150th Anniversary of Wimbledon Common and Putney Heath

The anniversary celebrations  arranged to be held at The All England Lawn Tennis Club's debenture lounge in Wimbledon, were delayed from last year owning to the Covid -19 disease from China. In the event, the celebration was held last week.

Mrs maytrees attended the celebrations last Saturday with  my youngest sister,  older brother and I.

We were early for the celebrations so first visited Wimbledon Park where although the golf club was still in operation. The old squash club and the sailing association were closed, perhaps because the AELTC has purchased most of those grounds presumably including the sailing lake, with a view to building a new tennis arena, with a bridge over to their existing main grounds. I gather too that the golf club will be closing for similar reasons.

We enjoyed the sunshine as we rested at the golf course.

Soon, the four of us departed for the AELTC museum which as always, was fascinating. The painting on the right of  presumably  a woman tennis champion, was particularly well done. After a quick look into the cafe which surprisingly was open, we entered the Debenture Lounge for the tea. The organisers had placed  name tags  for guests at the 14 or so round tables. The Debenture lounge I had not visited before as normally, entrance is reserved to debenture holders.

First though, glasses of Champagne were offered to guests and those serving the bubbly did not stint. Older brother enjoyed  four glasses (possibly more) and myself three. Traveling to the event by the 493 bus rather than by car, turned out to have been a wise move.

The sun was still shining (see right) as we sat down for the  tea (see above).  One of the advantages of an event such as this, is that in addition to seating with family or friends who were attending together, we were also seating with total strangers, which proved to be interesting. There were of course speeches and a prize quiz, which were respectively very informative and entertaining. 

One of the speeches dwelt on the foundation of the Common. This apparently arose some one hundred and fifty one years ago, through local people objecting to wealthy landowners seeking to enclose the land and sell it which would have prevented ordinary, less wealthy people from freely enjoying its use. Eventually an Act of Parliament was passed to preserve the  site as Wimbledon Common and Putney Heath. 

Local people are still elected essentially to act as trustees of  Wimbledon Common and Putney Heath,  as well as representatives from the Home Office and  the military, all of whom assist the dozen or so rangers  in its running, and so the Common survives to the present day. 

There is a local Commons rate to assist with the funding.  The amount of the usually modest  rate payable, is dependent upon the distance of the rated premises from the Common.

The guests, next to whom I was seated turned out to be two young hospital doctors recently engaged to be married and a friend of theirs who was a physiotherapist, so the conversation was interesting. Despite the hard work caused by the pandemic, none of them were proposing to leave the NHS anytime soon.

The most enjoyable tea came to an end in the early evening. Sister and brother took the 493 bus back to Wimbledon Station, whilst mrs maytrees and myself enjoyed the long walk home through Wimbledon Village.

An great  afternoon and evening for all concerned.