TWO SPANISH INFLUENZA VICTIMS IN SURBITON CEMETERY
The pandemic of 1918-1920 of what was known as “Spanish Influenza” killed about 250,000 people in Britain.
This is a PowerPoint presentation with notes of a talk, entitled “A history of Seething Wells, Surbiton”, that was given to Surbiton & District Historical Society on 1 September 2026. The talk explored the name, the place, its waters and the old waterworks which delivered filtered water to London consumers, thereby significantly to reduce the threat of epidemic cholera. It was the result of ongoing research and incorporated personal recollections and observations of changing features during walks around the area. Importantly, these included the decline of the site known as “The Filter Beds” which to local people had become an unofficial nature reserve.
The pandemic of 1918-1920 of what was known as “Spanish Influenza” killed about 250,000 people in Britain.
The first mission in Kingston upon Thames, mentioned in the Catholic Directory, was St. Raphael’s Church, in Surbiton.
Local historian Tim Everson’s collation of old and new photographs with informative captions…
Audrey Giles’ new book evolved from the research of a family anecdote about a railway accident in 1904 in which her grandfather, George Spencer, was seriously injured.