The town of Richmond grew around the Tudor royal palace by the River Thames. Much of the land was used by the royals for hunting, first in the Old Deer Park and then in Richmond Park, but in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the area became a fashionable place of residence close to London, particularly around Richmond Hill. The Hill has also been home to rock and roll royalty including Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton and Pete Townshend. The town expanded into a municipal borough in 1890 and is now part of London, a thriving shopping and cultural centre for the area. This book explores the lesser-known episodes and characters in the history of Richmond through the years, from its royal beginnings, the establishment of a tapestry works at Mortlake, the connection with the River Thames through boatbuilding and the ferry before Richmond Bridge was built, home of the artistic and other famous people including three leading explorers, to the secret nineteenth-century plot to destroy Kew Gardens and the story behind the establishment of the Poppy Factory in 1922.

With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked-away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, Secret Richmond upon Thames will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this corner of south-west London.