Borough of Richmond Upon Thames

This London borough is located in the southwest corner of London.  The River Thames flows for 21 miles right through the centre of this borough.  It’s former name was “Shene” and was changed to Richmond when the Earl of Richmond, who lived in Yorkshire and was later crowned King Edward VII, built a palace in the area. The area’s royal heritage preceded him as it was also the home place for kings and queens such as Henry I, Edward I, Edward II, Edward III, Richard II,  and the Tudors Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, James II and the Hanoverians until 1779.  King George V and his wife Queen Mary lived in the borough as well as the Edward VIII who abdicated his thrown to marry Wallace Simpson Browne.

Sports and Science have high profile venues in the borough.  Twickenham Stadium is home to the Rugby Football Union hosting England’s rugby union team and other high profile matches.  It is the second largest stadium in the UK with Wembley in the borough of Brent being the first.  It can seat 82,000 for rugby matches and 55,000 for concerts featuring such performers as the Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, Genesis, U2, The Police and R.E.M.  Before it was purchased, the land the stadium is built on was a market garden growing cabbages for London’s farmer’s markets.

The National Physical Laboratory is located in Bushy Park and is the largest physics organisation in the UK.  During World War II scientists made advances in World War II apparatus such as the Dambuster Bomb and in the floating harbours used in the D-Day landings. Today the laboratory maintains the national measurement standards and manages the MSF time signal used for radio controlled clocks. The borough is also home to the Poppy Factory where disabled ex-servicemen and women manufacture 32 million Remembrance poppies and 80,000 wreaths every year for Remembrance Day in November.

Prayer Requests for this Borough