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Putney () is a district of southwest London, England, in the
London Borough of Wandsworth Wandsworth () is a London boroughs, London borough in southwest London; it forms part of Inner London and has an estimated population of 329,677 inhabitants. Its main named areas are Battersea, Balham, Putney, Tooting and Wandsworth, Wandsworth ...
, southwest of
Charing Cross Charing Cross ( ) is a junction in Westminster, London, England, where six routes meet. Clockwise from north these are: the east side of Trafalgar Square leading to St Martin's Place and then Charing Cross Road; the Strand leading to the City; ...
. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.


History

Putney is an ancient parish which covered in the Hundred of Brixton in the county of
Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...
. Its area has been reduced by the loss of Roehampton to the south-west, an offshoot hamlet that conserved more of its own clustered historic core. In 1855 the parish was included in the area of responsibility of the Metropolitan Board of Works and was grouped into the Wandsworth District. In 1889 the area was removed from Surrey and became part of the County of London. The Wandsworth District became the Metropolitan Borough of Wandsworth in 1900. Since 1965 Putney has formed part of the London Borough of Wandsworth in
Greater London Greater may refer to: *Greatness, the state of being great *Greater than, in inequality (mathematics), inequality *Greater (film), ''Greater'' (film), a 2016 American film *Greater (flamingo), the oldest flamingo on record *Greater (song), "Greate ...
. The
benefice A benefice () or living is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The Roman Empire used the Latin term as a benefit to an individual from the Empire for services rendered. Its use was adopted by ...
of the parish remains a perpetual curacy whose patron is the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral. The church, founded in the medieval period as a chapel of ease to Wimbledon, was rebuilt in the very early Tudor period and in 1836 was again rebuilt, and the old tower restored, at an expense of £7,000 (which is approximately ) defrayed by subscription, a rate, and a grant of £400 from the Incorporated Society. It has a small chantry chapel (originally erected by native Nicholas West, Bishop of Ely (d. 1533)) removed from the east end of the south aisle, and rebuilt at the east end of the north side, preserving the old style. In 1684, Thomas Martyn bequeathed lands for the foundation and support of a charity school for 20 boys, sons of watermen; and by a decree of the court of chancery in 1715, the property was vested in trustees. A charitable
almshouse An almshouse (also known as a bede-house, poorhouse, or hospital) was charitable housing provided to people in a particular community, especially during the medieval era. They were often targeted at the poor of a locality, at those from certain ...
for 12 men and women, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, was erected by Sir Abraham Dawes, who provided it with an endowment. Putney was the birthplace of Thomas Cromwell, made Earl of Essex by
Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
; of Edward Gibbon, author of the '' Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'', who was born in 1737; and also of
Clement Attlee Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee, (3 January 18838 October 1967) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1935 to 1955. He was Deputy Prime Mini ...
, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 1945–1951 and Leader of the Labour Party 1935 –1955, born in 1883. John Toland, a noted free-thinker, died and was buried at Putney in 1722.
Robert Wood Robert Wood may refer to: Art * Robert E. Wood (painter, born 1971), Canadian landscape artist * Robert William Wood (1889–1979), American landscape artist * Robert Wood (artist), accused and acquitted of the Camden Town murder Military * Rober ...
, under-
Secretary of State for the Southern Department The Secretary of State for the Southern Department was a position in the cabinet of the government of the Kingdom of Great Britain up to 1782, when the Southern Department became the Home Office. History Before 1782, the responsibilities of ...
, who published ''The Ruins of Palmyra'' about the Roman ruins he visited at
Baalbek Baalbek (; ar, بَعْلَبَكّ, Baʿlabakk, Syriac-Aramaic: ܒܥܠܒܟ) is a city located east of the Litani River in Lebanon's Beqaa Valley, about northeast of Beirut. It is the capital of Baalbek-Hermel Governorate. In Greek and Roman ...
in
Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
, and other archæological works lies here. William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, died at a house on Putney Heath. In the 1840s Putney was still a part-wooded, part-agricultural village focussed closest to the Thames, opposite to Fulham, with which it was connected by a wooden bridge. It was street-lit with gas, partly paved, and well supplied with water. In 1840, the College for Civil Engineers relocated to Putney. Putney had a second place of worship for Independents, and Roehampton achieved separate parish status in 1845. The proprietors of the bridge distributed £31 per annum to watermen, and watermen's widows and children, and the parish received benefit from Henry Smith's and other charities. Putney in 1887 covered .


River crossing

Putney appears in the '' Domesday Book'' of 1086 as ''Putelei'', although this was "probably a mistake of the Norman scribes". Ultimately the name derives from the
Anglo-Saxon The Anglo-Saxons were a Cultural identity, cultural group who inhabited England in the Early Middle Ages. They traced their origins to settlers who came to Britain from mainland Europe in the 5th century. However, the ethnogenesis of the Anglo- ...
''Puttan hythe'', meaning Putta's landing place. It was noted that it did not fall into the category of local jurisdictions known as a
manor Manor may refer to: Land ownership *Manorialism or "manor system", the method of land ownership (or "tenure") in parts of medieval Europe, notably England *Lord of the manor, the owner of an agreed area of land (or "manor") under manorialism *Man ...
, but obtained 20 shillings from the ferry or market toll at Putney belonging to the manor of Mortlake. The ferry was mentioned in the household accounts of
Edward I Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vassal o ...
(reigned 1272–1307): Robert the Ferryman of Putney and other sailors received 3/6d for carrying a great part of the royal family across the Thames and also for taking the king and his family to Westminster. One famous crossing at Putney was that of
Cardinal Wolsey Thomas Wolsey ( – 29 November 1530) was an English statesman and Catholic bishop. When Henry VIII became King of England in 1509, Wolsey became the king's almoner. Wolsey's affairs prospered and by 1514 he had become the controlling figur ...
in 1529 upon his 'disgrace' in falling out of favour with Henry VIII and on ceasing to be the holder of the Great Seal of England. As he was riding up Putney Hill, he was overtaken by one of the royal chamberlains who presented him with a ring as a token of the continuance of his majesty's favour. When the Cardinal had heard these words of the king, he quickly lighted from his mule and knelt down upon both knees, holding up his hands for joy, and said "When I consider the joyful news that you have brought to me, I could do no less than greatly rejoice. Every word pierces so my heart, that the sudden joy surmounted my memory, having no regard or respect to the place; but I thought it my duty, that in the same place where I received this comfort, to laud and praise God upon my knees, and most humbly to render unto my sovereign lord my most hearty thanks for the same".], Putney, British History Online The first bridge of any kind between the two parishes of Fulham and Putney was built during the Civil War: after the Battle of Brentford in 1642, the Parliamentary forces built a bridge of boats between Fulham and Putney. According to an account from the period:
The Lord-Generall hath caused a bridge to be built upon barges and lighters over the Thames, between Fulham and Putney, to convey his army and artillery over into Surry, to follow the King's forces; and he hath ordered that forts shall be erected at each end thereof to guard it; but for the present the seamen, with long boats and shallops, full of ordnance and musketeers, lie there upon the river to secure it.
The first permanent bridge between Fulham and Putney was completed in 1729, and was the second bridge to be built across the Thames in London (after
London Bridge Several bridges named London Bridge have spanned the River Thames between the City of London and Southwark, in central London. The current crossing, which opened to traffic in 1973, is a box girder bridge built from concrete and steel. It r ...
). One story runs that "in 1720 Sir Robert Walpole was returning from seeing George I at
Kingston Kingston may refer to: Places * List of places called Kingston, including the five most populated: ** Kingston, Jamaica ** Kingston upon Hull, England ** City of Kingston, Victoria, Australia ** Kingston, Ontario, Canada ** Kingston upon Thames, ...
and being in a hurry to get to the House of Commons rode together with his servant to Putney to take the ferry across to Fulham. The ferry boat was on the opposite side, however and the waterman, who was drinking in the Swan, ignored the calls of Sir Robert and his servant and they were obliged to take another route. Walpole vowed that a bridge would replace the ferry."George & Michael Dewe, ''The Predecessor of Putney Bridge – Fulham Bridge 1729–1886'' (1986) The Prince of Wales "was often inconvenienced by the ferry when returning from hunting in Richmond Park and asked Walpole to use his influence by supporting the bridge." The bridge was a wooden structure and lasted for 150 years. However, by 1886, it was no longer strong enough to withstand increasing road traffic, and was replaced by the stone bridge that stands today.


St Mary's Church

The parish church of St Mary The Virgin became the site of the 1647 Putney Debates. Towards the end of the English Civil War, with the Roundheads looking victorious, some soldiers in the
New Model Army The New Model Army was a standing army formed in 1645 by the Parliamentarians during the First English Civil War, then disbanded after the Stuart Restoration in 1660. It differed from other armies employed in the 1639 to 1653 Wars of the Th ...
staged a minor mutiny amid fears that a monarchy would be replaced by a new dictatorship. A number, known as the Levellers, complained: "We were not a mere mercenary army hired to serve any arbitrary power of a state, but called forth … to the defence of the people's just right and liberties". A manifesto was proposed entitled ''
An Agreement of the People '' An Agreement of the People'' was a series of manifestos, published between 1647 and 1649, for constitutional changes to the English state. Several versions of the ''Agreement'' were published, each adapted to address not only broad concerns b ...
'', and at an open meeting in Putney the officers of the Army Council heard the argument from private soldiers for a transparent, democratic state, without corruption. Proposals included sovereignty for English citizens, Parliamentary seats distributed according to population rather than property ownership, religion made a free choice, equality before the law, conscription abolished and parliamentary elections held every year. While the ideas proved greatly influential, including inspiring much of the language of the United States Declaration of Independence, Oliver Cromwell would later have the Leveller leaders executed. The diarist
Samuel Pepys Samuel Pepys (; 23 February 1633 – 26 May 1703) was an English diarist and naval administrator. He served as administrator of the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament and is most famous for the diary he kept for a decade. Pepys had no mariti ...
visited St. Mary's Church on several occasions. During one visit on 28 April 1667, he recorded:
"and then back to Putney Church, where I saw the girls of the schools, few of which pretty; and there I come into a pew, and met with little James Pierce, which I was much pleased at, the little rogue being very glad to see me: his master, Reader to the Church. Here was a good sermon and much company, but I sleepy, and a little out of order, for my hat falling down through a hole underneath the pulpit, which, however, after sermon, by a stick, and the help of the clerke, I got up again, and then walked out of the church."


Open spaces and clean air

For centuries, Putney was a place where Londoners came for leisure, to enjoy the open spaces and clean air. Londoners came to Putney to play games. According to John Locke, who writes, in 1679: "The sports of England for a curious stranger to see are horse-racing, hawking, hunting, and bowling; at Putney he may see several persons of quality bowling two or three times a week." One regular visitor was Queen Elizabeth I who frequently visited Putney from 1579 to 1603, often visiting Mr John Lacy. She was said to "honour Lacy with her company more frequently than any of her subjects", often staying for two to three days.


Putney Heath

Charles II reviewed his forces on Putney Heath in 1684; in May 1767, George III reviewed the Guards, and the Surrey Volunteers at the same spot in 1799.Geikie, J. C. (1903). ''The Fascination of London: Hammersmith, Fulham and Putney''. London: A & C Black, p. 85. According to Samuel Pepys, Charles II and his brother, the
Duke of York Duke of York is a title of nobility in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of English (later British) monarchs. The equivalent title in the Scottish peerage was Du ...
, used to run horses here. A stone and brick obelisk was erected on Putney Heath in 1770, marking the 110th anniversary of the
Great Fire of London The Great Fire of London was a major conflagration that swept through central London from Sunday 2 September to Thursday 6 September 1666, gutting the medieval City of London inside the old Roman city wall, while also extending past the ...
, to coincide with the invention of the Hartley fire plates by
David Hartley (the Younger) David Hartley the Younger (1732 – 19 December 1813) was a statesman, a scientific inventor and the son of the philosopher David Hartley. He was Member of Parliament (MP) for Kingston upon Hull, and also held the position of His Britanni ...
, near a spot where his fireproof house was built. The obelisk, with ornately detailed foundation stone, is still standing and can be accessed via the car park adjacent to The Telegraph public house, off Wildcroft Road, SW15. The lower part of this house was repeatedly set on fire in the presence, among others, of King George III and Queen Charlotte, the members of Parliament, the Lord Mayor, and the Aldermen.Geikie, J. C. (1903). ''The Fascination of London: Hammersmith, Fulham and Putney''. London: A & C Black, p. 84. Since 1955 the obelisk has been a Grade II listed building. The adjacent Wildcroft Manor was formerly in the ownership of publishing magnate George Newnes, builder of
Putney Library Putney Library is a Grade II listed public library in the London Borough of Wandsworth. Location The library is at numbers 5 to 7 on the north side of Disraeli road, just off Putney High street. Founding The original building design was in ...
. In 1895 he was created a baronet "of Wildcroft, in the parish of Putney, in the county of London. Many duels were undertaken on Putney Heath. In May 1652, George Brydges, 6th Baron Chandos, and Colonel Henry Compton fought with Compton being killed in the encounter. On a Sunday afternoon in May 1798 William Pitt, the then Prime Minister, who lived in Bowling-Green House on the heath, fought a bloodless battle with William Tierney, MP. The house derived its name from the bowling-green formerly attached to it, and for more than sixty years (1690–1750) was the most famous green in the neighbourhood of London. The house had large rooms for public breakfasts and assemblies, was a fashionable place of entertainment, and noted for "deep play." Pitt died in the house in 1806. It was later owned by Henry Lewis Doulton, son of Henry Doulton of pottery fame. It was demolished and an art deco style residence rebuilt on the site in 1933. Putney Heath, near the Telegraph pub, was also the venue for the September 1809
duel A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two people, with matched weapons, in accordance with agreed-upon Code duello, rules. During the 17th and 18th centuries (and earlier), duels were mostly single combats fought with swords (the r ...
between Cabinet ministers
George Canning George Canning (11 April 17708 August 1827) was a British Tory statesman. He held various senior cabinet positions under numerous prime ministers, including two important terms as Foreign Secretary, finally becoming Prime Minister of the Unit ...
and Lord Castlereagh. Scio House was the last villa on Portsmouth Road abutting the heath: it eventually became a hospital and was known as Scio House Hospital for Officers, Putney. It has since been redeveloped as a gated community of 70 neo-Georgian homes divided between two streets. Putney Heath is around less the nascent A3 road in size and rises to above sea level. Because of its elevation, from 1796 to 1816 Putney Heath hosted a station in the shutter telegraph chain, which connected the Admiralty in London to its naval ships in Portsmouth. One of 10 signal stations with telescopes making observation of the next station's signal, a message could be sent from the Admiralty to Portsmouth within 15 minutes. This was replaced by a semaphore station, which was part of a
semaphore line An optical telegraph is a line of stations, typically towers, for the purpose of conveying textual information by means of visual signals. There are two main types of such systems; the semaphore telegraph which uses pivoted indicator arms and ...
that operated between 1822 and 1847. Putney Heath was for many years a noted rendezvous for highwaymen. In 1795, the notorious highwayman Jeremiah Abershaw – also known as Jerry Avershaw – was caught in the Green Man pub (now owned by Wandsworth pub company Young's,) on the northside of the heath where Putney Hill meets Tibbet's Ride. After execution his body was hung in chains on the heath as a warning to others. An ancient wood fence cattle pound is located opposite the Green Man, adjacent to two huge plane trees, near the bus terminus. This simple wood fence structure, used historically to contain lost livestock, has been listed as a Grade II listed structure since 1983. A number of fine homes lined Putney Hill and the north face of the heath, west of the Green Man. All had semi-circular carriageway entrances and exits.Bailey, Keith. ''Old Ordnance Survey Maps, Putney 1913''. South Shields: Godfrey Maps These included Grantham House, the residence of Lady Grantham; Ripon House, Ashburton House; Exeter House, occupied by the second Marquis of Exeter. George Cokayne, author of peerage and baronetage publications, died at Exeter House in 1911. Nearby Gifford House was owned by the J. D. Charrington of brewing fame; and Dover House, was the seat originally of
Lord Dover Baron Dover is a title that has been created three times, once in the Peerage of England, once in the Peerage of Great Britain and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. All three creations are now extinct. The first creation came in the Pee ...
, afterwards of
Lord Clifden Lord Clifden (1860 – 7 February 1875) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. He was undefeated as a two-year-old, including wins in the Woodcote Stakes and Champagne Stakes (Great Britain), Champagne Stakes. As a three-year-old he was just ...
. It was owned at the turn of the 20th century by the famous US financier JP Morgan. With the development of transport routes for the growing financial sector, the area became highly desirable for City gents in the 1890s and they were initially known as "outsiders". In 1900, social researcher Charles Booth had classified the whole area of Putney Hill and West Hill, leading into Putney Heath, as wealthy or well-to-do. Despite a full array of places of worship, he said it was noted for low church attendance with all denominations "struggling for the souls of pleasure-seeking Putney... the middle class here are as indifferent as the poor elsewhere." The village green at the corner of Wildcroft and Telegraph Roads is used by Roehampton Cricket Club and is one of the oldest cricket teams in London, established 1842. The club has played there continuously since 1859 when lord of the manor, Earl Spencer, suggested it as a new site. It has two sides in the highly competitive Fullers Surrey County League and a Sunday side that plays on a more social level. In 1900, a decade after the death of his multi-millionaire father Junius Morgan, JP Morgan gained a fondness for the sport and was made an honorary member. Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, the honorary member who presided at the club dinner in 1910, allowed his two young children to play cowboys and Indians on the cricket green during the week. The Chelsea Water Company originally owned the reservoir site and allowed construction of the club pavilion on its property. The reservoir site is now owned by Thames Water. Cricket matches continued during the war although some games started late or were drawn due to late starts or air raid sirens. Four German V-1 flying bombs struck the area in World War II. One destroyed the club's pavilion, opposite the Telegraph pub, in July 1944, near where the covered water reservoir is located. Wildcroft Road, turning into Portsmouth Road and thus the future A3, was a main thoroughfare into SW London and became a stop-off point for American serviceman who alighted from their jeeps to "taste this crazy cricket game" On the south side of the reservoir, in the triangle of land between Wildcroft Road, Tibbet's Ride and the Green Man, is a large clearing of land. A funfair is set up on the grounds each October, lasting for one week. Ground rent is paid by the touring company to the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Conservators, as part of the income of the charity.


Local character

Excluding the ''Putney Exchange'' in a survey by the New Economics Foundation of 27 London high streets in 2005, Putney's ranked fifth most "cloned... eaningoffering identikit shopping with little local character".


Demographics

A local directory of Putney in 1932 listed a high proportion of residents as being professional, including doctors and lawyers. The area also was home to significant numbers of retired naval officers.The Putney Society (2010). ''The Bulletin, December. p2. The 2011 census showed this professional character still present. Looking at a combination of the electoral wards of East Putney, West Putney and Thamesfield (which comprises North Putney), 46% of residents were classified as higher or lower "managerial, administrative & professional" socio-economic status; 6% were retired. Ethnicity in these wards is 81% white, 8% Asian, 5% black, and 4% of mixed or multiple ethnicities. Sixty-five percent of the population was born in the UK. The most identified religion was Christianity at 56%, with 27% declaring no religion, 8% not stating any religion, 5% Muslim and other religions making up the remainder. The 2011 Census revealed Thamesfield as having the highest number of Australians and New Zealanders in London, followed by the East Putney ward in second place.


Politics

The Member of Parliament for Putney is Fleur Anderson, who has served as the MP for the constituency since the 2019 general election, as a member of the Labour Party.


Rowing and the Boat Race

Since the second half of the 19th century, Putney has been a significant centre for rowing. There are two reasons for this. First, increasing numbers of steam-powered boats (not to mention the growing levels of sewage being discharged into the river) made leisure rowing on the Thames in central London unpleasant if not impossible. There was much less commercial traffic on the river at Putney (partly because the many buttresses of the original Putney Bridge restricted the transit of large river boats) ensuring more suitable water for rowing. The river was also cleaner at Putney. Secondly, the construction of the London and South Western Railway from
Waterloo Waterloo most commonly refers to: * Battle of Waterloo, a battle on 18 June 1815 in which Napoleon met his final defeat * Waterloo, Belgium, where the battle took place. Waterloo may also refer to: Other places Antarctica *King George Island (S ...
to Putney and the
District Railway The Metropolitan District Railway, also known as the District Railway, was a passenger railway that served London from 1868 to 1933. Established in 1864 to complete an " inner circle" of lines connecting railway termini in London, the first par ...
to Putney Bridge allowed easy commuting. More than twenty rowing clubs are based on the River Thames at Putney Embankment in a landscape which now forms part of a Conservation Area identified by the borough council as "unique in London"; among the largest are London Rowing Club, Thames Rowing Club, Imperial College Boat Club and Vesta Rowing Club. Leander Club owned a boathouse in Putney from 1867 to 1961. The Putney clubs have produced a plethora of Olympic medallists and
Henley Henley may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Henley, Dorset, a location * Henley, Gloucestershire, a location * Henley-on-Thames, a town in South Oxfordshire, England ** Henley (UK Parliament constituency) ** Henley Rural District, a former ru ...
winners.
Putney Town Rowing Club Putney Town Rowing Club (PTRC) is a rowing club on the Tideway, the tidal reach of the River Thames in England. Its official British Rowing registered colours are navy and white. History The club was founded at the Half Moon Hotel, Putney in 1 ...
, although retaining Putney's name, has now moved to Kew. The University Boat Race, first contested in 1829 in
Henley-on-Thames Henley-on-Thames ( ) is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in Oxfordshire, England, northeast of Reading, west of Maidenhead, southeast of Oxford and west of London (by road), near the tripoint of Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buc ...
, has had Putney as its starting point since 1845. Since 1856, it has been an annual event, beginning at the University Stone, just upstream from Putney Bridge. Several other important rowing races over the Championship Course also either start or finish at the stone, notably the Head of the River Race.


Sculpture


Putney Sculpture Trail

Alan Thornhill lived and worked in Putney for many years and his studio still remains. The sculpture Load was presented to Putney on Fools Day and occupies a permanent position near the south-west end of Putney Bridge on Lower Richmond Road. A film, launched at Appledore and Chichester Film Festivals in 2008 documents these celebrations. The acquisition of eight further large works formed a permanent new riverside
Putney Sculpture Trail The Putney Sculpture Trail encompasses nine sculptures by the British sculptor Alan Thornhill which are permanently publicly sited along the south side of the River Thames to either side of Putney Bridge, in the London Borough of Wandsworth ...
in the London Borough of Wandsworth, officially unveiled in September 2008.


Historic links to sculpture and sculptors

Sir Jacob Epstein was buried in Putney Vale Cemetery on 24 August 1959. Henri Gaudier-Brzeska had a studio in Putney in the last year of his life after moving from 454a Fulham Road. Sydney Schiff went to visit Gaudier there in 1914 to purchase the "Dancer", which was later presented to the Victoria and Albert Museum. Gaudier-Brzeska was killed in France in June 1915.


Plaque

A commemorative plaque was placed at 2 Colinette Road in remembrance of an anecdote of the British mathematician G. H. Hardy when he visited Indian mathematician
Srinivasa Ramanujan Srinivasa Ramanujan (; born Srinivasa Ramanujan Aiyangar, ; 22 December 188726 April 1920) was an Indian mathematician. Though he had almost no formal training in pure mathematics, he made substantial contributions to mathematical analysis ...
in hospital.


Transport

Putney is served by mainline South Western Railway trains to London Waterloo from Putney station and by London Underground from East Putney. The far west of Putney is also served by Barnes station, a few hundred yards across the boundary, while
Putney Bridge tube station Putney Bridge is a London Underground station on the branch of the District line. It is between and stations and is in Zone 2. The station is located in the south of Fulham, adjacent to Fulham High Street and New Kings Road ( A308) and is a ...
is across the river in
Fulham Fulham () is an area of the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham in West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, bordering Hammersmith, Kensington and Chelsea. The area faces Wandsworth ...
. Putney is served by bus routes 14, 22, 37, 39, 74, 85, 93,
220 __NOTOC__ Year 220 ( CCXX) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Antonius and Eutychianus (or, less frequently, year 973 '' ...
, 265,
270 __NOTOC__ Year 270 ( CCLXX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Antiochianus and Orfitus (or, less frequently, year 102 ...
, 378,
337 __NOTOC__ Year 337 ( CCCXXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Felicianus and Titianus (or, less frequently, year ...
,
170 Year 170 ( CLXX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Clarus and Cornelius (or, less frequently, year 923 ''Ab urbe condita ...
424 Year 424 ( CDXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Castinus and Victor (or, less frequently, year 1177 ''Ab urbe condit ...
,
430 __NOTOC__ Year 430 ( CDXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Theodosius and Valentinianus (or, less frequently, yea ...
and
485 Year 485 ( CDLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Memmius without colleague (or, less frequently, year 1238 ''Ab ur ...
and
night buses Night service, sometimes also known as owl service, refers to the public transport services operated during the night hours. These services are operated, mainly using buses but in certain cases using trams (or streetcars), not including inter ...
14, N22, 37, N74, 85, 93 and 220.
Putney Pier Putney Pier is a pier on the River Thames at Putney, in the London Borough of Wandsworth. Location The pier is 24.94m long and is located off Putney Embankment near the Star & Garter pub and Thai Square restaurant, west of Putney Bridge on th ...
is served by River Bus 6 to/from
Blackfriars Millennium Pier Blackfriars Pier is a pier on the River Thames, in the Blackfriars area of the City of London, United Kingdom. It is served by boats operating under licence from London River Services and is situated on the north bank of the Thames, adjacent to B ...
, weekday peak periods only (Average 24 boats per week day).


Quotes


Notable residents

Listed in alphabetical order of last name: *
Stefan Abingdon The Midnight Beast, sometimes abbreviated as TMB, is a British comedy/parody music group from London. They are most famous for their YouTube cover-parody of the 2009 single "TiK ToK" by American pop artist Ke$ha. The group currently has three m ...
, musician, of the band The Midnight Beast *
J. R. Ackerley Joe Randolph "J. R." Ackerley (4 November 1896 – 4 June 1967) was a British writer and editor. Starting with the BBC the year after its founding in 1927, he was promoted to literary editor of '' The Listener,'' its weekly magazine, where he ser ...
, author and literary editor of '' The Listener'' lived at Star and Garter Mansions from 1941 until his death in 1967 * William Adams, locomotive engineer * Gerry Anderson and Jim Henson, television puppeteers, at different times leased the same workshop (since demolished) in Rotherwood Road, Putney *
Clement Attlee Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee, (3 January 18838 October 1967) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1935 to 1955. He was Deputy Prime Mini ...
, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 1945–1951 and Leader of the Labour Party 1935 –1955, born in Putney in 1883 * Edvard Beneš, second President of Czechoslovakia, lived in Gwendolen Avenue during his exile in London from October 1938 to the end of World War II * Marc Bolan, singer and leader of the band T.Rex lived at 6a Schubert Road, Putney and died in a car crash in near-by Barnes * Peter Bonetti, Chelsea and Dundee United footballer, was born in Putney * Sir Richard Branson, British entrepreneur * Peter Brett, American writer *
Pierce Brosnan Pierce Brendan Brosnan (; born 16 May 1953) is an Irish actor and film producer. He is best known as the fifth actor to play secret agent James Bond in the Bond film series, starring in four films from 1995 to 2002 (''GoldenEye'', ''Tomorrow ...
, Irish actor best known for playing James Bond, attended school in Putney * Dustin Demri-Burns, actor and comedian, attended school in Putney * Anna Calvi, singer and songwriter *
Rosa Nouchette Carey Rosa Nouchette Carey (27 September 1840 – 9 July 1909) was an English children's writer and popular novelist, whose works reflected the values of her time and were thought of as wholesome for girls. However, they are "not entirely bereft of gr ...
, writer of children's novels, died at her home in Keswick Road, Putney in 1909 * Christopher Chope, Conservative MP for Christchurch, was born in Putney * Nick Clegg, former Deputy Prime Minister (2010–15) and Leader of the Liberal Democrats (2007–15) lived in Putney before moving to California to work at Facebook * Sir Tom Courtenay, actor * Thomas Cromwell, chief minister for
Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
and architect of the
English Reformation The English Reformation took place in 16th-century England when the Church of England broke away from the authority of the pope and the Catholic Church. These events were part of the wider European Protestant Reformation, a religious and poli ...
, was born in Putney around 1485 * Taio Cruz, British R&B singer * John Deacon, former bass guitarist of the band Queen, lives in west Putney *
Catherine Maria Fanshawe Catherine Maria Fanshawe (1765–1834) was an English poet, whose work was praised by Walter Scott. She and her sisters were also artists.W. P. Courtney, revised by Rebecca Mills: "Fanshawe, Catherine Maria". ''Oxford Dictionary of National Bio ...
, poet, died at Putney Heath in 1834 * Jason Flemyng, actor, born in Putney * E. M. Forster, author, lived at 22 Werter Road, Putney * Henry Fuseli, Swiss-born British artist, professor of painting and keeper of the
Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its pur ...
* Constance Garnett, translator of '' War and Peace'', '' Anna Karenina'', '' Crime and Punishment'', and other Russian literary works * Edward Gibbon, historian, born in Putney, had local telephone exchange named in recognition * Peter Green, singer/guitarist and co founder of the band
Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac are a British-American rock band, formed in London in 1967. Fleetwood Mac were founded by guitarist Peter Green, drummer Mick Fleetwood and guitarist Jeremy Spencer, before bassist John McVie joined the line-up for their epony ...
lived on Lytton Grove during his youth * Maria, Countess of Guilford, resident of Putney Hill, 1825 * Kenelm Lee Guinness, racing driver, started the KLG spark plug factory in Putney Vale and lived in Kingston Hill * Peter Hain, Labour Party MP, lived in Putney in the late-1960s *
Ralph Hill Ralph Anthony Hill (December 26, 1908 – October 17, 1994) was an American runner. He set an American record over the mile in 1930 and won a silver medal in the 5000 m event at the 1932 Olympics. Hill studied at the University of Oregon when ...
, music critic, lived at 39 Hazlewell Rd in the 1940s until his death in 1950. He founded the Putney Gramophone Society *
Ashley Horne The Midnight Beast, sometimes abbreviated as TMB, is a British comedy/parody music group from London. They are most famous for their YouTube cover-parody of the 2009 single "TiK ToK" by American pop artist Ke$ha. The group currently has three m ...
, of the band The Midnight Beast * Joan Howson (1885–1964) was a British stained glass artist who lived in Deodar Road * Konnie Huq, television presenter of the children's television programme ''
Blue Peter ''Blue Peter'' is a British children's television entertainment programme created by John Hunter Blair. It is the longest-running children's TV show in the world, having been broadcast since October 1958. It was broadcast primarily from BBC Tel ...
'' * Penny Irving, actress (appearances include '' The Benny Hill Show'' and '' Are You Being Served?'') *
General Sir Mike Jackson General Sir Michael David Jackson, (born 21 March 1944) is a retired British Army officer and one of its most high-profile generals since the Second World War. Originally commissioned into the Intelligence Corps in 1963, he transferred to th ...
, Chief of the General Staff, 2003–06, lived, and attended primary school, in Putney * Arthur Jeff, British statesman and co-founder of Putney School of Art and Design *
Grace Jones Grace Beverly Jones (born 19 May 1948) is a model, singer and actress. Born in Jamaica, she and her family moved to Syracuse, New York, when she was a teenager. Jones began her modelling career in New York state, then in Paris, working for ...
, singer and actress * Joe Joyce (boxer), British Boxer, went to Elliott School * Robin Knox-Johnston, yachtsman, born in Putney *
Gunji Koizumi , known affectionately by colleagues as G.K., was a Japanese master of judo who introduced this martial art to the United Kingdom,Simon Lane The Yogscast, officially registered as Yogscast Limited, is a British entertainment company based in Bristol that primarily produces video gaming-related videos on YouTube and Twitch, and also operates the Yogscast multi-channel network for aff ...
, YouTuber and member of the
Yogscast The Yogscast, officially registered as Yogscast Limited, is a British entertainment company based in Bristol that primarily produces video gaming-related videos on YouTube and Twitch, and also operates the Yogscast multi-channel network for aff ...
* Caroline Langrishe, actress lives in Putney * Simon Le Bon, lead singer of
Duran Duran Duran Duran () are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1978 by singer and bassist Stephen Duffy, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist/bassist John Taylor (bass guitarist), John Taylor. With the addition of drummer Roger ...
, has a home in Upper Richmond Road, with his wife, Yasmin *
Laurie Lee Laurence Edward Alan "Laurie" Lee, MBE (26 June 1914 – 13 May 1997) was an English poet, novelist and screenwriter, who was brought up in the small village of Slad in Gloucestershire. His most notable work is the autobiographical trilogy ...
, author, lived and worked as a builder's labourer in Putney during the 1930s * Commander Charles Lightoller, the most senior officer to survive the Titanic disaster, lived at 60A Upper Richmond Road * David Luiz, Chelsea F.C. and Brazilian international footballer * James Macpherson, translator and author of the Ossian Poems * David McKee, creator of '' Mr Benn'', lived at 54 Festing Road ("at 52 Festive Road"), subsequently re-broadcast. Outside engraved paving slab * Sue McNuff née Handscomb, Olympic rower, was brought up in Putney * JP Morgan, US financier, occupied Dover House, Putney * George Newnes, publishing magnate, lived at Putney *Sir
Sidney Nolan Sir Sidney Robert Nolan (22 April 191728 November 1992) was one of Australia's leading artists of the 20th century. Working in a wide variety of mediums, his oeuvre is among the most diverse and prolific in all of modern art. He is best known ...
, one of Australia's leading artists of the 20th century, known for his paintings of Ned Kelly, who lived at 79 Deodar Road. *Cpt.
Lawrence Oates Lawrence Edward Grace "Titus" Oates (17 March 188017 March 1912) was a British army officer, and later an Antarctic explorer, who died from hypothermia
Antarctic explorer, born and raised in Putney * Edna O'Brien Irish author of The Country Girls and more lived in Putney in the 1960s *
Dick Pepper Dick Leaver Pepper (24 June 1889 – 15 October 1962) was a musician, actor, and writer for the BBC. Life Born in Putney, Pepper was the son of Will C. Pepper, founder of a long-running concert party called the White Coons, and the older brother o ...
(1889–1962), banjo-player and writer, was born in Putney * William Pitt the Younger, Prime Minister, lived and died in Bowling-Green House at Putney Heath * Roy Plomley OBE (1914–1985), broadcaster, lived at 91 Deodar Road. * Sir Richard Pollard, (1505–1542), MP for Taunton (1536) and Devon (1539, 1542), resided chiefly at Putney *
David Rock (architect) David Rock (born in Sunderland, 1929) is an English architect and graphic designer, twice RIBA vice-president (1986-87 & 1995-97) and RIBA president (1997–99). Rock studied under Lord Holford and Peter Smithson who described him as "the most n ...
, former RIBA president, lived in West Row, Westleigh Avenue * Ellen Mary Rope (1855–1934), a British sculptor who lived in Deodar Road * Margaret Edith Rope (1891–1988) was an English stained-glass artist who lived in Deodar Road * Justin Rose, golfer, has a flat in Putney * Sir Ronald Ross, discoverer of malaria transmission by mosquitoes, lived and died at Bath House, Putney Hill * Fred Russell, known as the "Father of Modern Ventriloquism", remembered by blue plaque, lived in Lower Richmond Road near Putney Bridge * Abdus Salam, theoretical physicist and Nobel Laureate, lived at Campion Road for almost 40 years and was honoured by an English Heritage blue plaque in 2020 * Harry Gordon Selfridge, founder of Selfridges department store, lived in Putney and died in a flat on Putney Heath in 1947 *
Shas Sheehan Shaista Ahmad Sheehan, Baroness Sheehan is a British politician and life peer. She was nominated for a life peerage by Nick Clegg in August 2015. Public service Sheehan served as councillor for Kew from 2006 to 2010. She has also stood for W ...
, Liberal Democrat politician and life peer *
Sophie Simnett Sophie Simnett (born 5 December 1997) is an English actress, known for her roles as Skye Hart on the Disney Channel musical series '' The Lodge'' and Samaira Dean on the Netflix drama series '' Daybreak''. Early life Simnett was born in Hammers ...
, actress * Freda Skinner, (1911–1993) sculptor and woodcarver, lived at 79 Deodar Road, Putney * Sir Oswald Stoll, Australian-born British theatre and film magnate, lived at 33 Putney Hill *
Algernon Charles Swinburne Algernon Charles Swinburne (5 April 1837 – 10 April 1909) was an English poet, playwright, novelist, and critic. He wrote several novels and collections of poetry such as ''Poems and Ballads'', and contributed to the famous Eleventh Edition ...
, poet and Nobel prize nominee, lived and died at The Pines at the foot of Putney Hill * Daley Thompson, former decathlete *
Gabriel Thomson Gabriel Francis Marshall Thomson (born 27 October 1986) is an English former actor, best known for his role as Michael Harper in the British situation comedy series ''My Family''. Career Thomson began his acting career at the age of four, perfo ...
, actor, attended Elliott School * Alan Thornhill, sculptor whose nine large works form the permanent
Putney Sculpture Trail The Putney Sculpture Trail encompasses nine sculptures by the British sculptor Alan Thornhill which are permanently publicly sited along the south side of the River Thames to either side of Putney Bridge, in the London Borough of Wandsworth ...
along the Thames * Harry Tincknell, racing driver * Fernando Torres, former Spanish International footballer, played for Chelsea F.C. * Caroline Charlotte Townshend (1878–1944) was a British stained glass artist who lived in Deodar Road * Sir Alliott Verdon-Roe, pioneer aviator and founder of aircraft manufacturer
AVRO AVRO, short for Algemene Vereniging Radio Omroep ("General Association of Radio Broadcasting"), was a Dutch public broadcasting association operating within the framework of the Nederlandse Publieke Omroep system. It was the first public broad ...
* Dennis Waterman, actor grew up in Putney and attended Granard School * Theodore Watts-Dunton, who looked after Swinburne * Nigel Williams, author * Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, author of '' Frankenstein'', lived in Putney at Layton House in 1839, and White House in 1843 * Jack Whitehall, comedian * Michael Whitehall, talent agent * Leonard Woolf, husband of Virginia Woolf, grew up in Putney * Tony Wright, film star, lived in Chartfield Avenue * Sofka Zinovieff, writer, grew up in Putney


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External links

{{Authority control Areas of London Districts of London on the River Thames Districts of the London Borough of Wandsworth Major centres of London