Petersham Farm, Richmond

IN DEPTH
Petersham Farm - read about Richmond Local History Society's campaign to preserve the meadows, occupied from 1870 when Hornby & Clarke rented the grazing for their dairy, to the National Trust caring for them since 2010.
1950's Hornby and Clarke advertisement showing Petersham Farm. (Courtesy Twickenham Park Residents Association)
1950's Hornby and Clarke advertisement showing Petersham Farm. (Courtesy Twickenham Park Residents Association)
1966 London Retail staff party at Petersham Farm. (Express News Autumn & Christmas)
1966 London Retail staff party at Petersham Farm. (Express News Autumn & Christmas)
1968 Petersham Farm childrens party attended by 1500. (Express News Christmas)
1968 Petersham Farm childrens party attended by 1500. (Express News Christmas)
1969 London Retail's annual childrens party at Petersham Farm. (Express News Christmas)
1969 London Retail's annual childrens party at Petersham Farm. (Express News Christmas)
1969 E.K. Robarts pays tribute to Petersham Farm, with Ken Northover pictured with 'Petersham Pixie' (Express News Autumn)
1969 E.K. Robarts pays tribute to Petersham Farm, with Ken Northover pictured with 'Petersham Pixie' (Express News Autumn)
1969 Petersham Pixie, queen of our Guernsey herd, wins the Hertfordshire County championship. Sharing the honours: Head Herdsman Ken Northover. (Express News Autumn)
1969 Petersham Pixie, queen of our Guernsey herd, wins the Hertfordshire County championship. Sharing the honours: Head Herdsman Ken Northover. (Express News Autumn)
1970 Petersham Farm annual childrens party. (Express News Christmas)
1970 Petersham Farm annual childrens party. (Express News Christmas)
1971 Petersham Farm's annual childrens' party had good weather this year. (Express News Christmas)
1971 Petersham Farm's annual childrens' party had good weather this year. (Express News Christmas)
1971 Thorpe Lea Nurseries and Petersham Farm success at the Royal Egham and Thorpe show
1971 Thorpe Lea Nurseries and Petersham Farm success at the Royal Egham and Thorpe show
1975 View of Express's Petersham farm, with Guernsey cows grazing below Richmond Hill.
1975 View of Express's Petersham farm, with Guernsey cows grazing below Richmond Hill.
1975 Roy Fiske of Thorpe Lea Nursery with Ken Northover of Petersham Farm
1975 Roy Fiske of Thorpe Lea Nursery with Ken Northover of Petersham Farm
1975 Ken Northover, Petersham Farm manager. Raffaele Ralph Phillips comments "I first met Ken when l was an apprentice at Morden South maintenance garage, we had to travel to Petersham Farm to service the tractor!! He was a typical farmer, with his Ooh arr accent, l thought he was from the West Country and not upper-class Richmond!!, but all in all he seemed a nice bloke. Strangely enough, very much later in life, I would walk along the River Thames from Teddington Lock to Richmond with the missus and would pass the farm frequently, which brought back memories of working at the farm on his Service Van (Ford Transit) and the old tractor!! " (Express News Christmas)
1975 Ken Northover, Petersham Farm manager. Raffaele Ralph Phillips comments "I first met Ken when l was an apprentice at Morden South maintenance garage, we had to travel to Petersham Farm to service the tractor!! He was a typical farmer, with his Ooh arr accent, l thought he was from the West Country and not upper-class Richmond!!, but all in all he seemed a nice bloke. Strangely enough, very much later in life, I would walk along the River Thames from Teddington Lock to Richmond with the missus and would pass the farm frequently, which brought back memories of working at the farm on his Service Van (Ford Transit) and the old tractor!! " (Express News Christmas)
1981 Views over South London and Surrey as seen from Richmon Hill (Express Jersey cows in the field below, at Petersham Farm)
1981 Views over South London and Surrey as seen from Richmon Hill (Express Jersey cows in the field below, at Petersham Farm)
1982 Tony Good announces the sale of the Guernsey herd at Petersham Farm. (Express News April)
1982 Tony Good announces the sale of the Guernsey herd at Petersham Farm. (Express News April)
2020's Petersham Meadows. In 1880 Mr Hornby obtained the tenancy for Petersham Farm and was soon joined by Mr Clarke to found the dairy of Hornby and Clarke. The Petersham herd supplied the milk. This business was a well-established and well-patronised feature of Richmond life until 1960 with shops selling their dairy products all over Richmond and South West London. The lease passed to Express Dairy in 1960. In 1982 private investors took over the lease, and they intended to maintain the dairy herd. However, it was impossible to maintain a viable dairy business in the face of the changing commercial environment and EEC regulations on milk production.
2020's Petersham Meadows. In 1880 Mr Hornby obtained the tenancy for Petersham Farm and was soon joined by Mr Clarke to found the dairy of Hornby and Clarke. The Petersham herd supplied the milk. This business was a well-established and well-patronised feature of Richmond life until 1960 with shops selling their dairy products all over Richmond and South West London. The lease passed to Express Dairy in 1960. In 1982 private investors took over the lease, and they intended to maintain the dairy herd. However, it was impossible to maintain a viable dairy business in the face of the changing commercial environment and EEC regulations on milk production.
2024 'The battle for Petersham Meadows', Express Dairy Tales publication from https://www.richmondhistory.org.uk/
2024 'The battle for Petersham Meadows', Express Dairy Tales publication from https://www.richmondhistory.org.uk/
2024 'The battle for Petersham Meadows', Express Dairy Tales publication from https://www.richmondhistory.org.uk/
2024 'The battle for Petersham Meadows', Express Dairy Tales publication from https://www.richmondhistory.org.uk/
2024 'The battle for Petersham Meadows', Express Dairy Tales publication from https://www.richmondhistory.org.uk/
2024 'The battle for Petersham Meadows', Express Dairy Tales publication from https://www.richmondhistory.org.uk/
2024 'The battle for Petersham Meadows', Express Dairy Tales publication from https://www.richmondhistory.org.uk/
2024 'The battle for Petersham Meadows', Express Dairy Tales publication from https://www.richmondhistory.org.uk/
2025, October. The cows have left Petersham Meadows to return to their winter home at a farm in the South Downs. The grazing season, with 7 heifers provided by a new grazier, has been a great success. Grazier, cows and local residents all seem happy. The cows were moved out on October 29th, and the hope is that 10 will return in late April or early May. The management of the meadow in this way is considered to be an optimal method of land management. New technology will be trialled next year, using collars and GPS to manage the optimal movement of the cows around the meadow. It is hoped there will be some "meet the grazier and cows" days next Spring/Summer to promote awareness of the cows on the meadow. (Information from Jonathan Wheeldon, the Richmond Society representative on the Petersham Meadows advisory committee. Photo by Lizzie Danckwerts)
2025, October. The cows have left Petersham Meadows to return to their winter home at a farm in the South Downs. The grazing season, with 7 heifers provided by a new grazier, has been a great success. Grazier, cows and local residents all seem happy. The cows were moved out on October 29th, and the hope is that 10 will return in late April or early May. The management of the meadow in this way is considered to be an optimal method of land management. New technology will be trialled next year, using collars and GPS to manage the optimal movement of the cows around the meadow. It is hoped there will be some "meet the grazier and cows" days next Spring/Summer to promote awareness of the cows on the meadow. (Information from Jonathan Wheeldon, the Richmond Society representative on the Petersham Meadows advisory committee. Photo by Lizzie Danckwerts)
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