Richmond House started its life in the latter half of the  17th century. The house lay within a striking area of land being ” 2 Acres, 1 Rood and 38 Perch’s in size!

Richmond House in about 1900

It was the residence of Francis Newport Earl of Bradford during Charles 11 reign. Generations after generations owned or rented the house.  The last owner Sir Edward Blakeney lived in the house which subsequently he took on a lease which he surrendered in 1867 to George Gordon Mackintosh Esq. J.P.  During its derelict period into the 20th century the mansion house came up for sale in 1923.  Twickenham Council eventually became the owner and it was considered for use by Scouting organisations.  It was not to be. They studied the feasibility of a swimming pool.  Twickenham residents were asked for their input to help the decision.

Pool Plans

After much planning, together with studying economical aspects, it was finally decided to build an open air Lido 165 feet long by 55 feet wide.  It was the ” age “for Lidos, swimming in the healthy open air.  Many were being built around that period. The Lido would be 3 feet at both ends with a 10 feet diving area in the centre to take diving boards between 1 Metre and 5 Metres high .  The pool would have filtration, and be the first English Bath to have a “Rotatherm” air and water temperature gauge installed.   There would be a café, sunbathing beaches, flower beds and floodlighting.  Building estimate would be £1240.  In 1924 Richmond House was demolished and the pool was built.

Text and Images provided with kind permission of Anne Green Jessel :-https://www.lostlidos.co.uk/2018/09/23/twickenham-lido-jubilee-year-1935/

Further Reading

Memories of Twickenham https://www.memoriesoftwickenhamriverside.com/richmond.html

Chronology

1643 Edward Birkhead (d1662), for a pew in the church
1662 Ellen Birkhead, widow
1680 John Izzard of Baldock, of a brewing family, he married Elizabeth Manison on 07 July 1655
1682 Francis Newport, 1st Earl of Bradford (d1708)
1708 Lord Torrington (1654/5-1719), son
1719 Lady Torrington (d1735)
?*Hilliard
1730 ?*Lady Montagu or Hilliard > 1734
1736 Anthony Browne 6th Viscount Montague (1686-1767)
House known as “Richmonds”
Lord North & William Townsend in Trust. Property enfranchised, formerly held of Lord of the Manor by Knight’s service
1741 Nicholas Friend
1744 Anthony Keck > 1765
1766 Mary née Fitzmaurice, Dowager Countess of Shelburne (d1780), widow of John Petty, 1st Earl of Shelburne (1706-1761)
1780 The Hon Thomas Fitzmaurice (Petty), son?
1790-1 John Symmonds
1792 Mrs Allanson (née Aislabie of Studley Park, Yorkshire)
1810 Martha, Countess of Elgin (d1810)
Lambert Blair
Lady de Crespigny
1813 Sir Claude Champion de Crespigny, 1st Baronet
1816 Mary Georgiana Seymour, later Mrs Lionel Damer (1798-1848. House rebuilt
1823 *John Robert Budgen
1829 House enlarged
The widowed Dowager Duchess of Roxburghe (d1838), wife of the Hon John Tollemache, who moved to York House in 1837?
Lord (Viscount?) Lowther, heir to the Earldom
*Sir Henry Willock
1845 *Lady Ann Murray (d1850), widow of Alexander, from Orleans House
1850 *Field Marshal Sir Edward Blakeney (1778-1868)
1855 *John Robert Dudgeon
1865 Field Marshal Sir Edward Blakeney (1778-1868)
1867 George Gordon Mackintosh (1812-1903), Bengal Civil Service 1830-60 (from no2 Sion Row)
1903 Mrs Jane Mackintosh (1829-1922) née Gardiner, niece of Sir Edward Blakeney
1923 Joseph Mears
1924 Twickenham UDC, house demolished