a list of people from the borough of Hounslow (alphabetical order)

Cecil Aldin - artist and illustrator. Best known for his paintings of animals and rural life, for example "Debbie does Calculus" and "Socially awkward sheep wanders off on his own".

Jack Beresford - British rower who won medals at five Olympic Games in succession, was so devoted to rowing that he slept in a boat. When he got married, he compromised and got a water bed.

Alec Dickson - founder of Voluntary Service Overseas. Conceived the idea of sending volunteers to developing countries. Legend has it that no-one asked him to come up with the idea, he just proffered it. Just like that. On a plate, made out of recycled elephant dung.

Michael Flanders - entertainer, lived in Chiswick from 1971 to 1975.
One half of Flanders and Swann. First half. Hobbies included ducking and breathing.

Sir Stephen Fox - politician, had a country retreat in Chiswick from 1663. And with a name like Fox, boy did he need it.

E. M. Forster – famous author, a blue plaque in Arlington Park Mansions commemorates the flat where he lived until his death in 1970. Very nice flat, but no windows.

Elias Henry "Patsy" Hendren – cricketer. Was a first-class batsman despite having no knees.

William Hogarth - country home at Chiswick from 1749 until his death. His next door neighbour had a highly contagious rash. Died by chicken poxy proxy.


Joe Miller - actor, lived at Strand-on-the-Green from 1686 to 1738. Some historians claim he didn't actually live there but was merely playing the part of a local resident.


Alistair Overeem - mixed martial arts fighter, born in Hounslow. Specialised in combining jujitsu moves with recitals of Italian Renaissance Feminist poetry. Once paralysed a man with a sonnet.


Lucien Pissarro - artist, coined the term piss-artist. Key influence on Tracy Emin.

Redgrave family - actors, lived at Bedford House from 1945 to 1954. Divided their time between the following four rooms:
1945-47 Kitchen. 1947-50 Dining room. 1950-53 Living room. 1953-54 Bedroom.
1954 Moved into a new house with a toilet.

Sergey Stepnyak-Kravchinsky - Russian revolutionary. Famously started his day with supper and had breakfast before going to bed as a political protest against the Csar.

Tuke family - mental healthcare reformers. Campaigned tirelessly for the humane treatment of the insane. Quaker family who believed fervently that Jeremy Kyle was the devil incarnate.


Vincent van Gogh - lived briefly in Isleworth, before moving to France where he cut off a bit of his ear, shot himself in the chest. In a letter to his brother he reveals that things would have been a lot worse for him had he stayed in Hounslow.

i didn't vote in the last election

i didn't vote
in the last election
i couldn't vote
in the last election
i was in a boat
in the last election
nowhere near a polling booth

cherie booth
was sailing by in a brand new fishing smack
i waved at her and she waved back,
with a brand new yellow jack
"are you not voting today, cherie?" i asked
"no way, you have got to be joking" said cherie, "for years my husband was a political hack -
i'm through with all that crap"

dugong dreams

coffee and lemons

gemma's chair