IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Lacy Road, LONDON, SW15 1NR

According to the 1901 census, my great-grandparents lived just round the corner in Charlwood Terrace. That little street has been so transformed that the old 'omnibus driver' and his wife would scarcely recognise it - or so I fear. On the other hand, the terrace on the west side of Modder Place cannot have changed all that much in the space of 110 years.

This school stands at the corner of Hotham Road and Charlwood Road, and is said to date from 1867. There were once many such buildings across south London - though this is a particularly massive example. I spent six years of my childhood at St Michael's School, Southfields, which has also survived. St Michael's was smaller than this building, but even so rather a formidable environment for a five year-old. Seen looking north along Charlwood Road. The reproduction 19th century lamp-post is a sign that we are in a Conservation Area. A number of streets here retain a lot of genuine 19th century character - these lamp-posts seem bogus, and undermine it.

Parked cars spoil photographs of many an attractive street in Putney. Quill Lane is one of the exceptions as it is clearly too narrow for cars and has therefore been pedestrianised.

On the corner of Hotham Road to the right and Charlwood Road to the left, Hotham Primary School is another very impressive board school. The notice behind the tree shows that it was founded as Hotham Road Schools.

Hotham Primary School is a classic 'board school' It is seen here from Charlwood Road. For a close up of the school see http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2377263

Taking a photograph of some of the attractive streets in Putney is difficult because of parked cars. Quill Lane is one of the exceptions as it is too narrow for cars and has been pedestrianised.

This faded coat of arms has survived quite high up on the north facing wall of Hotham Road School. The arms were once a very familiar part of the London scene, especially in and around schools. People who know about heraldry would describe these arms in their own vocabulary, derived from medieval French. In present day English, I can say that the waves at the bottom should be blue on a silver ground; above those, there's a St George's cross, while the battlemented 'crown' was once gold. Come to think of it, it would be very pleasant to see the colours restored.

Charlwood Road is divided into two parts by Lacy Road. This is the northern part. It appealed to me because most roads in Putney are clogged by cars, which do not add to the view, but Charlwood Road here is too narrow for people to park their cars. On the other side of the road to the right (out of view) is Hotham Primary School - see http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2377263