Mention Wimbledon and most people immediately think of the world-famous
tennis tournament, which is the oldest tennis championships in the world
having taken place at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club since
1877. However, the history of the area far surpasses that of the
prestigious championships. Wimbledon has been inhabited since the Iron
Age. The original medieval village - now known as Wimbledon Village -
developed with a stable rural population co-existing alongside nobility
and wealthy merchants from the city. The arrival of the London & South
West Railway in 1838 saw the focus of subsequent developments shift away
from the original village towards the town. The neighbouring district of
Southfields was largely an area of fields between the villages of
Wimbledon and Putney, until the coming of the railway in the late
nineteenth century, connecting Wimbledon to Putney Bridge. It has since
grown into an area of Victorian and Edwardian houses. In this book,
author Ruth Mansergh uncovers aspects of Wimbledon and Southfields' past
that are lesser known in the present day. The author discovers tales of
highwaymen on Wimbledon Common and the visit of Kaiser Wilhelm II in
1891, who was honoured with a grand military display here. Other
chapters explore interesting buildings, industry (from basketmaking to
toys and sauce manufacturing), notable people, wartime and the
development of Wimbledon town. Secret Wimbledon & Southfields presents a
fascinating chronicle of the intriguing and hidden heritage of the area.
