Chiswick grew from a village on a bend of the River Thames to a fashionable retreat from London in the eighteenth century, then a suburb of London in the nineteenth century. The Palladian villa Chiswick House, with its landscaped gardens, was created by Lord Burlington in 1720 and artists and writers were drawn to the area, which also later became home to the Royal Horticultural Society and the first Garden Suburb at Bedford Park. Industries later associated with Chiswick included Thorneycroft marine builders and Fuller’s famous brewery. During the Second World War the first V-2 rocket to hit London fell on Staveley Road in Chiswick.
In A–Z of Chiswick author Andy Bull reveals the history behind Chiswick, its streets and buildings, industries and the people connected with the area. Alongside the famous historical connections included are some unusual characters, tucked-away places and unique events that are less well-known. Readers will discover tales of glamorous residents of Chiswick House and rare plants grown in its glasshouses, the early days of the Arts and Crafts movement, and writers, artists and actors among many other fascinating facts in this A–Z tour of Chiswick’s history. Fully illustrated throughout, this book will appeal to all those with an interest in this historic area of west London.
