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First New Town Twinning Information Board Unveiled
L-R. Councillor Penny Frost, REA secretary, Carol Wain, REA chairman, Alan Mockford, Ulrike Dunkley, the mayor, Geoff Acton, & designer, Hugh Morrison.The mayor & REA chairman beside the new information board
Thursday 10th September 2020. The mayor of Richmond, councillor Geoff Acton, unveiled the first of the magnificent, new Town Twinning Information Boards in the Terrace Gardens, Richmond Riverside. The boards were commissioned by REA, with the aid of a Civic Pride grant, to commemorate the reaffirmation of the partnerships with Fontainebleau & Konstanz, which had been due to take place in Richmond in June 2020, but which have had to be postponed because of the pandemic.
Geoff addressed a gathering of REA members, limited to 30 in number because of the coronavirus, in beautiful autumn sunshine. St. Margaret’s Elastic Band, which is partnered with Union Musicale de Fontainebleau, played appropriate French, German & English music.
Social distancing was strictly observed.
The mayor, who is one of the three patrons of REA, along with the mayors of Fontainebleau & Konstanz, said that the council fully supports the strengthening of Richmond’s bonds with our European partners & that this work is even more important in the light of Brexit.
The mayor with Hugh Morrison shortly after the unveiling.
The information board in the Terrace Gardens stands next to a commemorative tree which was planted by the three mayors in 1990. The second board in Orleans House Garden will be unveiled by council leader, Gareth Roberts, on 1st October. The boards, which are identical, were designed by REA, treasurer, Hugh Morrison.
A close up picture of the new information board.
It is hoped that the information boards will raise awareness of the twinning for decades to come. A film of both ceremonies will be posted on this website in October. The film will also provide a digital record of both events for posterity.
Miss Twickenham
REA member, Davina Constance Marsh, as Miss Twickenham, has reached the final of the Miss British Isles competition. Davina is the daughter of REA members, James & Edwina Marsh, & was the first twinning baby. James comes from Richmond & Edwina from Konstanz. They first met and fell in love in Richmond 30 years ago during the reaffirmation celebrations in 1990. Edwina writes…
“The first time I set eyes on James he was wearing a blue blazer, tartan tie & slacks and holding an umbrella against the typical English summer weather outside the Richmond Gate Hotel. James had already been on several exchange visits to Konstanz with the Richmond & Twickenham fencing club and in June 1990 they were hosts to the Fechtclub Konstanz. I just came along as a guest with my parents’ twinning association, the Freunde für Richmond. My sister Ira was a member of the Fechtclub, so she already knew James, although I was working for a fashion house in Switzerland.
The bride & groom on the flower island of Mainau
In February 1991 James proposed in the snow outside the opera house in Vienna and in the spring of 1992 we were married, first here in Richmond at the registry office in a civil ceremony, with the Richmond mayor & a Konstanz official in attendance. A week later the church wedding took place on the beautiful flower island of Mainau in the baroque chapel of Count Bernadotte’s palace.
After a three week honeymoon, staying at a coastal villa near Athens & touring the Greek islands, we settled down to our new life in Whitton & in 1999, Davina Constance Marsh, the first twinning baby, was born.”
Twenty-one years later we wish Davina every success in the final of the Miss British Isles competition, which is to be held in Chester on 27th September.
Town Twinning Signs Refurbished
The refurbished sign on the A316
You might have wondered what had happened to the 15 cast iron town twinning signs which used to greet travellers as they entered the borough. They are 30 years old & had been returned to the foundry for refurbishment. However they are now back in place & look magnificent.
Even better news is to follow. A few boundary crossings still lacked a twinning sign so a further 7 new ones have been ordered & these will be installed shortly in the following locations:
Barnes: Mill Hill Road & Queens Ride.
Whitton: Hounslow Road & Rugby Road.
Hampton: Lower Sunbury Road & Oak Avenue.
Twickenham: London Road.
The sign on the A316, which is the main road into the borough from the west, had been in the worst condition, but has now been restored to its original glory.
A New Patron for REA
Geoff with his consort, Eileen McManus, in the garden of York House.
Geoff Acton, the new mayor of Richmond, has accepted an invitation to become one of the three patrons of REA, along with Frédéric Valletoux, the mayor of Fontainebleau & Uli Burchardt, the Oberbürgermeister of Konstanz. Geoff has been a member of REA for over 12 years. He has already been to Konstanz for Fasnacht in 2009 & has spent holidays in Fontainebleau.
Geoff says he supports twinning because, “It promotes connection with European neighbours & provides many cultural, sport, art & business opportunities as well as friendship & goodwill.”
The charities which the mayor will be supporting during his year of office are the South West London Environment Network & A Dose of Nature, both of which seem particularly appropriate given the environmental theme for the reaffirmation of the partnerships with Fontainebleau & Konstanz, which is due to take place in Richmond next year.
For further information please click on the following links.
26th June. The new ferry which will operate between Konstanz and Meersburg arrived in Konstanz for fitting out. With its Rolls-Royce gas turbine engines it will be one of the most environmentally friendly ferries in the world. At 80 metres in length it can transport up to 62 vehicles & 700 passengers on each crossing. If all goes to plan it will begin operation in early 2021.
To see a short film about the new ferry please click on the following link.
Konstanz from above. The old town lies to the left of the Rhine. The university overlooks the garden island of Mainau on the right. The island of Reichenau can be seen in the background. Photo: Achim Mende
Our chairman came across this stunning bird’s eye view of Konstanz during his recent visit. Permission was sought from the photographer, Achim Mende, to use the photograph on the two new information boards which are being installed in Richmond to celebrate the reaffirmation.
A Royal Visit to York House
The Duke & Duchess of York with their daughter, the future Queen Elizabeth II, in 1926.
REA committee member, Anthony Bailey, recently drew our attention to archive footage of the Queen’s parents, the future King George VI & Queen Elizabeth, visiting the town hall in Twickenham in 1926. They are accompanied by King Manuel II of Portugal who was living in exile in Twickenham.
For more information about King Manuel’s links with Twickenham and The Portuguese Appeal, a new local charity fostering Richmond’s ties with Portugal, please click on the following link.
REA member, Davina Constance Marsh, as Miss Twickenham, has reached the final of the Miss British Isles competition. Davina is the daughter of REA members, James & Edwina Marsh, & was the first twinning baby. James comes from Richmond & Edwina from Konstanz. They first met and fell in love in Richmond 30 years ago during the reaffirmation celebrations in 1990. Edwina writes…
The sign on the A316, which is the main road into the borough from the west, had been in the worst condition, but has now been restored to its original glory.
