Meet the horseback protectors of Wimbledon Common
"A chap’s dog went into Beverley Brook and the chap went in to rescue him and ended up needing rescuing himself as he had become stuck."
Good morning Wimblers — I hope that you enjoyed last week’s newsletter. Please share this week’s edition and subscribe if you haven’t already. Your support has been amazing so far. If you’re in a local Facebook or WhatsApp group, please share our newsletters and help us grow our following.
Expect your usual snippets, a penthouse property and a video of the week that showcases just how brilliant Wimbledon Village is. We’ve also got a fascinating little interview with Wimbledon’s Mounted Keepers (the horseback protectors of the Common). Read all about their fantastic work further down.
Please keep sending in your comments, ideas and stories. Emails are always welcome as are comments below.
Please keep sending in your photos to zak@thewimble.com.
I think that’s it for now — happy reading.
News snippets 🗞
🚞 More disruption for Wimbledon Thameslink this week — a points failure between Wimbledon and Wimbledon Chase stopped passengers alighting from Wimbledon Chase to West Sutton on Tuesday. Check out more about it here.
💡 Merton Heritage Discovery Day will take place on the 17th of August — the event is a free showcase of the borough’s past and will include talks, children’s activities, art and workshops. Pre-booking is required for the talk, so click here for tickets.
🦋 The theme of this month’s Wimbledon Common Nature Club was ‘Butterflies’ — the meetings, which are aimed at 6-14-year-olds, teach children about nature and the value of the great outdoors. Last Sunday saw children and their families learn about the life cycle of butterflies, the variety of species and about how climate change is affecting insect life and biodiversity. Read more here.
Property of the week 🏡
Is that a penthouse? Yes, it absolutely is. I’ve always wanted to live in a penthouse; they feel so debonair. One moment you’re fixing a negroni in your open-plan kitchen, the next you’re staring out at the city, the lights shimmering like something out of a Jay McInerney novel. And for £775,000, this two-bedroom and two-balcony pad could be yours. Check out more details here.
Who are the mounted horsemen of the Commons?
This week I took a stroll up to the Ranger’s Office on Wimbledon Common to have a chat with John Shipton, Senior Keeper, and Angela Evans-Hill, Executive Assistant and Communications Officer, about the work that Wimbledon and Putney Commons do to keep the Commons safe and the community free from harm. Most of us have probably seen the Keepers on horseback, but what does it actually mean to be one? Check out their website for upcoming events and the history of the Commons.
Ok, first thing’s first, what is a Mounted Keeper?
J: In short, we’re responsible for the safety and security of the Common and its users. The Keepers carry out mounted horse patrols, ensuring that the Common is free from crime and anti-social behaviour. I think a good judge of our effectiveness is the sheer amount of individuals who feel comfortable walking alone across the Commons. There aren’t many other open spaces in London where you see the same.
A: Our whole operation was set up by parliament through the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Act of 1871. The Keepers are just one part of our team. Their job is all about providing a visible presence, enforcing byelaws and keeping the peace on the Commons. Yes, they look after the horses, but they also have to deal with anything from off-piste cyclists and barbecues to major incidents.
Does that mean you liaise with the police?
J: Oh, absolutely. But if anyone has a problem, they can phone the office and we’ll go out there and assess it. We have our own crash bags and defibrillator. If it’s something we can’t handle, then we will get other agencies involved like the police or ambulance service.
A: And if it’s a medical emergency, if it’s life or death, we advise people to call an ambulance first and get someone to call us too — we can get there quickly and make sure the medics can get where they need to be. That way there are multiple groups coming.
Take me through a day in the life of a Keeper
J: So the early Keeper starts at 7:00 AM and finishes at 3:30 PM, working right through their lunch break. They’ll come in, muck out and feed the horses, groom and tack up and be out on patrol by half eight. The next person is out on patrol by 10:00 AM. In summer, the latest we finish is 9:30 PM, and that keeper will have started at midday. Whilst we’re out there on patrol, we’ll have dozens of interactions. Now, an interaction doesn’t mean “hello” or “how do you do?” These are situations that need dealing with. In July, we had over 100 interactions; I think we had something like 50 with cyclists. Usually, that’s because they’re following Google Maps and ride straight through a “no cycling” sign. We also deal with “bandit” golfers who aren’t wearing the right kit or haven’t paid their green fee. And then there are the barbecues. Barbecues aren’t actually allowed on the Commons but a lot of people don’t know that. So that’s something we often deal with.
A: The office is also manned 24 hours on the telephone.
How does that work? Do the Keepers live nearby?
A: Most of the staff live on the Common. We’ve got four duty officers — I’m one of them — who take the phones home at night. We’ll also all be on radios. It’s called a 24-hour listening watch. So if anybody is out there in the evening and has an emergency, they can ring us and someone will be at the end of the phone to help.
J: When you work and live on site, it becomes a bit more than a job. It becomes a way of life. It’s not that any of us finish at 6:00 PM and say, “That’s it, I’m done. No one call me.” Most of us will put ourselves out there if something serious is happening and people need help.
What sort of serious incidents do you respond to?
J: Well, there’s a good example that happened recently: a chap’s dog went into Beverley Brook and the chap went in to rescue him and ended up needing rescuing himself as he had become stuck. Although we couldn’t rescue the guy ourselves, we were able to get to the scene as well as assisting the London Fire Brigade with logistics and transportation to the site.
A: A couple of weeks ago an air ambulance landed on the Common, which we knew nothing about until we arrived on the scene and found the area surrounded by the police. All of us mobilised. Even our maintenance team helped out. When it’s something like that, we’ll all pitch in. The only day the office isn’t open is Christmas Day, but even then we still have a Duty Officer and Keeper on call in case an incident occurs.
Does the tennis increase the rate of incidents because of the population swell?
J: Not as much since Covid, actually.
A: The biggest effect it has on us is the amount of complaints we get from people who think we run the tennis. People just Google “Wimbledon complaints” and our page comes up first. I get complaints about the strawberries and the tickets, which is quite amusing. But no, the tennis doesn’t have a huge impact on us.
How does a patrol work? What routes do you take?
J: [Stands up and points to a map behind me] Everywhere north of the Windmill Road is called Area A, between the Windmill Road and the Causeway is Area B and then the bottom half of the Common is called Area C. So when the first person goes out, they’ll cover A and B, and then the second person covers B and C. The whole Common gets covered. We break it down even more with search areas. Sometimes we’ll go down to Bluegate and go right through the woods and have a proper search. People might say, “Oh, I haven’t seen a Keeper in a week,” but we’re there. We’re out there 365 days a year.
Is each Keeper assigned a particular horse?
J: No, no. We normally have four horses and six keepers. We’re down to three horses and five keepers right now. We don’t allocate a keeper their own horse and that’s because each of us takes a particular route when patrolling. We don’t want a horse getting used to only one part of the Common. Another thing is that everyone has a different idea of how to maintain a horse and so sharing the horses between us means everything gets done properly.
A big part of your work as Rangers is about conservation and protection of the Commons. Tell me a bit about that.
A: 80% of the Commons are a Site of Special Scientific Interest. There are areas where we ask people not to take their dogs during nesting season and people often say, “Why? It’s just a bit of green space to come and walk my dog.” But it’s not just that, the Commons are really important for biodiversity — that’s probably a whole discussion in itself. The two most important messages I would put out there are that we’re a charity — the Commons aren’t owned by the council — and that visitors should have courtesy for everyone who uses the Commons as well as respect for the Commons themselves. The Commons are for everybody to use and enjoy, and everyone from golfers, horse riders, walkers and dog owners has different needs. Balancing those needs is our biggest job and everyone showing courtesy and understanding to everyone else is so important.
Photo of the week 📸
This edition’s photo of the week is a little different. Rather than having your usual picture, we’ve decided to feature this lovely video by Sarah and Cooper — two Aussie expats living in Wimbledon. Check out the video for some great shots of the Village and a summary of why Wimbledon is one of London’s top neighbourhoods. Please keep sending in your photos of the week to zak@thewimble.com
The Wimble’s to do list 🎯
🧘♀️ Free Yoga with Jiva — this week’s session will be run by Lisa and Tish who will focus on lymphatic drainage around the jaw and face. I can’t say I’m much of a yoga person (largely because I’m lazy and inflexible) but even I’m tempted by a free class. More info and who to email here.
Where: 19A Wimbledon Bridge, SW19 7NH
When: Friday 9th August, 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
🏃♀️ Wimbledon Common Parkrun — it’s time to put your running shoes on. Head up to the Windmill car park this weekend for a 5k community run. Those who aren’t avid runners can choose to jog, walk or just spectate. More details here.
Where: The Windmill car park (meeting point)
When: Saturday 10th August, 9:00 AM
🎨 Art Group at Wimbledon Guild — Whether you’re gifted with a brush or not, join in and paint landscapes, still life and portraits next week for just £4. More info about how to pay and book a space here.
Where: Drake House Hall, SW19 4ED
When: Tuesday 13th August, 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
🎟 Wimbledon Quarter gets its very own helter-skelter — as of Monday 12th August, Wimbledon is getting its own “mini-funfair”. Head down to the Quarter and experience the helter-skelter for just £1-2 a ride (all ages welcome). There will also be a children’s carousel but parental supervision is mandatory.
Where: Wimbledon Quarter
When: Monday 12th August - Sunday 1st September, 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
🍺 Beer Masterclass at the Hand in Hand — it’s time to pour a cold (or room temperature) one. General manager Andrew is back next week imparting his beer knowledge onto you lucky punters. Pop along and learn about the whole beer process before getting to try the stuff yourself (the best part). Email handinhand@youngs.co.uk to book a space.
Where: The Hand in Hand, Wimbledon
When: Wednesday 14th August, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Question of the week 🔍
Last week I asked you what the Buddhapadipa is famous for. The answer: it was the first Thai Buddhist temple to be built in the UK.
Q: Which famous science fiction novel features Wimbledon as the sixth landing spot for the Martian invasion?
You’re up to date 👋
Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter. I hope you enjoyed learning about the Mounted Keepers as much as I enjoyed visiting them. Keep sharing, subscribing and sending The Wimble to every person you know. Please send in your photos of the week, comment below and send me an email (zak@thewimble.com). Enjoy the rest of your week, take it easy and enjoy the sun whilst it lasts.
Fantastic edition of the Wimble, I loved the piece about the “horseback protectors” of Wimbledon common, I suspect a few people will now be applying to work with them!