IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Essex Court, Station Road, LONDON, SW13 0ER

The vehicle is based on a Bedford Rascal.

The Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association was set up in London by Samuel Gurney, an MP and philanthropist, and Edward Thomas Wakefield, a barrister, in 1859 to provide free drinking water. Originally called the Metropolitan Free Drinking Fountain Association it changed its name to include cattle troughs in 1867, to also support animal welfare. It must have been difficult to get such a long name onto their drinking troughs. The trough below must have been for dogs. In this photograph, Barnes Pond is in the background. The area around Barnes Pond is carefully brightened with wildflower areas and other plantings as seen here. Another example of a former horse trough can be seen at https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2586889

The Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association was set up in London by Samuel Gurney, an MP and philanthropist, and Edward Thomas Wakefield, a barrister, in 1859 to provide free drinking water. Originally called the Metropolitan Free Drinking Fountain Association it changed its name to include cattle troughs in 1867, to also support animal welfare. It must have been difficult to get such a long name onto their drinking troughs. The trough below must have been for dogs. In this photograph, Barnes Pond is in the background. The area around Barnes Pond is carefully brightened with wildflower areas and other plantings as seen here. Another example of a former horse trough can be seen at https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2586889

Sign on a triangular piece of grass, across the road from Barnes Green and the pond.

Swans on a triangular piece of grass, across the road from Barnes Green and the pond.

Swan on a triangular piece of grass, across the road from Barnes Green and the pond.

Swans on a triangular piece of grass, across the road from Barnes Green and the pond.

A pleasant focus to the area.

The freehold of Barnes Pond and Barnes Common is held by the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral after the Manor of Barnes was granted to them by the Saxon King Athelstan who reigned from 924 to 938 AD. Since the Metropolitan Act of 1866 Barnes Green has been the responsibility of the local authority. Cattle were grazing on Barnes green well into the 19th century and carts were taken into the pond in the summer so that the water could swell the wooden wheels making them a tight fit in their metal rims. Originally the Great Pond, known today as Barnes Pond, was one of four ponds on the Green, possibly used to water cattle. In 1388, the designated Rector of the nearby St Mary's Church was given the right to keep and catch fish in the Great Pond as well as a smaller pond. For many years Barnes Pond was linked by pipe to the Beverley Brook but since the 1970's it has relied on groundwater, rainwater and mains supplies. In 2001 there was a leak and all the water drained away. During reconstruction it was discovered that the water had disappeared down a long-forgotten pipe beneath the pond which was installed in 1893 and used to flush the sewers with pond water. The pond was reshaped, relined and refilled in 2003.

The pond was originally one of four on the common. For many years it was linked to Beverley Brook by pipes, but since the 1970s it was relied on rainwater, groundwater and rainfall. The pond was relined, reshaped and refilled in 2003, two years after a leak which saw the pond's water disappear down a long-forgotten pipe built in 1893 allowing pond water to be flushed into the sewers.