The Teddington Society helped mark the 250 year anniversary of Peg Woffington Cottage with a celebratory coffee, birthday cake and champagne morning party.
Peg Woffington was a popular actress who was romantically linked with another local famous actor David Garrick who lived in Hampton Hill. Their plans to marry never materialised and in 1744 she moved to Teddington.
The cottages were almshouses built in the 1750′s and it is thought that Peg gave these to the poor of the parish. She is buried in nearby St Mary’s Parish Church.
Photos courtesy of Duncan Shuttleworth (Teddington Society).
My mother was cook at this restaurant in 49/50. I was nine or ten. I used to run errands for the kitchen. I still have a scar in the crook of my arm from carrying an extra heavy load one Saturday.
The last owner we worked for was Captain Hazelwood. His wife was the manager. He was a captain for the P&O line. He retired and he and his wife wanted to adopt me. My mother turned them down. I never forgave her for that.
There is a story that King Charles was her “visitor”( peg not my mum) frequently. There is supposed to be a secret tunnel going to the old church. I spent many hours looking for it but no luck.
I now live in Burnaby BC Canada but I often think of the happy times I spent playing by the locks and helping the guy close and open the gates.
Is the old argument about the name teddington still alive and well. I am a supporter of the homestead for the sons of tedder as the true name. If the wier was not there the tide would end up by Hampton court
JR
By: jon richmond on November 28, 2009
at 6:31 pm
Thanks for the info & memories Jon – very interesting. I think the cottage was still a tea room until only a few years ago. It only occasionally opens now for notable occasions.
It’s still not clear where the town name came from – I don’t think we’ll ever know for sure.
Also according to Thames Landscape Trust, Teddington is no longer the last tidal lock on the Thames – it’s Molesley, so the Thames between Teddington and Hampton Court is now tidal! I see your point about the whole ‘tide end town’ theory though – before the weir was constructed only a few hundred years back, presumably the town would have had a different name.
By: mrbeamish on November 28, 2009
at 6:55 pm
I was so interested to hear about the cafe. I worked at the AA in Teddington in the early 60′s and had many a delicious lunch at Peg Woffingtons. I remember they made very good soups and traditional roasts. Very home made cooking.
By: tricia davies on November 9, 2010
at 5:11 pm