Cycling Blue Plaques.

My replacement Garmin - to my replacement Garmin, arrived last week. (Don't ask, it's a long story!). Now I could plan rides and not just use Strava to record them. Where should I go?

Local lockdown rides near home were becoming predictable. We've all felt this. A new challenge was needed.  Previously I'd stumbled across a Blue Plaque, commemorating Walter De La Mare, at the end of a terraced street - Montpelier Row in Twickenham. That was it! I'd search out other Blue Plaques, riding to explore different parts of South West London.

The inspiration!

London's Blue plaques link the people of the past with the buildings of the present. There's over 900, run by English Heritage. Most are in central London, close enough to explore on foot, but plenty in outer boroughs to get round by bike. https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/about-blue-plaques/ There's also an English Heritage Blue plaques app.

I found an interactive map locating the Plaques. https://www.arcgis.com/apps/TimeAware/index.html?appid=b69ac4493cf64e088f4883c637933e55

There are around 30 Plaques in Wandsworth, slightly less in Richmond, and half that in Merton. To narrow-down which ones to visit, I decided on a thematic approach - writers, poets and novelists! From this I chose 7 locations. It was a case of joining-up the dots - (i.e. Plaques), spaced far enough apart to provide a coherent, roughly circular route, of around 25miles, using quiet roads as far as possible. No doubling-back allowed! The course, planned on my Mac, was loaded onto my Garmin. Eastwards to Tooting, north to Wandsworth, along the Thames to Putney, west into Richmond, then skirting Richmond Park back to Wimbledon.

The first port-of-call was Trinity Road, Tooting, where Thomas Hardy lived. Novelist, notably 'Far from the Madding Crowd', (1874), Hardy was keen cyclist, encouraged by his wife Emma, reputably one of the first women cyclists in the country. Hardy cycled with T.E. Lawrence, aka Lawrence of Arabia, all over Dorset, as well as long-distance cycle tours. Apparently, Emma cycled in a green velvet cycling outfit, that matched her green bike, 'Grasshopper' - maybe setting today's fashion trend for colour-coordinated lycra and bike? She accompanied Hardy on his 'Red Cob', although she often rode, whilst Hardy walked.

 Thomas Hardy circa 1896

More up to date, CTC West Sussex hold an annual 20 mile Thomas Hardy themed cycle ride, starting in Dorchester, visiting sites linked to the author. (Unfortunately, like most cycle events, cancelled this year).

Next up was The Pines, Putney Hill, where Charles Swinburne - poet, novelist, critic, lived from 1879. He was a controversial character - scandalising Victorian society, writing about taboo topics, such as lesbianism and cannabalism! An alcoholic, he died there in 1909.

A straight run along the Upper Richmond Road, normally choked with traffic, brought me to Hogarth House, Paradise Road, Richmond, home to Virginia Woolf and her husband, Leonard, in 1915. Rather grand too. Another troubled writer, one of her best-known novels was 'To the Lighthouse'. Records indicate that Leonard bought her a bicycle in 1914 - though I doubt whether she could manage Richmond Hill!

A climb up Hill Rise, with views out over Ham, followed by a detour around Sheen Common, led me to Roehampton, and the site of Manresa House, where Gerard Manley Hopkins, poet, taught and studied. (Now University of Roehampton).                              

Plaque to Gerard Manley Hopkins

Hogarth House, home to Virginia Woolf.

Then it was back to Wimbledon Park, where George Eliot, (pen-name of Mary Ann Evans), lived with her common law husband in the 1860's. Author of titles, including 'Middlemarch' and 'Mill on the Floss' they eventually moved to Witley, Surrey in 1876. 

Woodside, Wimbledon

 Paradise Street, Richmond.

Thomas Hardy, cycling author.

Holly Lodge, Wimbledon Park.

Thomas Hardy's house, 172 Trinity Road, Tooting.

I was now on more familiar ground, aiming for Wimbledon Common and Lauriston Road, where Robert Graves lived. From here it was a descent from Ridgeway, along Worple Road, to Woodside, (on Dave Vine's doorstep!) where Georgette Heyer was born at number 103. Author of numerous historical romance and detective fiction, Heyer lived here for the first 4 years of her life. 

                              

Next time perhaps I'll choose scientists, politicians, or artists - (Hans said there's a chap called Van Gogh who lived in Chiswick), and venture further afield. For those on Relive here's my route.
https://www.relive.cc/view/v8qkNxepE36