Esher

Esher (

Esher is an outlying suburb of

Esher is bisected by the A307, historically the Portsmouth Road, which for approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) forms its high street. Esher railway station (served by the South West Main Line) connects the town to London Waterloo.

History

Esher lay within the

Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees owned a home called The Firs in Esher, during 1970s–2004 and sold after his death. This is where the hit single "Juliet" was written and recorded by Maurice and Robin Gibb for brother Robin's solo album project in the 1980s.^[9]

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle placed the murder of fictional character, Mr. Garcia, in and around Esher in his Sherlock Holmes mystery, "The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge". In the mystery, Dr. Watson described his and Sherlock Holmes' arrival in Esher by stating, "It was nearly six c'clock before we found ourselves in the pretty Surrey village of Esher, with Inspector Baynes as our companion."

Government

Esher is within the Esher and Walton parliamentary constituency which has been represented by Dominic Raab, a member of the Conservative Party, since 2010.^[10] The predecessor Esher parliamentary constituency was replaced on boundary changes before the 1997 general election.^[11]

Esher is part of the East Molesey and Esher ward of

Culture, community and sport

Cinema

The Everyman (formerly Odeon) cinema is a central feature of Esher's High Street with four screens.

Sport

Esher Cricket Club was established in 1863.^[16] They play matches in the Esher Park private estate, in New Road and have a youth cricket training and playing squad. The members of the cricket club also wanted to play tennis and established the Esher Lawn Tennis Club in 1889.^[17] A second cricket club arrived in 1875 as West End (Esher) Cricket Club.^[18]

Esher has a history with horse racing since the purpose-built

In 1881 Esher Leopold football club was established which was formed out of the ashes of the dissolved Weybridge Swallows club. The club played at Sandown Park, close to the racecourse.^[20] The club's sole contribution to the national game was its one appearance in the FA Cup, a 5–0 home defeat to the holders, Old Carthusians, in 1881–82,^[21] although the club did reach the semi-finals of the Surrey Senior Cup, losing to Reigate Priory.^[22] The club continued into the 1883–84 season.^[23]

Esher Rugby Club was established in 1923 and play on the Hersham borders at the Molesey Road stadium, where they have several training grounds there.^[24]

A smaller football club AFC Westend was established in 2003.^[25]

Amenities, local events and media

Esher Theatre is a 300 seat performing arts venue on Esher High Street, which opened on 4 September 2021.^[26]

Esher West End hosts an annual flower show and the

A weekly newspaper, Esher News and Mail, closed down in 2009. Current newspapers include the Surrey Herald: Cobham, Esher and Claygate edition and Living Within monthly magazine/newspaper.

Vantage points include various outcrops of Esher Commons close to Hersham, Cobham and Oxshott for free public use; Esher Place (national training centre of Unite, the union) where a grass garden amphitheatre was built by Lutyens for what was the manor house; the facilities at Sandown Park racecourse and Claremont Landscape Garden.

Housing

The average level of accommodation in the region composed of detached houses was 28%, the average that was apartments was 22.6%.

The proportion of households in the settlement who owned their home outright compares to the regional average of 35.1%. The proportion who owned their home with a loan compares to the regional average of 32.5%. The remaining % is made up of rented dwellings (plus a negligible % of households living rent-free).

Notable residents

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Esher" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (January 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

• Pattie Boyd (1944–), model and photographer.^[27]
• John Cobb (1899–1952), racing driver.^[28]
• Maurice Gibb (1949–2003), pop musician.^[9]
• George Harrison (1943–2001), musician.^[27]
• Lily James (1989–), actress.^[29]
• Sam Kelly (1943–2014), actor.^[30]
• Roots Manuva (1972–), hip-hop musician.^[31]
• Sophie Dora Spicer Maude (1854-1937), writer
• Montague Phillips (1885-1969), composer, lived at Clare Cottage, Clare Hill for 50 years.^[32]
• Roger Scantlebury (1936–), computer scientist.
• Eric Sykes (1923–2012), comedic actor and writer.^[33]
• Chris Tarrant (1946–), television light entertainment presenter.

See also

• St George's Church, Esher
• Wayneflete Tower
• West End, Esher
• Lower Green, Esher
• William Brett, 1st Viscount Esher

Notes and references

Notes

References

1. ^
   United Kingdom Census 2011 Office for National Statistics
   Retrieved 21 November 2013
2. Office for National Statistics
   . Retrieved 24 August 2020.
3. ^ ^{a b} Samuel Lewis, ed. (1848). "Erith – Essex". A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
4. ^ ^{a b} H.E. Malden, ed. (1911). "Parishes: Esher". A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 3. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
5. ^ Surrey Domesday Book Archived 30 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine
6. ISBN 0-948667-66-4
   .
7. ^ The Annual Register for the Year 1908, p. 146, reads: November. ... On the 2nd, aged 67, Sir Robert Hawthorn Collins, K.C.B., K.C.V.O., tutor of the Duke of Albany (H.R.H. Prince Leopold) and afterwards Comptroller of his household. The Times, 3 November 1908 p. 11 Obituary reads: Sir Robert Hawthorn Collins, K.C.B., K.C.V.O. died shortly after 1 o'clock yesterday morning at Claremont Palace, Esher...had acted as comptroller of the household of the Duchess of Albany
8. ^ England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) 1908. Sir Robert Hawthorn Collins of Broom Hill Esher Surrey K.C.B. K.C.V.O. died 2 November 1908 at Claremont Esher aforesaid Probate London 30 December to Henry John Collins solicitor and Edward Arthur Wightwick stockbroker. Effects £40153 11s. 6d
9. ^ ^{a b} White, Roland (22 June 2003). "Last records of a Bee Gee's life". Sunday Times. London. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
10. Elmbridge Borough Council. Archived from the original
    on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
11. ^ Oliver Florence (23 April 2010). "Ian Taylor looks back on 23 years as an MP". Get Surrey. Archived from the original on 27 December 2010. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
12. ^ Web Operations Team (25 August 2009). "Cooper, Nigel". Surrey County Council. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
13. ^ ^{a b} Hannah Blackburn (7 March 2012). "Surrey County Council – Schools by Location". Surrey County Council. Archived from the original on 19 October 2011. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
14. ^ Ian Fuoco (2 March 2012). "School status changes in academic year 11-12". Surrey County Council. Archived from the original on 19 April 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
15. ^ "Hinchley Wood School and Sixth Form Centre". BBC News. 19 October 2005. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
16. ^ "History". Esher Cricket Club. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
17. ^ "Our History". Esher Lawn Tennis Club. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
18. ^ "About West End Esher Cricket Club". West End Cricket Club. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
19. ISBN 0233977546
    .
20. ^ "Esher Leopold 0-5 Old Carthusians". Athletic News: 5. 9 November 1881.
21. ^ "report". Field: 709. 12 November 1881.
22. ^ "Reigate Priory 5-0 Esher Leopold". West Surrey Times: 4. 17 March 1883.
23. ^ "Esher Leopold v Kingston". Sporting Life. 4. 7 December 1883.
24. ^ "History of Esher Rugby Club". Esher Rugby Club. Archived from the original on 28 April 2010. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
25. ^ "About the Club". AFC Westend Football Club. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
26. ^ Esher Theatre - Find Us Retrieved 21 July 2023
27. ^ ^{a b} Smurthwaite, Tom; Larter, Grahame (24 May 2017). "Beatles guitarist George Harrison blue plaque unveiled by first wife Pattie Boyd at former Esher home". Surrey Live. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
28. ^ "Mr John Cobb". The Times. No. 52430. London. 30 September 1952. p. 8.
29. ^ Hoffman, Grace (31 January 2022). "Pam & Tommy: Lily James's early life in Surrey, family tragedy and ex-relationship to Doctor Who star". Surrey Live. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
30. ^ Davison, Phil (16 January 2014). "Obituary: Sam Kelly, actor". The Scotsman. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
31. TheGuardian.com. Archived
    from the original on 8 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
32. ^ Norris, Gerald. A Musical Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1981), p. 273
33. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/105345. (Subscription or UK public library membership
    required.)

External links

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