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Surbiton

Coordinates:51°23′38″N0°18′25″W/ 51.394°N 0.307°W/51.394; -0.307
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For other uses, seeSurbiton (disambiguation).

Surbiton
Victoria Road, Surbiton'shigh street
Surbiton is located in Greater London
Surbiton
Surbiton
Location withinGreater London
Area7.18 km2(2.77 sq mi)
Population45,132
•Density6,286/km2(16,280/sq mi)
OS grid referenceTQ180673
London borough
Ceremonial countyGreater London
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townSURBITON
Postcode districtKT5, KT6
Dialling code020
PoliceMetropolitan
FireLondon
AmbulanceLondon
UK Parliament
London Assembly
List of places
UK
England
London
51°23′38″N0°18′25″W/ 51.394°N 0.307°W/51.394; -0.307

Surbitonis a suburban neighbourhood in South WestLondon,within theRoyal Borough of Kingston upon Thames(RBK). It is next to theRiver Thames,11 miles (18 km) southwest of Charing Cross. Surbiton was in thehistoric countyofSurreyand since 1965 it has been inGreater London.Surbiton comprises four of the RBK's wards: Alexandra,Berrylands,St. Mark's, and Surbiton Hill.[1]

Founded originally asKingston-upon-Railwaywhen the area was first developed in the 1840s,[2]Surbiton possesses a mixture of grand 19th-centurytownhouses,Art Decocourts,and more recent residential blocks blending in withsemi-detached20th-centuryhousing estates.With a population of 45,132 in 2016, it accounts for approximately 25% of the total population of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.[3]Surbiton extends over an area of 7.18 km2(2.77 sq mi).[4]

Etymology[edit]

Though Surbiton only received its current name in 1869, the name is attested asSubertonin 1179,Surbetonin 1263,Surpetonin 1486, and finallySurbiton1597.[5]Sūth Bere-tūnmeans "southern grange" or "outlying farm" inOld English,as opposed to nearbyNorbiton;both Norbiton and Surbiton were possessions of the royal manor of Kingston.[5]

History[edit]

See also:Thomas Pooley
Grade-II listed Surbiton railway station. Art deco architecture

The present-day town came into existence after a plan to build aLondon-Southampton railway linethrough nearbyKingstonwas rejected by Kingston Council, who feared that it would be detrimental to thecoachingtrade. This resulted in the line being routed further south, through a cutting in the hill south of Surbiton.Surbiton railway stationopened in 1838, and was originally namedKingston-upon-Railway.[6]It was only renamedSurbitonto distinguish it from the newKingston railway stationon theShepperton branch line,which opened on 1 January 1869. The present station has anart decofaçade.

As a result, Kingston is now on a branch line, whereas passengers from Surbiton (smaller in comparison) can reachLondon Waterlooin as little as 16 minutes[7]on a fast direct service; as well as places further afield, includingPortsmouthandSouthampton.

Surbiton was once home toSurbiton Studioswhich were owned byStoll Pictures,before the company shifted its main production toCricklewood Studios.

Politics[edit]

See also:Municipal Borough of Surbiton
Sessions Househoused theMunicipal Borough of Surbitonbefore Surbiton became part ofGreater Londonin 1965.
Location map of Surbiton within theRoyal Borough of Kingston upon ThamesandGreater London

National politics[edit]

See also:Kingston and Surbiton

Surbiton falls within theUK parliamentary constituencyofKingston and Surbiton,which is represented in theHouse of CommonsbySir Ed Davey,currently the leader of theLiberal Democratswho served asSecretary of State for Energy and Climate Changeduring theConservative–Liberal Democrat coalition.Davey also represented the constituency between1997and2015,having been ousted for a short period of time byConservativeJames Berry.In the2017 general election,Davey went on to defeat Berry by 45% to 38%.[8]Both Davey's and Berry's offices were located in Surbiton'sBerrylandsward.

In the2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum,Kingston and Surbiton voted to remain a member of theEuropean Unionby 61.7% of the local vote.[9]

London politics[edit]

See also:South West (London Assembly constituency)

Surbiton is represented in theLondon AssemblybyConservativeNicholas Rogers,as part of Greater London'sSouth Westconstituency.

Local councillors[edit]

Surbiton elects 12 of theKingston upon Thames London Borough Council's 48 councillors. As of the2018 local elections,the council is controlled by the Liberal Democrats, and all Surbiton's elected councillors are members of that party.

Councillors from Surbiton's fourKingston Councilwards[10]
Party Councillors (12) Change
Liberal Democrats
12 / 12 (100%)
 Increase5
Conservatives
0 / 12 (0%)
 Decrease5

Transport[edit]

A London double-decker bus and an Abellio Surrey bus in Surbiton

Surbiton is served by a number of regular bus services.Transport for Londonbus routes71,281,406,418,465,K1,K2,K3,andK4,as well asHallmark Connectionsroute 458,Reptons Coachesroute 513,Falcon Coachesroutes 514 and 515, andStagecoach Southroute 715 all serve the area. These provide links toChessington,Kingston town centre,Twickenham,Hounslow,Epsom,Leatherhead,Dorking,Cobham,Staines,WeybridgeandGuildford.

Surbiton is also close to two of London's largest airports:HeathrowandGatwick.

Railways have served the town since it was founded.SurbitonandBerrylandsstations are both served bySouth Western Railwayservices. It provides rail links toLondon Waterloo,Surrey and Hampshire.

If approval is granted for the project, Surbiton will be connected with theLondon Undergroundsystem viaCrossrail 2.It is expected that the project will relieve pressure on both Surbiton and Berrylands stations.[11]

Surbiton lacks majormotorways,although theA3 roadcuts through Berrylands ward at Tolworth Underpass. Parts of the A307 that run along theRiver Thames,Portsmouth Road, have become part of theLondon cycle routesnetwork.

Architecture[edit]

Education[edit]

Main article:Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames § Education
Surbiton High School.

Demographics[edit]

Religion[edit]

Until the early 19th century, Surbiton, likeNorbiton,lay in the parish ofAll Saints, Kingston upon Thames.As a result, Surbiton's two town centreparish churches,Saint Mark'sandSaint Andrew's,date back only to theVictorian era.[12]

St Matthew's, Surbiton

There are two further Anglican parish churches in south Surbiton, Christ Church and Saint Matthew's, both also Victorian.

Christ Church was built in 1862–63, by Charles Lock Luck and lengthened in 1866. The chancel aisles were added in 1864, and 1871. It has no tower, and is built of red brick with stone dressings with some black brickvoussoirs.The east stained-glass window was done byClayton and Bell,the central stained-glass window byBurne-Jones,while the other stained glass was done byLavers, Barraud and Westlake.[13]

Saint Matthew's was completed in 1875, having taken less than 2 years to build. The church and the original vicarage were paid for by one man, William Matthew Coulthurst, who was the senior partner ofCoutts Bank.On the outside of the east end of the church, there is a stone plaque recording this and the fact that it was partly built in memory of Hannah Mabella Coulthurst, the dead sister of William Matthew Coulthurst. Built into the wall behind the plaque, there is a photograph of Hannah, a copy of 'The Times' newspaper of the day and a letter from William Coulthurst stipulating that the church should remain in the evangelical tradition. The church andvicaragecost £26,500. The old vicarage was pulled down in 1939 and a subsequent one was built on the same plot. In 2012, work started on a new vicarage on part of the plot and this was completed in 2013.[14]The East stained-glass window byHenry Holidaywas destroyed by aV-1 flying bombon 23 June 1944. They were replaced in 1953 with windows byHugh Easton,with his maker's mark of a weather vane signed H Easton with a cockerel on the top. The Clayton memorial triptych window was installed in 1921, designed byLouis Davis,'the last of thePre-Raphaelites', and made by Thomas Cowall (1870-1949) forJames Powell and Sons.The Caporn memorial window was installed in 1970 and designed byW T Carter Shaplandwho had also designed the West window atSt Mark's.Some of the original windows by Powell & Sons survive, known as Quarry windows because they are made up of pre-stamped diamond-shaped glass known as 'Quarries'.[15]

Other churches in Surbiton include Surbiton Hill Methodist Church on Ewell Road, opened in 1882,[16]and the Roman Catholic church ofSaint Raphael's,completed in 1848 and located to the north of Surbiton, in the Kingston upon Thames postal district.[17]

In recent years, Surbiton has become more diverse in terms of religion, the Surbiton area having aSikhGurdwara[18]and anOrthodox Jewishsynagogue.[19]According to the 2011 Census, Muslims form the largest minority religious community at about 5% of the population; the nearest mosque is located in Kingston upon Thames.

Nationality[edit]

Approximately 74% of Surbiton's residents at the 2011 Census were born in the United Kingdom (73% in Alexandra, 71% in St. Mark's, 75% in Surbiton Hill, 76% in Berrylands). The largest ethnic group, with two-thirds of the population, is "White British", with "White Other" the second largest group at just under 10%.

Sport[edit]

Surbiton Lawn Tennis Club hosted international tennis from 1900 (Surrey Grass Court Championships - SGCC) until 1981 at the tennis Club inBerrylands.From 1998 to 2008 international tennis returned to Surbiton with an event hosted by theLawn Tennis Association(LTA) and Surbiton Racket & Fitness Club (SRFC).The Surbiton Trophywas part of theATP Challenger Seriesand in 2009 the event was moved toNottinghamas part of a reorganisation by the LTA. The event came back to SRFC in 2015 and continues to be played at Berrylands.

Surbiton F.C.was a short-lived football club that was among the founders ofThe Football Associationin 1863. Surbiton is the current home of both male and female football teams, Darkside FC, Surbiton Wanderers and Surbiton Town Ladies FC.

Surbiton Hockey Club,established in 1874, is regarded as one of the best hockey clubs in the country. Its men's and ladies' 1st XIs currently both play in their respective national premier leagues, while its youth section regularly produces players of international quality.

Surbiton is also the home to Surbiton Croquet Club, which is amongst the strongest croquet clubs in the country and, with seven lawns, one of the largest.

TheCooper Car Companywas based in a garage on Hollyfield Road from 1946 to 1968, celebrating wins in the Formula One Constructors Championships in 1959 and 1960 and developing the iconicMini Cooperin 1961.

Popular culture and notable residents[edit]

Resident artists and writers[edit]

The clock tower, Surbiton, built to celebrate the Coronation of King Edward VII, 1902

The Pre-Raphaelite paintersJohn Everett Millais(1829–1896) andWilliam Holman Hunt(1827–1910) came to Surbiton in 1851, 26 years beforeRichard Jefferies(1848–1887). Millais used theHogsmill River,in Six Acre Meadow,Tolworth,as the background for his paintingOphelia.[20]Holman Hunt used the fields just south of this spot as the background toThe Hireling Shepherd.[21]

In the mid-1870s the novelistThomas Hardy(1840–1928) lived in a house called 'St. David's Villa' in Hook Road, Surbiton for a year after his marriage toEmma Gifford.[22]H.G.Wells,in his comic novelThe Wheels of Chance,describes the cycle collision of 'Mr Hoopdriver' and a 'Young Lady in Grey'; the young lady approaching 'along an affluent from the villas of Surbiton'. The writerEnid Blytonwas governess to a Surbiton family for four years from 1920, at a house called 'Southernhay', also on the Hook Road.[23]C. H. Middleton(1886–1945), who broadcast on gardening during theSecond World War,lived in Surbiton, where he died suddenly outside his home.[24]The artist who broughtRupert the Bearto life for a whole generation,Alfred Bestall,sketched out his cartoons from his home in Cranes Park, Surbiton Hill.

In popular culture[edit]

Surbiton was the setting ofKeble Howard's novelThe Smiths of Surbiton,published in 1906. The novel proved successful and led to two sequels,The Smiths of Valley View(1909) andThe Smiths in War-Time(1918), both also set in Surbiton.[25]

A 1972 episode ofMonty Python's Flying Circusfeatured a mock documentary which investigated whether the residents ofHounslow,another London area suburb, had long ago been descendants of the people of Surbiton "who had made the great trek north".[26]

Surbiton is popularly remembered as an icon ofsuburbiain such British television programmes asThe Good Life(starringRichard Briers,Penelope Keith,Paul EddingtonandFelicity Kendal), though location filming was done inNorthwood,North-West London,[27]andJohn SessionsandPhil Cornwell's comedy seriesStella Street.

Surbiton station features in the 2009 film version ofHarry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,with actorsDaniel RadcliffeasHarry PotterandMichael GambonasAlbus Dumbledore.Filming took place in November 2007.[28]The station also appears inAgatha Christie's Poirot:The Adventure of the Clapham Cook,[29]a 1989ITVadaptation of the short story byAgatha Christie.The station reflects the 1930sArt Decostyle that often featured in locations used in the series.[30]

The guitarist and singer-songwriterEric Claptonpurchased one of his first guitars from a shop in Surbiton calledBells;the shop has since closed.[31]

According to the cassette insert for the 1980s computer gameManic Miner,the mine complex in which the game action takes place was located "while prospecting down Surbiton way..."[32]

List of notable residents[edit]

Geography[edit]

The terrain of Surbiton is relatively flat, except for a small hill near its centre. It is part of theRoyal Borough of Kingston upon ThamesinGreater London,and borders theBorough of ElmbridgeinSurrey.Surbiton consists of several smaller areas, including much ofSeething Wells.

Nearby areas[edit]

Surbiton is apost townin theKT postcode area,consisting of the KT5 and KT6 postcode districts. KT5 includes Berrylands, Tolworth and part of Surbiton; and KT6 includes Tolworth, Long Ditton and part of Surbiton.

Gallery[edit]

  • The clock tower at Surbiton was built to celebrate the 1902 coronation of King Edward VII.
    The clock tower at Surbiton was built to celebrate the 1902 coronation ofKing Edward VII.
  • Claremont Road in Surbiton.
    Claremont Road in Surbiton.
  • Shops in Victoria Road, Surbiton.
    Shops in Victoria Road, Surbiton.
  • Surbiton War Memorial
    Surbiton War Memorial
  • The roundabout outside Surbiton railway station
    The roundabout outside Surbiton railway station
  • The bus shelter outside Surbiton railway station.
    The bus shelter outside Surbiton railway station.
  • Surbiton Branch Post Office, subsequently redeveloped by CNM Estates.
    Surbiton Branch Post Office, subsequently redeveloped byCNM Estates.
  • Surbiton Fire Station
    Surbiton Fire Station

References[edit]

  1. ^"Administrative Boundaries".maps.kingston.gov.uk.Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.Retrieved7 February2018.
  2. ^Sampson, June (1991).All Change; Kingston, Surbiton & New Malden in the 19th century(2nd ed.). St. Luke's Church, Surbiton. pp. 2–4.ISBN0950995800.
  3. ^"Population".data.kingston.gov.uk.Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.Retrieved7 February2018.
  4. ^"Standard Area Measurements (2016) for Administrative Areas in the United Kingdom".ons.maps.arcgis.Office for National Statistics.Retrieved7 February2018.
  5. ^abSurbiton.Oxford Reference.ISBN978-0-19-956678-5.Retrieved7 February2018.Suberton 1179, Surbeton 1263, Surpeton 1486, Surbiton 1597, that is 'the southern grange or outlying farm', from Old English su ̄th and bere-tu ̄n, so called in relation to Norbiton; both were granges of the royal manor of Kingston.
  6. ^"Railways South East".Retrieved10 August2007.A township developed on the hill near the railway. This was named New Kingston, New Town and Kingston-upon-Railway before becoming Surbiton
  7. ^"Train Timetable | South Western Railway".southwesternrailway.Retrieved18 June2019.
  8. ^"2017 UK general election results".The Electoral Commission.Retrieved7 February2018.
  9. ^"EU referendum results".The Electoral Commission.Retrieved8 February2018.
  10. ^"Local Elections - Thursday 3 May 2018".Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. 3 May 2018.Retrieved4 May2018.
  11. ^"Crossrail 2 Consultation Analysis"(PDF).consultations.tfl.gov.uk.Steer Davies Gleave /Transport for London.Archived(PDF)from the original on 3 June 2016.Retrieved7 February2018.
  12. ^McCormack, Anne (1989).Kingston upon Thames: A Pictorial History.Phillimore.ISBN9780850337167.
  13. ^Historic England."Christ Church (1080070)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved6 January2017.
  14. ^"St Matthew's Church - History".St Matthew's Church.Retrieved6 January2017.
  15. ^St Matthew's Church leaflet on the stained-glass windows
  16. ^"Surbiton Hill Methodist Church - History".St Matthew's Church.Retrieved29 May2020.
  17. ^Historic England."Church of St Raphael (1080045)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved29 May2020.
  18. ^"Gurudwara Guru Har Rai Sahib".Retrieved29 May2020.
  19. ^"Kingston, Surbiton & District Synagogue".Retrieved29 May2020.
  20. ^KoZola (21 April 2014)."Site of John Everett Millais' Ophelia as it is now on Hogsmill River Old Malden".Kingston Online guide to Kingston upon Thames.Retrieved26 June2023.
  21. ^"Collections".Manchestergalleries.org.Manchester Art Gallery.Retrieved14 July2017.
  22. ^ab"The surprising story of Thomas Hardy in Surbiton".Maproom.30 October 2016.Retrieved18 June2019.
  23. ^The Enid Blyton Society,Chronology,retrieved10 February2012
  24. ^Daniel Smith (2011)The Spade as Mighty as the Sword
  25. ^Kemp; Mitchell; Trotter (1997).Edwardian Fiction, an Oxford Companion.Oxford University Press. p.197.ISBN9780198117605.
  26. ^Monty Python's Flying Circus,Episode No. 28, first aired 28 October 1972
  27. ^The Good Life house for sale
  28. ^thisislocallondon.co.uk
  29. ^"The Adventure of the Clapham Cook".Agatha Christie's Poirot.Season 1. Episode 1. 8 January 1989. 38:28 minutes in.ITV.
  30. ^Rohrer, Finlo (15 November 2013)."Goodbye to the splendid 1930s world of Poirot".BBC News Magazine.Retrieved30 January2022.
  31. ^christies
  32. ^'Manic Miner - Instructions'at 20 GOTO 10 website
  33. ^"Abbatt, Marjorie".Oxford Dictionary of National Biography(online ed.). Oxford University Press.doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/49549.(Subscription orUK public library membershiprequired.)
  34. ^"Letter from Thomas John Barnardo".The Saleroom.Retrieved14 November2020.
  35. ^abcdef"Famous residents of Kingston, Surbiton and the local area".Kingston Online guide to Kingston upon Thames.7 October 2014.Retrieved18 June2019.
  36. ^"Memories of George Best".Surrey Comet.Retrieved16 November2020.
  37. ^"Alfred Bestall blue plaque".Open Plaques.Retrieved14 July2017.
  38. ^V&A Museum."Mrs Bryant's Pleasure".V&A Museum.Retrieved24 July2019.
  39. ^"Hillcroft College".London Parks and Gardens Trust. 1 April 2012.Retrieved24 July2019.
  40. ^"Paul Frecker - Fine Photographs".paulfrecker.Retrieved16 November2020.
  41. ^"Disabled people are confronting the spectre of social death | Jane Campbell".The Guardian.14 March 2017.Retrieved16 November2020.
  42. ^"The Cooper Car Company commemorated with an English Heritage blue plaque".English Heritage. 16 August 2018.Retrieved24 July2019.
  43. ^Walker, Tim (10 May 2020)."Lib Dem acting leader Ed Davey on the art of opposition homeworking".The New European.Retrieved16 November2020.
  44. ^"Ciaran Brown meets actress Susan George".ciaranbrown.Retrieved1 May2020.
  45. ^Nazia Dewji (26 April 2012)."Kingston women's cycling pioneer in line for award".Surrey Comet. Archived fromthe originalon 23 December 2014.Retrieved27 August2013.
  46. ^"James Johnston (@JayVJohnston) | Twitter".twitter.Retrieved14 July2017.
  47. ^"Surbiton High Pupils receive award at the National Awards Ceremony for WOHAA".Surbiton High School. 8 May 2014.Retrieved24 July2019.
  48. ^The Comprehensive Guide to the Victoria and George Cross."Dudley William Mason GC".VC Online.Retrieved24 July2019.
  49. ^"William Savage Newton".Commonwealth War Graves Commission.Retrieved18 June2020.
  50. ^"William Savage Newton".Masonic Great War Project.Retrieved18 June2020.
  51. ^"Notable Abodes - Alf Pearson (Musician)".notableabodes.Retrieved14 March2021.
  52. ^"Young artists will raise the roof of the Rose tonight".Surrey Comet.Retrieved16 November2020.
  53. ^Heritage, Stuart (18 June 2016)."Meet the Body Coach, the man with the million-dollar muscles".The Guardian.ISSN0261-3077.Retrieved1 May2020.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Surbiton&oldid=1228115070"