Our May monthly meeting will be a talk by Nick Higham on his recently published book, “The Mercenary River“. He tells the story of the development of London’s water supply from the Middle Ages to the present day. For centuries London, one of the largest and richest cities in the world, struggled to supply its citizens with reliable, clean water. 

The book tells a tale of remarkable technological, scientific and organisational breakthroughs; but also a story of greed and complacency, high finance and low politics.

Nick Higham’s book uncovers the murky tale of how the most powerful steam engine in the world was first brought to London; the extraordinary story of how one Victorian London water company deliberately cut off 2,000 households, the details of a financial scandal which brought two of the water companies close to collapse in the 1870s; and asks whether today’s 21st century water companies are an improvement on their Victorian predecessors.

Nick Higham is a retired BBC journalist and he will be signing copies of his book at the end of the talk.

The meeting is on Tuesday 10th May 2022, beginning at 7.30pm. We meet at our usual venue: United Reformed Church, Rookstone Road, SW17 9NQ (Tooting Broadway tube, G1,270,280,57,127,264,355,77,44,333 buses)

Roger Wates from E & A Wates will be talking at our March meeting about the history of this long-established Tooting business. There will also be an exhibition of photos and items connected with the company. Come and hear the history of furnishing Tooting.

The River Wandle was once heavily industrialised. It now forms a tranquil backwater through 8 miles of South West London. Come and hear about the industrialisation and de-industrialisation of the Wandle at our next meeting. John Phillips, our speaker, has edited The Wandle Guide and speaks regularly at local history societies.

The meeting is on Tuesday 11th February at 7.30pm at The United Reformed Church in Rookstone Road SW17 9NQ (Details here)