an opportunity for me, as a young wife and mother, to go somewhere and just be me – not David’s wife or Emma’s mother.’ As yet, there is no London federation, meaning the new crop of WIs remain somewhat oddly
affiliated to the Home Counties bordering London. Perhaps because of this, the London WIs appear to be shaped almost entirely by the women within them. ‘We run a variety of events for members, and our regular book and theatre clubs always prove popular,’ Toto ticks off a list of past events as long as her arm, covering everything from cupcake decorating whilst sipping cocktails to fencing, and jewellery-making lessons, to Thai cookery courses and Thames beachcombing. The group takes full advantage of its position with the capital’s culture-centric beating heart, straying out of the postcode to visit
The new wave WIs congregate more often than not in a local pub or wine bar; the Fulham WI call The Hollywood Arms home numerous galleries and exhibitions. As the original London branch, the Fulham WI has carved out a blueprint for the many other WIs springing up across town to follow. Born in July 2003 after a group of local women keen to create a ‘modern women’s group with a traditional ethos’, today the Fulham contingent represents a diverse bunch: there are single women, married women and divorcées; women in their 20s to their 80s. ‘It is a group full of very inspiring members. As the original London WI, we recently celebrated our 10th birthday, so we are still quite young compared with the more established WIs in rural areas but as we continue to welcome more and more women into the fold the future certainly looks bright!’ The new wave WIs are anything but ordinary; they’re the mutual meeting
- 14 -
Image / Paul Reed
place for women of all walks of life and a far cry from the ‘bored housewife’ tag that outdated public perceptions have occasionally afforded them. Of course, that’s not to suggest that London’s new wave WIs have rejected the homely pastimes that the NFWI historically and traditionally holds dear – far from it. Bake sales, raffles, knitting and crocheting are all very much still on the agenda – if members want to pursue them. It’s just that the stereotype has been broken by the metaphorical embodiment of a strong shake of cayenne pepper; activities like tai chi, belly dancing, rock choirs, car maintenance and interesting lessons on politicians’ use of soundbites have all been injected into the mix. Rumours from Devon suggest that even pole dancing
hasn’t escaped the WI’s unequivocally open mind. ‘When I tell people about Fulham WI they always say that I’m too young to be a member – I’m 39 – and then ask what I like baking!’ Toto confesses, ‘Those who are a little more informed, ask if we sing ‘Jerusalem’. I always set the record straight – we love baking, don’t sing ‘Jerusalem’ and although our membership may be younger than some of the rural WIs, we all share the same ethos. I’d say to anyone who is curious about us to come along and give it a go. I did, and five years later I’m now its President!’ To contact the National Federation of Women’s Institutes, call 020 7371 9300 or write to 104 New Kings Road, SW6 4LY (thewi.org.uk)
Image / J Perugia
- 15 -
FULHAM Residents’ Journal
Reach
for the
stars
Lauren Romano meets Georgie Fowle, a Fulhamite with the holy grail for a successful party under her belt. She spills the beans on how to throw a bash with a bang and why SW6 has become the base for Addoastra, her nationwide boutique events company
A
ll businesses have to start somewhere. To my knowledge, the pharmaceutical boffins have yet to develop the ‘entrepreneurial’ pill; take twice a day with food to fulfil all your business aspirations. An incurable daily dose of stubbornness can be the best medicine for the aspiring head honcho. Then again, sometimes with a bit of hard work, things just happen naturally, as Georgie Fowle found out. Halfway through her Sociology degree at Newcastle University and following the death of a family friend, Georgie contemplated the big question – the common conundrum that can besiege students slowly mutating into vegetables of the couch potato variety – ‘what am I doing
with my life?’ While she was enjoying her degree, Georgie had the feeling that she had more to give. It was in the middle of the final term of her second year that together with some friends she decided to host a charity fashion show to raise money for The Robbie Anderson Cancer Trust, set up in memory of her family friend to help provide hospital facilities where sick children are treated in age-appropriate surroundings. ‘I love being able to show off my creative flair but I can’t draw to save my life,’ she confesses into her chai latte, ‘the fashion show gave me a creative outlet. People told me I was mad but I’m really stubborn and I wouldn’t listen!’
- 16 -
So that was that. Determined to assert her sanity, Georgie set about contacting local boutiques; she scouted 30 models to sashay down the catwalk and fortuitously called in a favour from Paul Smith (a budding equestrian, Georgie’s horse had previously starred in a campaign for the fashion house). The day of the event dawned: some 200 guests packed in to see the models strut their stuff and £3,000 dropped into the charity pot with a satisfying clunk. Not bad for her first foray into events. But things were just getting started. A subsequent string of events added to the over-spilling philanthropic piggybank. To date, Addoastra has raised £15,000 for The Robbie Anderson Cancer Trust. The floodgates were finally flung wide open in her final year of university and Addoastra was officially born. ‘I’m a big fan of horses and a family friend asked if
hundreds of burgers for the barbecue. All the more impressive when you consider that she organises the day on an entirely voluntary basis, juggling it seamlessly alongside running her company. The elbow grease paid off though; 1,000 spectators descended on Loughborough Rugby Club, and £10,000 was raised for both the Robbie Anderson Cancer Trust and The Jake McCarthy Foundation. Charity still occupies a big chamber in the Addoastra heart. Georgie and her partner in crime, Katie Tottenham, also work closely with Hope for Children, an organisation which works to help orphaned and exploited children in developing countries as well as here at home. Although events take place around the country, clients look to London for the calibre of services available. ‘We have a small core team and when necessary we call on
I’ve been known to WhatsApp a bride at midnight. We’re good friends now - that’s a perk of the job I could provide corporate entertainment at the Belton Horse Trials. I jumped at the chance but we had to officially set up a company first,’ she says. Wracking her brain for a name, Georgie was reminded of a saying that had stuck with her since childhood. ‘When I was little my mum told me that when someone dies they become a star. Later on we came across the saying ‘per astra addoastra’ which means in troubled times aim for the stars.’ A quick visit to the dusty Latin dictionary and a domain name website and that was it; job done. ‘It’s a bit surreal,’ Georgie reflects. ‘Addoastra started as a group of friends clubbing together to make money for charity, and largely that still stands. My friends are still involved and everything has grown very naturally. The annual Robbie’s Rugby Festival is an excuse for an old school friends reunion and it has grown beyond recognition. But it is also a day to celebrate two inspirational young men and their charities.’ A ringing endorsement of the Addoastra motto ‘events that leave a legacy’, six years on, Georgie’s unflappable approach means she took the event, as always, in her stride, putting up marquees, fumigating the loos with incense candles and zipping up the M1 to Sheffield to collect a hefty order of
those with specific expertise. It is essential that I work with the best in the field so that my clients always get the perfect end result.’ ‘I’m a country bumpkin at heart,’ Georgie confesses as we talk about her second home after Fulham being the middle of nowhere. ‘I’m happy in my Dubarrys in a field with a cup of tea.’ When she returns to Parsons Green she can often be found keeping herself fully caffeinated at her second ‘office’ at the Plum Café. ‘I like the local network here. My sister lives near Fulham Broadway and I met the choreographer who works on the routines for our fashion shows in the Luna Stein Florist.’ ‘You get ‘me’, that’s what’s different about Addoastra, it’s the personal touch
- 17 -
FULHAM Residents’ Journal
and attention to detail that we provide. People put a lot of trust and invest a lot of money in you when you’re planning their dream wedding or party and it’s important to develop an effective working relationship and get to the bottom of what they really want,’ she adds. Georgie has even been
You get ‘me’, that’s what’s different about Addoastra, it’s the personal touch and attention to detail known to WhatsApp a future bride at midnight trying to arrange a performance by The Noisettes at her upcoming nuptials. ‘We’re good friends now,’ she tells me with a smile, ‘that’s a perk of the job.’ A real roll your sleeves up and muck in attitude lingers about Georgie: ‘Never get anyone to do a task you won’t do yourself,’ she reasons. Here is a girl who is not afraid to climb ladders to hang bunting, or rip down linings to iron at the eleventh hour. ‘I can notice the creases a mile off – I have OCD, what can I say, it takes over your life!’ There are no limits to the creative magic Georgie and her team can perform, waving her wand over weddings, private parties and a corporate dinner or two in the mix for good measure. Her bubbly voice of reason helps to deliver a whole spectrum of events in professional and memorable fashion. ‘I love meeting new people and getting my teeth into my next project.’ And for the myriad of practicalities any new challenge can throw up the ‘Bag of Life’ is never far away. A seemingly innocent-looking vessel that lives in Georgie’s car, the Bag of Life does exactly what it says on the wicker basket. Life support comes in the form of screwdrivers, chargers, string, a sewing kit, cable ties, teabags, nails – you name it, it’s in the bag. ‘Are you the hostess with the mostess when it comes to organising your own
events?’ I ask in parting. ‘I think it comes quite naturally to me as my Mum is always entertaining, so it was the way I was brought up. I love getting my creative cap on and putting personal touches on everything. It really makes any event, from a modest dinner party to a sophisticated soiree memorable,’ she beams. ‘ You only need three crucial things for a good party, though.’ I lean in closer as she reveals all (‘Lauren, you couldn’t organise a piss-up in a brewery,’ as my mother would say ringing in my ears). ‘Good lighting, a flow of people to create atmosphere and a brilliant playlist. And lots of Red Bull if you’re the one organising it all!’ she adds. I’m sure she’s got a fair few cans stashed in the Bag of Life. If you’re looking to host an event and need expert helping hands, contact Georgie on info@ addoastra.com, 020 3689 4585 (addoastra.com)
- 18 -
Š Peter Lippmann
Baobab Collection Department stores: Harrods, Fortnum & Mason, Selfridges London retailers: Gotham (Notting Hill) - Staffan Tollgard (Grosvenor Waterside) - Hill House Interiors (Chelsea) Katherine Pooley (South Kensington) - Lewis & Co (Marylebone) - Mufti (Notting Hill) Online: www.amara.com www.baobabcollection.com
FULHAM Residents’ Journal
the noticeboard A forum for residents’ daily concerns and activities
focus
Mayor last year. Pepita started off as a volunteer with the Daisy Trust in 2005 and now chairs the committee of volunteers which mainly consists of professional mothers who want to put something back into the community while they take time out from the corporate world to look after their young families. The aims and objectives of The Daisy Trust are the same as they were when it was founded: namely to organise fun events to raise money, all of which is then ploughed back into the borough to help charities and voluntary organisations. Last year, all the costs associated with running The Daisy Trust fundraising events were kindly covered by local businesses, Pepita tells me. Knight Frank was a key sponsor as well as The Hurlingham Club and Chelsea Football Club, and printing costs were covered by Shepherds Bush creative agency, Oliver Marketing. ‘Working for the Daisy Trust has been an unbelievable privilege that Belinda Donovan meets chair of The Daisy Trust Pepita Stonor has been even more rewarding that I to find out more about the local causes that benefit from the could have hoped for. I’ve cemented charitable trust’s fundraising some great friendships along the way too,’ Pepita enthuses. ‘I work with a ike many other local residents, the proceeds back to less fortunate team of amazing and talented women The Daisy Trust has long been members of the community. From who are really dedicated to helping the on my radar – its wonderful humble beginnings, The Daisy Trust community and without them none of reputation goes before it. So has flourished into an established it would be possible.’ The Daisy Trust it was with much eager is also a cause close to the anticipation that I looked Mayor Frances Stainton’s The committee of volunteers... consists forward to catching up with heart and is one of the Pepita Stonor, who chairs Mayor’s chosen charities for of professional mothers who want to put the trust, to find out about 2013/2014. something back into the community the tireless work it does in From play equipment for our borough. our local schools to funding Founded in 1981 by a group of charity, which is still to this day run community nursing at Trinity Hospice friends including the current Vice entirely by volunteers. Each year and organising a doorstop library Chairman and Trustee Caroline there is a not-to-be-missed fundraising network, the financial support the trust Ground, The Daisy Trust was so fair held at the Hurlingham Club in has given to good causes over the years named because it started up from a September, as well as a family carol is astounding. Long may it continue. house in Daisy Lane. The founders service each December (this year’s rolled up their sleeves and set to work family concert will take place on 7 To become a volunteer with The Daisy baking and selling goods at their December at St Dionis Church) that Trust or to make a donation, visit coffee mornings and then donating I was fortunate enough to attend as daisytrust.org
Local
L
- 20 -
Silver Sunday A string of free activities and events will be taking place across the borough from 1-8 October to mark Silver Sunday, a celebration of residents 65 years of age and older and their contribution to the local community. Keeping active and meeting neighbours is the aim of the game, with everything from belly dancing classes and classic film matinees to country rambles and IT lessons on offer. The day itself (Sunday 6 October) will also introduce residents to the numerous community groups and council services on offer. The programme will be sent to all residents with a Freedom Pass but is also available at local libraries or can be downloaded from lbhf.gov.uk
Club culture Rugby match report by Henry Tanner
Hammers 22 vs Chiswick 26 (21 September 2013) Hammers came off second in their first derby match of the year against a well-drilled Chiswick side on Saturday, with the result of the game decided in the final play. After two similarly close fought games against the same opposition last year in the league, the home side knew they were always going to be in for a tough game. With Chiswick knocking the ball on at kick off, strong work at the breakdown led to a few phases of play with the Hammers working the away side all the way to the right hand edge of the pitch. Quick hands and clever running lines allowed Will Jeffs to notch up the first score of the day. Sustained pressure by Chiswick, with some good work out wide, led to their fly half skipping past a couple of tackles and going in under the posts. Converting his own kick, Chiswick took the lead and after ten minutes the game had settled into the typical derby match that many were expecting. A number of Hammers stood up to the away side. Ryan Dilley, in particular, at open-side was always a thorn in the Chiswick side. From sustained pressure in the Chiswick 22, Steve Harrington hit a good line, looked for support, and found hooker Tony Rees to squeeze through the gap and reach the line. The score was 12-7 to the Hammers. Chiswick did manage to swing the scores before the half. From a loose kick ten minutes later, Chiswick threatened down the touch line and a few interchange of passes allowed their winger a whiff of the line and he scorched through to knock the wind out of the Hammers’ sail. The half ended 15-21 after Barker scored a simple penalty. Hammers did threaten on numerous occasions in the second half and took the lead with 20 minutes to play, but Chiswick threw all they had at the home-side and hit the cross bar at one point from a long-range penalty. With two minutes to go they eventually found the overlap out wide and Hammers were too stretched to stop the match-winning play with a try in the corner. A tough loss to take but Hammers know the areas they can improve on.
Taking care of your wellbeing Donna Kelly tells the Fulham Residents’ Journal about the local wellbeing counselling service, Hammermsith and Fulham Mind Hammersmith and Fulham Mind have been operating in the borough for more than 20 years and provide a lot of services to those with mental health conditions, but also to those who wish to take a preventative approach to their wellbeing. One of the preventative services accessible to Fulham residents is our long-term therapy service from Mind at 309 Lillie Road. The experience of exploring your thoughts and feelings with someone else can relieve the sense that you are not alone, and help instill a greater self-knowledge and understanding. This can be hugely beneficial to individuals, enhancing your relationship with yourself and with others around you. We offer one-to-one therapy that can help tackle any problems that are causing emotional distress. Some examples might include: stress, anxiety, family matters, debt, relationship difficulties, divorce and separation, unemployment, bereavement, trauma, addiction, anger management and sexual difficulties. You do not need a referral from your GP to access our service and we do not have large waiting times for appointments. We offer counselling to men and women from all backgrounds over the age of 18. If you would like to hear more about the service, please contact info@time-to-talk.org.uk or call 020 7471 0580. Time To Talk, Hammersmith and Fulham Mind, 309 Lillie Road, SW6 7LL - 21 -
FULHAM Residents’ Journal
Diary OF A LANDLORD
Photo: Ewan-M on Flickr
Lauren Romano meets Neil Dunning, publican and pillar of the local community, as he takes a ten minute break from pulling pints at his Parsons Green watering hole, Duke on the Green
T
he more hawk-eyed among you may have noticed the newly installed plaque at Duke on the Green. Inscribed with the Latin phrase ‘Intrate Communitatem’, meaning ‘enter the community’, there could be few better suited salutations to welcome patrons crossing the threshold. ‘I think I was born to do this,’ Neil Dunning begins when I ask him what he would be doing if he wasn’t running a pub. Neil and his wife Maria have been working for Young’s Brewery for 23 years, 18 of which have seen them as a permanent fixture behind the bar here. ‘We felt at home at Young’s straight away because it felt like a true family enterprise. John Young used to say, “I am nothing without you,” which is something I still say to my staff now.’ Neil remembers the first time they came to view the pub: ‘It was a Friday night and there were about three punters watching TV. We couldn’t quite believe our eyes,’ he laughs. Since then, steered by Neil and Maria’s affable and community focused mindset the pub has established itself as something of a Parsons Green cornerstone, hosting the local Business Institute Breakfast Morning 50 weeks of the year where local businesses can forge new links over a cup of tea. When Neil is not sitting on the board as a foundation governor at Holy Cross School (academically speaking he’s got the borough covered; his brood of five attend: Cardinal Vaughan, Sacred Heart,
Lady Margaret, London Oratory and Holy Cross), the Fair on the Green takes up much of his spare time. ‘A few years ago now I met Graham Whittle’s (the fair’s chief organiser) wife Jenny.’ With the fair getting bigger and spilling out from its home at the vicarage garden to Parsons Green, the community attraction needed more hands on deck. ‘I initially said no but I knew I’d lost the battle when I went home to tell my kids and saw the look on their faces when they thought the fair might end. Guilt-stricken, I found myself at the next committee meeting. We made £50,000 for good causes and had 5,000 visitors this year which is a fantastic achievement.’ After a busy summer, Neil is looking forwarding to the approaching winter season. ‘Duke on the Green lends itself to this time of year,’ he tells me, casting an eye over the magnificent fireplace and the stack of board games sitting at the side. Settling down for some grub rustled up by head chef Paul, who has currently got seasonality on the brain in the form of game pies, suddenly, the prospect of subzero temperatures doesn’t sound so bad. October hails the beginning of cask ale month at Duke on the Green and Halloween will be marked by a daytime children’s trick or treat event, followed by a themed party for the grown-ups in the evening. ‘I’m a publican in the old sense of the word. I want to serve the community and to give something back.’ Mission accomplished, Neil. 235 New King’s Road, SW6 4XG (dukeonthegreen.co.uk)
- 22 -
PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT Structural changes in the area
TUNNEL VISION The possibility of a new Hammersmith ‘flyunder’ to replace the existing flyover edged one step away from a pipedream fantasy to a possibility with the launch of Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s feasibility study last month and the appointment of Neale Stevenson as the independent ‘Flyunder Champion’. The detailed study will look at the financial implications and benefits of constructing a new tunnel to improve traffic flow in the area, making the route a much more pleasant experience for the drivers of the 90,000 vehicles which use it each day. There has long been a question mark hanging over the long term viability of the ageing flyover, given the escalating costs of frequent repairs and the months of emergency works which took place on the stretch of road last year. Residents are being invited to share their thoughts on the project at a meeting at Hammersmith Town Hall on 9 October to discuss the potential for a replacement tunnel. In the meantime, Transport for London will proceed with works to repair the 50 year old flyover from the 28 October. The maintenance work is expected to last 18 months and will include overnight closures of the flyover and local road diversions. The Flyunder Summit takes place at Hammersmith Town Hall on Wednesday 9 October; residents should arrive at 6.30pm for a 7pm start. King Street, W6 9JT For further information, visit lbhf.gov.uk
Planning Applications Date Registered: 15 September Address: Grimston Road Proposal: Renovation of a commercial workshop to a one-bedroom self-contained residential unit Date Registered: 16 September Address: Peterborough Road Proposal: Construction of a new basement and a new rear/side extension at ground floor level Date Registered: 19 September Address: Varna Road Proposal: Cut back the crown of some sycamore and pear trees and deadwood by 2-3m Date Registered: 19 September Address: Fulham Road Proposal: Part removal of front wall for off-street parking and erection of a new pillar and gate
Planned roadworks and closures in and around October STREET
PLANNED WORK
DATES
WORKS OWNER
Coniger Road
New water supply connection in carriageway
7-10 October
Fulham Palace Road
Connections highway services for road purposes only
1-7 October
Thames Water 0845 9200 800 Hammersmith & Fulham 020 8748 3020
Lillie Road
Re-level bus shelter
2-4 October
North End Road
New water supply connection in carriageway
2-7 October
New King’s Road
Major works
Until 12 December
Hammersmith & Fulham
Elthiron Road
Carriageway resurfacing
7-10 October
Hammersmith & Fulham
London Transport 020 7222 1234 Thames Water
Words / Kara Wright
- 23 -
FULHAM Residents’ Journal
the classroom An insight into Fulham education
Breaking free from the mould Fulham Residents Journal talks to Alun Ebenezer, Headmaster of Fulham Boys School – the area’s first free boys’ school – as it gears up to welcome its first wave of pupils starting next September
Alun Eben
ezer
Tell us a bit about your background. I was a free school meal boy born and brought up in the South Wales valleys and educated through the medium of Welsh. My sisters and I were the only children in our street to go to university. This was not because we were brighter or better than all the other children living on our road, but because my parents believed in the importance of education and that it is transformational. After University I trained to be a teacher and have taught in four schools before joining Fulham Boys School. I was Deputy Headteacher at my last school, St Teilo’s Church in Wales High School. St Teilo’s is a successful, oversubscribed school of 1,450 pupils which has just moved into a brand new state-of-the-art building. For me to leave it behind took something really exciting and special. I believe that something is Fulham Boys School.
and embed high standards of behaviour, uniform, attendance and punctuality. We will have a traditional curriculum with learning tailored specifically for boys, with elements of challenge and the necessary support needed to maximise their potential. Sport will play a huge part in the life of the school. Along with a generous timetabled allowance for sport, Wednesday afternoons will be available for competitive fixtures between houses and against other schools. We have begun developing partnerships with the first-class local sports clubs and, through making use of their excellent facilities and coaching, we aim to develop
elite sportsmen as well as providing opportunities for all boys to take part and enjoy sport. How does a free school differ from a typical state school? One difference is that we are not constrained by the National Curriculum. This enables us to design an exciting, bespoke curriculum for boys that will be brought alive by inspirational teaching. Our aim is to provide a curriculum that boys will enjoy and lessons that they are engaged in which will equip them to succeed at GCSE and A-Level and not to underachieve and switch off as many boys seem to do. In a nutshell, what is the admissions policy for the school and what is the catchment area? It is open to all to apply and we really encourage applicants from across the community as our fundamental long-term vision for the school is that we have a comprehensive intake. If we have more applicants than places, 50 per cent of the places will be open to all and 50 per cent will be reserved for church -going families – with priority in all cases being given to local boys.
What is your vision for Fulham Boys School? My vision is to make it one of the best schools in the country. The aim is for our boys to succeed academically, to be enterprising, socially aware, self-disciplined and to excel in sport, music and the arts. We want our boys to be inquisitive thinkers, problem solvers, risk takers, team players and to go out into the world and be ‘game changers’. To achieve this we will establish - 24 -
All photographs courtesy of Vantage News
Have you progressed any further in finding a site for the school? We have a temporary site in place that we hope to be able to announce soon. What will the school offer to prospective pupils and parents that is not currently on offer in the local area? There is already an excellent girls school in Fulham, so our aim is to provide an equally excellent school for boys. Many of our boys at secondary level are educated outside the borough. There is a strong feeling in the community that we do not want this trend to carry on; we want to ensure that Fulham boys continue their schooling in Fulham. The first-class sporting opportunities we aim to provide will make us different. Fulham Boys School will also be built on Christian principles and values and there will be a great emphasis on enterprise. Our extended day is another distinctive feature. Boys will be in school until 5pm every day apart from Friday, during which time they will have the opportunity to try new subjects, receive more help and support as well as enjoy sports and music clubs. Will Fulham Boys School have any particular academic or extra-curricular specialisms? We aim to provide a very academic curriculum that will equip our boys to apply for Russell Group universities. The extended day affords the opportunity for boys to engage in a wide range of clubs and experiences, particularly sport. Our main sports will be rugby, football and cricket and a real distinctive feature in our sports
programme will be rowing. Our whole curriculum will be geared towards developing well-rounded boys who are well-educated, enjoy sport and have an appreciation of music, the arts and the world around them.
part of school life. We also aim to forge strong links with churches, local businesses, primary schools, charities and other organisations and groups; we want to be at the heart of the community here.
The way secondary schools are run is changing. What is your view on some of the recent educational trends, such as free schools and academies? I believe the more choice available to parents and children the better. It makes schools raise their game and ensure they provide a first-class education for their pupils.
Can you provide any details on the school’s pastoral care proposals? As well as insisting upon high standards, we will provide support and guidance for all our boys. Christian values and principles will form the basis of this. Emphasis will be laid on mutual respect and treating others how you would want to be treated, and we will have a no-nonsense approach to bullying. Boys will be listened to, included and valued. We will operate a house system and will have a school chaplain. My own background in school is largely pastoral care and behaviour management – from Head of Year through to Deputy Head. I believe this will be a real strength of Fulham Boys School.
What are the benefits of a single-sex education for boys? Boys and girls are different in many ways and nowhere is this more clearly seen than in their approach and attitude to school and learning. Pupils will have all the access they need to the latest IT and learning technologies. There will be smaller class sizes with plenty of support offered. Boys need firm boundaries and so great emphasis will be placed on discipline and high standards. Boys enjoy competition and this will be a feature of school life; activities of an enterprising nature will run through lessons along with a spirit of adventure, risk taking, team work and problem solving. How will your parents and local community form an integral part of the school’s foundation? Successful schools rely heavily on the support of parents and the local community which plays an integral - 25 -
What skills and values will Fulham Boys School instil in its pupils? Respectful, self-disciplined, polite, volunteering, kind, caring, determined, resilient, enterprising, inquisitive, questioning, thinking, problem solving, team work, risk taking, reflective; confident but not arrogant and unafraid to make mistakes. The open evening for Fulham Boys School takes place on 8 October at 6pm; an open afternoon is scheduled for 9 October at 4pm, both held at Fulham Palace. For more information, visit fulhamboysschool.org
FULHAM Residents’ Journal
the directory Whether whim or wish, all of the essentials are taken care of in our round up for harmonious living
ESTATE AGENTS John D Wood & Co 287 New King’s Road 020 7731 4223 Knight Frank 203 New King’s Road 020 7751 2400 Marsh & Parsons 105 Moore Park Road 020 7736 9822 Savills 191 New King’s Road 020 7731 9400
Chesterton Humberts ‘Three offices – one great postcode’ 78 New Kings Road 020 7731 4448
Winkworths Fulham and Parsons Green 40 New King’s Road 020 7731 3388 fulham@winkworths.co.uk
Strutt & Parker 701 Fulham Road 020 7731 7100
Haus Properties 99 Wandsworth Bridge Road 020 7751 0400
Belvoir! 632 Fulham Road 020 7736 2786
PROPERTY SEARCH AGENT Penn Holmes London Ltd ‘SW6 ladies Katie and Francesca specialise in buying properties for their clients here in Fulham.’ 55 Langthorne Street 07884 180480 07989 746499
FASHION Essam Guenedy 267 New King’s Road 020 7371 8010
Marc Wallace 261 New King’s Road 020 7736 6795
Katie & Jo 253 New King’s Road 020 7736 5304
Iceblu 24a New King’s Road 020 7371 9292
Claudia Sebire 136 Fulham Road 020 7835 1327
Mania Mia 307 New King’s Road 020 3441 1003
Zaeem Jamal ‘Luxury, hand-embroidered evening gowns decorated with radiant gem stones.’ 309 King’s Road 020 7100 2072
HEALTH & BEAUTY BEAUTY
Space NK 205 New Kings Road 020 7736 6728
hair salon
pharmacy
spa
boutique
guest house
luxury
Gina Conway 612 Fulham Road 020 7731 7633
Palace Pharmacy 331 Fulham Palace Road 020 7736 3034
Amara Spa 18-20 Fulham High Street 020 7384 9111
hotels b&b
Fulham Thames Walk B&B 91 Langthorne Street 020 7381 0198
La Reserve Hotel 422-428 Fulham Road 020 7385 8561
Fulham Guest House 55 Wandsworth Bridge Rd 020 7731 1662 - 26 -
Millennium & Copthorne Stamford Bridge, Fulham Rd 020 7565 1400
HOME ANTIQUES A&L Antiques 284 Lillie Road 020 7610 2694
ARCHITECTS
Hogarth Architects Ltd 186 Dawes Road 020 7381 3409
linen
Cologne & Cotton 791 Fulham Road 020 7736 9261
INTERIOR DESIGN Alice Leigh Design 12 Parkville Road 07801 823953 (aliceleigh.co.uk)
gallery
Piers Feetham Gallery 475 Fulham Road 020 7381 3031
WOOD FLOORING Bembé UK Ltd ‘German craft since 1780.’ 315-317 New King’s Road 020 7371 9090
schools & nurseries Chelsea Independent College 517-523 Fulham Road 020 7610 1114
Godolphin and Latymer School Iffley Road 020 8741 1936
Latymer Upper School 237 King Street 0845 638 5800
Eridge House Preparatory School 1 Fulham Park Road 020 7371 9009
Hurlingham and Chelsea School Peterborough Road 020 7731 2581
L’Ecole des Petits 2 Hazlebury Road 020 7371 8350
Fulham Cross Girls’ School Munster Road 020 7381 0861
Kensington Prep School 596 Fulham Road 020 7731 9300
Millie’s House Nursery & Pre-School 163 New King’s Road 020 7731 0440
Fulham Prep School 200 Greyhound Road 020 7371 9911
Lady Margaret School Parsons Green 020 7736 7138
Parayhouse School New King’s Road 020 7751 0914
Sinclair House School 159 Munster Road 020 7736 9182 The London Oratory School Seagrave Road 020 7385 0102 The Moat School Bishop’s Avenue 020 7610 9018 Thomas’s Fulham Hugon Road 020 7751 8200
services bakery
Well Bread 383 North End Road 020 7385 7474
bookmaker
Ladbrokes Plc 344 North End Road 0800 022 3454
childcare
Fulham Nannies 69 Stephendale Road 020 7736 8289
cleaner
Vanston Dry Cleaning/Laundry 1 Vanston Place 020 7381 3609
dentist
The Fulham Dentist 9 Salisbury Pavement, Dawes Road 020 7385 8366
EVENTS Addoastra ‘A boutique event management company based in London but operating throughout the country’ 20 Reporton Road 020 3689 4585 (addoastra.com)
florist
newsagent
greengrocer
post office
library
printing
motoring
travel
Town and County Flowers 131 Wandsworth Bridge 020 7736 4683
Pots & Co 133 Munster Road 020 7384 0133
Fulham Library 598 Fulham Road 020 8753 3879
Triangle Garage 2 Bishops Road 020 7385 1193 - 27 -
Filmer Newsagents 14 Filmer Road 020 7385 2953
Fulham Road Post Office 815 Fulham Road 0845 722 3344
Paramount Press Ltd 129 Munster Road 020 7731 0900
The Ultimate Travel Co. 25-27 Vanston Place 020 7386 4646
WE HAVE THE
EXPERIENCE, DETERMINATION & KNOWLEDGE TO JOIN THE DOTS... connecting the right buyer or tenant to your property
Our ‘LONDON PRIME MARKET MONITOR‘ tracks sales values and evaluates ‘supply and demand’ statistics during the quarter
Local know-how. Better results.
LANDLORDS IN LONDON CHOOSE TO RENT THEIR PROPERTIES WITH US
Professional property management makes your life as a landlord easier and gets you better results.
90
%
OF OUR MANAGED TENANTS RENEW THEIR TENANCY
‘PROFESSIONAL’ was the word most frequently used to describe our service in recent feedback. ‘Friendly’, ‘knowledgeable’ and ‘helpful’ were other words that came up time and time again
Local know-how. Better results. Our offices:
Battersea
Chelsea
Fulham
Kensington
Mayfair
Pimlico & Westminster
Balham
Bishops Park
Clapham
Hammersmith
Little Venice
North Kensington
South Kensington
Barnes
Brook Green
Earls Court
Holland Park
Marylebone
Notting Hill
Moore Park Road SW6 £2,350,000 This superb house offers flexible accommodation arranged over five floors. The ground floor provides a bright reception room and conservatory leading out to a private walled garden, while the first floor comprises an impressive drawing room with a roof terrace and a attractive family kitchen. The upper floors provide a stunning master suite, four further double bedrooms, a family bathroom, wet room and a studio leading out to a sunny south facing terrace. Benefits include off-street parking and a garage. Freehold. EPC=D. Sole Agent.
FULHAM: 020 7736 9822 sales.ful@marshandparsons.co.uk
Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/marshandparsons
Join us on Facebook: facebook.com/marshandparsons
Visit our YouTube channel: youtube.com/user/marshandparsons
SALES
See all of our properties online: marshandparsons.co.uk
Woodlawn Road SW6 £1,695,000 A rare mid-terrace house located on the desirable ‘Alphabet Streets’ of Fulham close to the River Thames. The property provides generous accommodation over three floors including a beautiful double reception room, a large eat-in kitchen and shower room on the ground floor, five double bedrooms, two bathrooms, a study and utility room on the upper floors. The house has the potential to extend (subject the usual planning conditions) and benefits from a fantastic 37ft rear garden. Freehold. EPC=D. Sole Agents.
BISHOPS PARK: 020 7993 9888 sales.bis@marshandparsons.co.uk
Bagleys Lane SW6 £1,650,000 A beautiful four-bedroom, mid terrace family house presented in immaculate condition throughout. with well balanced accommodation arranged over four floors. The ground floor provides a modern fully fitted kitchen, a dining room and a delightful reception room leading out to the rear garden. The bedroom accommodation includes four good sized double bedrooms (two en suite), a family bathroom and a utility room. Freehold. EPC=D. Sole Agents.
FULHAM: 020 7736 9822 sales.ful@marshandparsons.co.uk
Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/marshandparsons
Join us on Facebook: facebook.com/marshandparsons
Visit our YouTube channel: youtube.com/user/marshandparsons
LETTINGS
See all of our properties online: marshandparsons.co.uk
Fulham Road SW6 £1,950 per week This beautifully presented, five-bedroom house is elegantly arranged over four floors and offers contemporary décor along with spacious rooms throughout. The property comprises an impressive reception room with dumb waiter and sliding doors opening through to a second reception/dining room and out to a balcony and patio garden. There is a large kitchen/breakfast room, separate utility room, a sunny conservatory, five bedrooms (one with roof terrace) and five spectacular bathrooms. EPC=C.
BISHOPS PARK: 020 7993 9888 lets.bis@marshandparsons.co.uk
savills.co.uk
1 NEWLY REFURBISHED, FULLY EXTENDED FAMILY HOME radipole road, sw6 Double reception room ø kitchen/dining room ø 6 bedrooms ø 4 bathrooms ø study ø utility room ø south-west facing garden ø 247 sq m (2,656 sq ft) ø EPC=D
Guide £2.85 million Freehold
Savills Fulham Emma Stead estead@savills.com
020 7731 9420
savills.co.uk
1 LANDMARK DETACHED EDWARDIAN VILLA BY THE HURLINGHAM CLUB napier avenue, sw6 4 reception rooms ø kitchen ø 6 bedrooms ø 3 bathrooms ø garden ø garage ø significant opportunity to extend ø 342 sq m (3,675 sq ft) ø EPC=E
Savills Fulham Emma Stead estead@savills.com
020 7731 9420 Guide £5.45 million Freehold
savills.co.uk
1 A SENSATIONAL HOUSE CLOSE TO SOUTH PARK beltran road, sw6 Drawing room ø dining room ø kitchen/family room ø 3 bedrooms ø 3 bathrooms ø utility room ø storage ø garden ø 163 sq m (1,755 sq ft) ø EPC=D
Savills Fulham Emma Stead estead@savills.com
020 7731 9420 Guide £1.85 million Freehold
5120
Savills Fulham would like to invite you to a
Landlord Open Evening in our Bishops Park office on
Thursday 10th October 5.00-8.00pm Whether you’re an existing or potential landlord, with a single property or large portfolio, the evening is a great opportunity to find out more about the market in Fulham and what you can get out of your rental property. We will have a selection of experts to discuss everything from investment mortgages to our management and interiors services. Please pop in to meet one of our professionals.
Savills Fulham Bishops Park 423 Fulham Palace Road London SW6 6SX 020 7587 9051
savills.co.uk
5120 Bishop's Park Landlord Advert v3.indd 1
25/09/2013 12:18
KnightFrank.co.uk
Wexford Road, Wandsworth SW12 South west facing garden
An impressive, beautifully presented semi-detached family house of substantial proportions with a double garage and south west facing garden. 5/6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms (4 en suite), 3 reception rooms, kitchen/family/dining room, cloakroom, utility room, wine store, garden studio, south west facing garden, double garage. EPC rating E. Approximately 418 sq m (4,500 sq ft) Freehold Asking price: ÂŁ3,500,000 (WND060011)
KnightFrank.co.uk/wandsworth wandsworth@knightfrank.com 020 7786 0993
KnightFrank.co.uk
Albion Riverside, Battersea Park SW11 River facing three bedroom apartment
A beautifully presented property with views of Albert Bridge. Dark wooden floors in the reception room give an elegant and stylish finish to the spacious room and an upgraded kitchen adds to its attractive finish. 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, reception room, kitchen, balcony, parking space, 24 hour concierge and leisure facilities. EPC rating C. Approximately 210 sq m (2,260 sq ft) Leasehold Guide price: ÂŁ2,600,000 (RVR090119)
KnightFrank.co.uk/riverside riverside@knightfrank.com 020 3597 7670
Sherbrooke Road, SW6 ÂŁ1,400,000 A newly refurbished and fully extended house presented in immaculate order. The house offers well planned accommodation that benefits from exceptional natural light and great attention to finishes. The result is a practical and stunning 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom property incorporating underfloor heating in the kitchen, a Megaflow central heating system, separate utility and cloakroom and good storage throughout. Reception Room | Kitchen | Four Bedrooms | Three Bathrooms | Period Property | Terraced | Garden | Very Good Decoration | 1,587 sq ft
Scan this code to download the Winkworth iPhone app
winkworth.co.uk/fulham-parsons-green winkworth.co.uk/south-kensington 020 7373 7731 3388 fulham@winkworth.co.uk 020 5052 southkensington@winkworth.co.uk
See things differently.
Milton Court, SW6 ÂŁ2,400,000 A beautiful penthouse apartment which was once two flats and stands on the top floor in Carrara Wharf, a small gated development near Putney Bridge. The apartment has stunning river views from the principal rooms and from the balcony. The accommodation includes a wonderful 42ft reception/dining room, a second sitting room, 2 kitchens, 2 bedroom suites, 2 further bedrooms and 3 further bathrooms. There is also a large undeveloped loft area of about 600 sq ft which could be converted if required. The development is well managed and 2 parking spaces are included with the flat. Two Reception Rooms | Four Bedrooms | Four Bathrooms | Utility Room | Two Parking Spaces | 3,486 sq ft
Scan this code to download the Winkworth iPhone app
winkworth.co.uk/fulham-parsons-green winkworth.co.uk/south-kensington 020 7373 7731 3388 fulham@winkworth.co.uk 020 5052 southkensington@winkworth.co.uk
See things differently.
Introducing 120 Broughton Road A stunning new development of 10 luxury apartments located in a sought-after Sands End location, close to the River Thames and the exceptional amenities of Parsons Green, Imperial Wharf, Fulham Broadway, with Kings Road just a few minutes’ walk away.
For further information or to view the show home, www.hausproperties.co.uk or call 020 7751 0400 The bespoke architect designed development comprises a mix of stylish 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedroom apartments, some of which benefit from outdoor space. All are equipped with top-of-the-range specification, including fully fitted kitchens with Cucina Colore units, Silestone work tops and integrated appliances. Bathrooms have elegant marble wall and floor tiling while living rooms and bedrooms boast beautiful oak flooring. The development also benefits from an underground car park accessed via a car lift and, for the security conscious, video entry and a nine camera CCTV system.
“A purpose built apartment block of this nature is exceptionally rare in Fulham, and especially in Sands End. We tend to see large scale developments such as Imperial Wharf when it comes to new build here. The quality and uniqueness of this scheme, coupled with its location opposite the renowned Sands End Gastro Pub, means that it is likely to prove extremely popular and sell quickly.” - Jamie Lester, Head of Haus Properties
Prices start from £500,000 for a one bedroom apartment, rising to £1,750,000 for the largest four-bedroom apartment. www.hausproperties.co.uk 99 Wandsworth Bridge Road, Fulham, SW6 2TE tel: 020 7751 0400 email: hellofulham@hausproperties.co.uk
Fulham | Parsons Green Sands End | Munster Village Barons Court | West Brompton
BeAUTIFULLY PReSeNTeD FoUR BeDRooM FAMILY HoUSe IN PARSoNS GReeN WINCHeNDoN RoAD, SW6 | ÂŁ1,200 PeR WeeK
To LeT
This wonderful and bright mid terraced family home, which is newly redecorated, comprises large double reception room with feature fireplace, fully integrated modern kitchen leading out to patio garden, and guest WC. Upstairs there is a master bedroom with en suite bath and dressing room, three further double bedrooms, a family bathroom and separate shower room. The property also benefits from a cellar providing for ample storage. Viewing Highly Recommended. Available Unfurnished. EPC Rating E. Approximately 164.62 sq m (1,772 sq ft).
632 Fulham Road | London | SW6 5RT 020 7736 2786 | fulham@belvoirlettings.com
www.belvoirlettings.com/fulham
S O V E R E I G N C O U R T LONDON W6
NOW LAUNCHED
Located in the centre of Hammersmith just 150 metres from two underground stations, Sovereign Court brings hotel style living with concierge service and a residents’ fitness suite to W6. Sovereign Court will offer one, two and three bedroom apartments and Penthouses, with retail space and gardens designed by renowned Landscape Architects Randle Siddeley, to complement the adjacent established residential area and blend in seamlessly with Hammersmith town centre. For further information and to register your interest visit www.sovereign-court.com or call 0800 051 9384 Information Centre open daily 10am – 6pm and 8pm on a Thursday Beadon Road, Hammersmith, London W6 0EG Computer generated image is indicative only and subject to change
Proud to be a member of the Berkeley Group of companies
We believe that every building is one-of-akind. Every design is created to a unique, specific and personal vision. And every project requires individual understanding, research and planning. Blending architectural flair with building surveying professionalism. Collaborating with clients, suppliers, engineers and builders. Together we create original and beautiful bespoke houses. We are experienced and pragmatic, fresh thinking and innovative; we are Pennington Phillips.
Pennington Phillips 16 Spectrum House 32–34 Gordon House Road London NW5 1LP t: 020 7267 1414 f: 020 7267 7878 design@penningtonphillips.co.uk
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
MY
K
Home House Estates are proud to announce the opening of our new office at 233 Earls Court Road in early October 2013. Having enjoyed huge successes at our Mayfair office since it opened in 2011 and our Westbourne Grove Office in July the directors of Home House Estates have embarked on a rapid expansion programme into the best residential postcodes of London.Our branch will open for business seven days a week, for sales lettings and management.
We pride ourselves on our high levels of customer service and are committed to achieving the best possible results for our clients. We are very internationally focused with a large database of Russian buyers looking to make London their home. We would be delighted to hear from you if you are looking to sell or rent your property this autumn – please call on the numbers below or pop in to see us in October
facebook.com/struttandparker twitter.com/struttandparker
struttandparker.com
Fulham Road, SW6
A simply outstanding and immaculately presented, semi-detached, substantial four bedroom family home moments from Parsons Green.
ÂŁ2,650,000 Freehold
2,804 sq ft (260.5 sq m) Drawing room | Kitchen/dining room/sitting room | Media room | Four bedrooms | Two bathrooms | Cloakroom | Utility Room | 42 ft garden | Roof terrace
Fulham 020 7731 7100 Fulham@struttandparker.com
facebook.com/struttandparker twitter.com/struttandparker
struttandparker.com
Lilyville Road, SW6
An exceptional semi-detached house on this highly sought after road.
ÂŁ2,350,000
2,336 sq ft (217 sq m) Drawing room | Sitting room | Dining room | Kitchen/breakfast room | Five bedrooms | Two bathrooms | Large cellar | Garden
Fulham 020 7731 7100 Fulham@struttandparker.com
facebook.com/struttandparker twitter.com/struttandparker
struttandparker.com
Brookville Road, SW6
Immaculately presented four bedroom house which has been fully extended to create a wonderful family home.
ÂŁ1,000 per week Unfurnished
1,981sqft (184 sq m) Reception room | Kitchen/breakfast room | Four bedrooms | Two bathrooms | Cellar | Garden
Fulham Lettings 020 7731 7100 Fulham.lettings@struttandparker.com
P RIS
Where will we find your perfect buyer? At Strutt & Parker, we’ve always gone to great lengths to bring the right buyer to your door, using our knowledge, contacts and total commitment to achieve the sale you want. But now we go further than ever. As members in the Christie’s International Real Estate network, we can reach quality buyers in 41 countries via 920 offices and a website visited 135,600 times a month. There’s no better way to open your door to the world. 701 Fulham Road London, SW6 5UL Tel: +44 (0)20 7731 7100 fulham@struttandparker.com struttandparker.com/christies
Written for the residents of SW6 october 2013 • Issue 14