East Molesey
Encyclopedia
Molesey is a town in the Borough of Elmbridge
in Surrey
, England
. Situated on the outskirts of Greater London
, approximately 13 miles (20.9 km) from Charing Cross
, it is a typical suburban area. There are two distinct areas in the town: West and East Molesey. Neighbouring towns are Walton-on-Thames
, Sunbury-on-Thames
and Kingston-upon-Thames; nearby villages include Thames Ditton
and Hampton
.
Molesey now has a population of approximately 18,565.
in 666 A.D he secured from Frithwald
, sub-king of Surrey, a charter endowing the abbey with much of the surrounding land, including Muleseg. Etymologists
suggest the town's name is derived from the personal name Mul compounded with the Old English word eg, meaning an island or river meadow - thus Mul's Island. Therefore Molesey is not, as commonly believed, named after the River Mole
that runs through it. The prefix
es East and West did not appear until about the year 1200, before when there was only one parish centred around what we now call East Molesey. Molesey lay within the Saxon
administrative district of Elmbridge
hundred
.
East Molesey appears in Domesday Book
of 1086 as Molesham. It was held partly by John from Richard Fitz Gilbert
and partly by Roger d'Abernon. Its domesday assets were: 2 hide
s and 3 virgate
s. It had 7 plough
s, 2 ox
en, 32 acres (129,499.5 m²) of meadow
, woodland
worth 10 hogs. It rendered £6 15s 0d. Whilst West Molesey was held by Odard Balistarius. Its domesday assets were: 1 hide; 1 church, 5 plough
s. It rendered £4.
Molesey was one of the many villages and towns along the Thames valley affected by the flooding of the River Mole
in 1968.
East and West Molesey is officially divided by the Molesey Stone - it is located on the grass outside Molesey Library on Walton Road. A couple of years ago a car broke the stone but Elmbridge Borough Council were informed of the damage and repaired it.
and bears several large reservoirs which provide water for central London
. Some of these are now empty and are being converted into nature reserves. To the west lies Bessborough Reservoir
and Knight Reservoir
, to the northwest Molesey Reservoirs
, to the south Island Barn Reservoir
, and to the south-west Queen Elizabeth II Reservoir
.
Hampton Court Palace
sits opposite East Molesey, across the River Thames
from Cigarette Island and Hampton Court Rail Station and can be reached by Hampton Court Bridge
. Molesey Lock
is just above the bridge. East Molesey boasts some interesting landmarks, including The Bell, a public house
, formerly known as "The Crooked House" built in the mid-15th century.
centre of England
, and had a famous horse-racing track stretching the length of the River Thames
from where Hurst Park School now stands, down to Molesey Lock
. Much of the course was built on in the 1960s: the Hurst Park Estate has a mixture of three and two storey homes and a block of flats which overlooks the river. Some of the open space that was part of the racetrack is now a public park. There is a wide grass expanse, a playground and open access to the Thames. There are some large iron gates in the road called Graburn Way, which were built so that races then started just east of the road and enabled the course to have a 'straight mile'. Just beyond the gates used to be the home of the open air Upper Deck swimming pool. Popular with locals it was closed because of high maintenance costs by Elmbridge Borough Council. An indoor pool was built (on a different site) as a replacement but many feel that the Upper Deck was a community focal point as well as an amenity. Posh flats are now built on the site of the pool. The area was previously referred to as Moulsey Hurst
.
'Moulsey Hurst' is a very early site of cricket (from 1731) and that tradition is continued to this day by East Molesey Cricket Club
who were established in 1871.
Molesey Boat Club
(est. 1866) is one of the UK's leading rowing clubs, with several Olympic and World Championship medallists in addition to domestic success at all ages.
Molesey F.C.
is the main football team.
AFC Molesey (previously Claygate Swans F.C.) who play in the Kingston and District league, are based in West Molesey. Their popularity has grown significantly in recent years following them winning several honours including the Lower Junior County Cup in the 2007/08 season.
Molesey is also the drinking capital of England, with very few adults not drinking daily. It is considered a faux pas to refuse vodka when served it with your cereal. Most children are keg fed from birth and up to the age of death. Molesey has the highest number of breweries per capita in the country with approximately 3.576pp. Recently, wildlife has been affected by the unusually high levels of alcohol in the groundwater.
for a gig at the local Methodist Church. However, an organiser at the Church turned the then-unheard of band down as they were considered to be too arty.
, operated by South West Trains
. There is a regular stopping service to Waterloo. The route stops at Surbiton and Clapham Junction where connections can be made to Southbound services. The trip to Waterloo takes around 35 minutes and is popular with commuters. During the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show
extra services are provided to and from London. All the stations to Waterloo are Thames Ditton, Surbiton, Berrylands, New Malden, Raynes Park, Wimbledon, Earlsfield, Clapham Junction, Vauxhall and Waterloo.
Molesey's main bus service, the 411 (previously the 131 from West Molesey to Wimbledon), is operated by Quality Line
on behalf of Transport for London
. The route starts at Central Avenue in West Molesey and runs through East Molesey, past Hampton Court Station and on to Kingston town centre where there are connections to buses throughout the local area. The bus runs a good schedule throughout the day and late into the evening. It used to be a double decker but the service is now a single decker.
Musician, TV Presenter and ex-actor Matt Willis
moved to Molesey from Tooting
, South London
during his youth. Best known for being the bassist in the disbanded pop rock band 'Busted'. He released a solo album "Don't Let It Go To Waste" and won ITV
's 'I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!' in 2006. He also DJ-ed for many successful club nights in 2008.
Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, Lord Chancellor of England.
Elmbridge
Elmbridge is a local government district and borough in Surrey, England. Its council is based in Esher. The district has only one civil parish, which is Claygate...
in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Situated on the outskirts of Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
, approximately 13 miles (20.9 km) from Charing Cross
Charing Cross
Charing Cross denotes the junction of Strand, Whitehall and Cockspur Street, just south of Trafalgar Square in central London, England. It is named after the now demolished Eleanor cross that stood there, in what was once the hamlet of Charing. The site of the cross is now occupied by an equestrian...
, it is a typical suburban area. There are two distinct areas in the town: West and East Molesey. Neighbouring towns are Walton-on-Thames
Walton-on-Thames
Walton-on-Thames is a town in the Elmbridge borough of Surrey in South East England. The town is located south west of Charing Cross and is between the towns of Weybridge and Molesey. It is situated on the River Thames between Sunbury Lock and Shepperton Lock.- History :The name "Walton" is...
, Sunbury-on-Thames
Sunbury-on-Thames
Sunbury-on-Thames, also known as Sunbury, is a town in the Surrey borough of Spelthorne, England, and part of the London commuter belt. It is located 16 miles southwest of central London and bordered by Feltham and Hampton, flanked on the south by the River Thames.-History:The earliest evidence of...
and Kingston-upon-Thames; nearby villages include Thames Ditton
Thames Ditton
Thames Ditton is a village in Surrey, England, bordering Greater London. It is situated 12.2 miles south-west of Charing Cross between the towns of Kingston upon Thames, Surbiton, Esher and East Molesey...
and Hampton
Hampton, London
Hampton is a suburban area, centred on an old village on the north bank of the River Thames, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in England. Formerly it was in the county of Middlesex, which was formerly also its postal county. The population is about 9,500...
.
Molesey now has a population of approximately 18,565.
History
The earliest documentary evidence relating to a settlement in Molesey appears on a 7th century charter; shortly after Erkenwald founded Chertsey AbbeyChertsey Abbey
Chertsey Abbey, dedicated to St Peter, was a Benedictine monastery located at Chertsey in the English county of Surrey.It was founded by Saint Erkenwald, later Bishop of London, in 666 AD and he became the first abbot. In the 9th century it was sacked by the Danes and refounded from Abingdon Abbey...
in 666 A.D he secured from Frithwald
Frithuwald of Surrey
Frithuwald was a seventh century Anglo-Saxon ruler in Surrey, and perhaps also in modern Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, who is known from two surviving charters. He was a sub-king ruling under King Wulfhere of Mercia. According to late hagiographical materials, he was a brother-in-law of Wulfhere...
, sub-king of Surrey, a charter endowing the abbey with much of the surrounding land, including Muleseg. Etymologists
Etymology
Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time.For languages with a long written history, etymologists make use of texts in these languages and texts about the languages to gather knowledge about how words were used during...
suggest the town's name is derived from the personal name Mul compounded with the Old English word eg, meaning an island or river meadow - thus Mul's Island. Therefore Molesey is not, as commonly believed, named after the River Mole
River Mole, Surrey
The River Mole is a tributary of the River Thames in southern England. It rises in West Sussex near Gatwick Airport and flows north west through Surrey for to the Thames near Hampton Court Palace. The river gives its name to the Surrey district of Mole Valley...
that runs through it. The prefix
Prefix
A prefix is an affix which is placed before the root of a word. Particularly in the study of languages,a prefix is also called a preformative, because it alters the form of the words to which it is affixed.Examples of prefixes:...
es East and West did not appear until about the year 1200, before when there was only one parish centred around what we now call East Molesey. Molesey lay within the Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
administrative district of Elmbridge
Elmbridge (hundred)
Elmbridge Hundred or the Hundred of Elmbridge was an ancient hundred in the north of the county of Surrey, England. The majority of its area forms the borough of Elmbridge in Surrey, with the remainder now forming part of Greater London....
hundred
Hundred (division)
A hundred is a geographic division formerly used in England, Wales, Denmark, South Australia, some parts of the United States, Germany , Sweden, Finland and Norway, which historically was used to divide a larger region into smaller administrative divisions...
.
East Molesey appears in Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086 as Molesham. It was held partly by John from Richard Fitz Gilbert
Richard Fitz Gilbert
Richard fitz Gilbert , was a Norman lord who participated in the Norman conquest of England in 1066. He was also known as "de Bienfaite", "de Clare", and "de Tonbridge".-Biography:...
and partly by Roger d'Abernon. Its domesday assets were: 2 hide
Hide (unit)
The hide was originally an amount of land sufficient to support a household, but later in Anglo-Saxon England became a unit used in assessing land for liability to "geld", or land tax. The geld would be collected at a stated rate per hide...
s and 3 virgate
Virgate
The virgate or yardland was a unit of land area measurement used in medieval England, typically outside the Danelaw, and was held to be the amount of land that a team of two oxen could plough in a single annual season. It was equivalent to a quarter of a hide, so was nominally thirty acres...
s. It had 7 plough
Plough
The plough or plow is a tool used in farming for initial cultivation of soil in preparation for sowing seed or planting. It has been a basic instrument for most of recorded history, and represents one of the major advances in agriculture...
s, 2 ox
Ox
An ox , also known as a bullock in Australia, New Zealand and India, is a bovine trained as a draft animal. Oxen are commonly castrated adult male cattle; castration makes the animals more tractable...
en, 32 acres (129,499.5 m²) of meadow
Meadow
A meadow is a field vegetated primarily by grass and other non-woody plants . The term is from Old English mædwe. In agriculture a meadow is grassland which is not grazed by domestic livestock but rather allowed to grow unchecked in order to make hay...
, woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
worth 10 hogs. It rendered £6 15s 0d. Whilst West Molesey was held by Odard Balistarius. Its domesday assets were: 1 hide; 1 church, 5 plough
Plough
The plough or plow is a tool used in farming for initial cultivation of soil in preparation for sowing seed or planting. It has been a basic instrument for most of recorded history, and represents one of the major advances in agriculture...
s. It rendered £4.
Molesey was one of the many villages and towns along the Thames valley affected by the flooding of the River Mole
River Mole, Surrey
The River Mole is a tributary of the River Thames in southern England. It rises in West Sussex near Gatwick Airport and flows north west through Surrey for to the Thames near Hampton Court Palace. The river gives its name to the Surrey district of Mole Valley...
in 1968.
East and West Molesey is officially divided by the Molesey Stone - it is located on the grass outside Molesey Library on Walton Road. A couple of years ago a car broke the stone but Elmbridge Borough Council were informed of the damage and repaired it.
Locality
Molesey lies south of the River ThamesRiver Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
and bears several large reservoirs which provide water for central London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Some of these are now empty and are being converted into nature reserves. To the west lies Bessborough Reservoir
Bessborough Reservoir
The Bessborough Reservoir lies to the south of the River Thames in Surrey near the Knight Reservoir and the Molesey Reservoirs. The A3050 runs to the north of the reservoir and the neighbouring town is Molesey...
and Knight Reservoir
Knight Reservoir
The Knight Reservoir lies to the west of the Bessborough Reservoir, south of the River Thames and the A3050. The neighbouring town is Molesey....
, to the northwest Molesey Reservoirs
Molesey Reservoirs
The Molesey Reservoirs were a group of reservoirs in England near Molesey, Surrey, in the western suburbs of London. There was an adjacent water treatment works....
, to the south Island Barn Reservoir
Island Barn Reservoir
The Island Barn Reservoir lies south of the River Thames in England at West Molesey. The reservoir is large with a capacity of 992 million gallons and is managed by Thames Water. It is within the borough of Elmbridge and is surrounded by the River Mole to the west and the River Ember to the east...
, and to the south-west Queen Elizabeth II Reservoir
Queen Elizabeth II Reservoir
The Queen Elizabeth II Reservoir lies to the south of the River Thames and to the west of the Island Barn Reservoir. To the north are the reservoirs of Bessborough and Knight. The A3050 runs to the north of the reservoir and it is situated in Walton on Thames...
.
Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace is a royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Greater London; it has not been inhabited by the British royal family since the 18th century. The palace is located south west of Charing Cross and upstream of Central London on the River Thames...
sits opposite East Molesey, across the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
from Cigarette Island and Hampton Court Rail Station and can be reached by Hampton Court Bridge
Hampton Court Bridge
Hampton Court Bridge crosses the River Thames in England in a north to south direction between Hampton, Greater London and East Molesey, Surrey. It is on the reach above Teddington Lock and about hundred yards upstream of the bridge is Molesey Lock....
. Molesey Lock
Molesey Lock
Molesey Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England at East Molesey, Surrey. It is near Hampton Court Palace to the west of London.The lock was built by the City of London Corporation in 1815 and is the second longest on the river at over 268 ft . Beside the lock there are rollers for the...
is just above the bridge. East Molesey boasts some interesting landmarks, including The Bell, a public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
, formerly known as "The Crooked House" built in the mid-15th century.
Sports
Molesey was once the bare-knuckle boxingBoxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
centre of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and had a famous horse-racing track stretching the length of the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
from where Hurst Park School now stands, down to Molesey Lock
Molesey Lock
Molesey Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England at East Molesey, Surrey. It is near Hampton Court Palace to the west of London.The lock was built by the City of London Corporation in 1815 and is the second longest on the river at over 268 ft . Beside the lock there are rollers for the...
. Much of the course was built on in the 1960s: the Hurst Park Estate has a mixture of three and two storey homes and a block of flats which overlooks the river. Some of the open space that was part of the racetrack is now a public park. There is a wide grass expanse, a playground and open access to the Thames. There are some large iron gates in the road called Graburn Way, which were built so that races then started just east of the road and enabled the course to have a 'straight mile'. Just beyond the gates used to be the home of the open air Upper Deck swimming pool. Popular with locals it was closed because of high maintenance costs by Elmbridge Borough Council. An indoor pool was built (on a different site) as a replacement but many feel that the Upper Deck was a community focal point as well as an amenity. Posh flats are now built on the site of the pool. The area was previously referred to as Moulsey Hurst
Moulsey Hurst
Moulsey Hurst is located in what is now West Molesey, Surrey on the south bank of the River Thames above Molesey Lock. It is one of England's oldest sporting venues and was used in the 18th and 19th centuries for cricket, prizefighting and other sports....
.
'Moulsey Hurst' is a very early site of cricket (from 1731) and that tradition is continued to this day by East Molesey Cricket Club
East Molesey Cricket Club
East Molesey Cricket Club is a cricket club in Molesey, Surrey. It was established in 1871, although cricket has been played at the Moulsey Hurst since 1731. East Molesey's current ground, 'The Memorial Ground', has been the home for the Surrey club since the late 19th century and is situated just...
who were established in 1871.
Molesey Boat Club
Molesey Boat Club
Molesey Boat Club is a rowing club on the river Thames in England.-Location:The Club is situated on a stretch of the River Thames between Molesey Lock and Sunbury Lock...
(est. 1866) is one of the UK's leading rowing clubs, with several Olympic and World Championship medallists in addition to domestic success at all ages.
Molesey F.C.
Molesey F.C.
Molesey F.C. is an English football club based in West Molesey, Surrey. The club are currently members of the Combined Counties League Premier Division and play at the Walton Road Stadium.-History:...
is the main football team.
AFC Molesey (previously Claygate Swans F.C.) who play in the Kingston and District league, are based in West Molesey. Their popularity has grown significantly in recent years following them winning several honours including the Lower Junior County Cup in the 2007/08 season.
Molesey is also the drinking capital of England, with very few adults not drinking daily. It is considered a faux pas to refuse vodka when served it with your cereal. Most children are keg fed from birth and up to the age of death. Molesey has the highest number of breweries per capita in the country with approximately 3.576pp. Recently, wildlife has been affected by the unusually high levels of alcohol in the groundwater.
Popular culture
In the early seventies, E.G Records offered the fledgeling band Roxy MusicRoxy Music
Roxy Music was a British art rock band formed in 1971 by Bryan Ferry, who became the group's lead vocalist and chief songwriter, and bassist Graham Simpson. The other members are Phil Manzanera , Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson . Former members include Brian Eno , and Eddie Jobson...
for a gig at the local Methodist Church. However, an organiser at the Church turned the then-unheard of band down as they were considered to be too arty.
Rail service
The local railway station is Hampton Court railway stationHampton Court railway station
Hampton Court railway station is a railway station in the Elmbridge district of Surrey, located in East Molesey by Hampton Court Bridge.The station also serves Hampton Court Palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, and for the purposes of fare charging it is included in Travelcard...
, operated by South West Trains
South West Trains
South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight...
. There is a regular stopping service to Waterloo. The route stops at Surbiton and Clapham Junction where connections can be made to Southbound services. The trip to Waterloo takes around 35 minutes and is popular with commuters. During the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show
Hampton Court Palace Flower Show
The Hampton Court Palace Flower Show is the largest flower show in the world. The Show is held in early July, and run by the Royal Horticultural Society at Hampton Court Palace in southwest London. The show features show gardens, floral marquees and pavilions, talks and demonstrations...
extra services are provided to and from London. All the stations to Waterloo are Thames Ditton, Surbiton, Berrylands, New Malden, Raynes Park, Wimbledon, Earlsfield, Clapham Junction, Vauxhall and Waterloo.
Bus service
Bus links serve the short distance to nearby Kingston and Richmond, both suburban boroughs of London.Molesey's main bus service, the 411 (previously the 131 from West Molesey to Wimbledon), is operated by Quality Line
Quality Line
Quality Line is the trading name of the bus division of Epsom Coaches, and operates over sixty buses throughout the south London and Surrey area, with many under contract to London Buses or Surrey County Council.-History:...
on behalf of Transport for London
Transport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
. The route starts at Central Avenue in West Molesey and runs through East Molesey, past Hampton Court Station and on to Kingston town centre where there are connections to buses throughout the local area. The bus runs a good schedule throughout the day and late into the evening. It used to be a double decker but the service is now a single decker.
Notable people
- Phil Bayles, renowned national journalist and ITN London News Roving Reporter
- Chemmy AlcottChemmy AlcottChimene "Chemmy" Mary Alcott is the current female British number one alpine ski racer, and competes on the World Cup circuit in all five disciplines: downhill, super G, giant slalom, slalom, and combined.Alcott has competed in three Winter Olympic Games and six FIS World Championships...
, British Olympic Alpine skier. - Mick AvoryMick AvoryMichael Charles "Mick" Avory is an English musician, best known as the longtime drummer and percussionist for the British rock band, The Kinks, joining them shortly after their formation in 1964 and remaining with them until 1984, when he left amid creative friction with guitarist Dave Davies...
, drummer and percussionist for the British rock band The Kinks, grew up in Balmoral Crescent. - Bill CottonBill CottonSir William Frederick "Bill" Cotton, CBE was a British television producer and executive, and the son of big-band leader Billy Cotton....
, the British television producer and executive and the son of big-band leader Billy CottonBilly CottonWilliam Edward Cotton , better known as Billy Cotton, was a British band leader and entertainer, one of the few whose orchestras survived the dance band era. Today, he is mainly remembered as a 1950s and 1960s radio and television personality, although his musical talent emerged as early as the 1920s...
, lived in East Molesey in his latter years. - Bernie ConstableBernie ConstableBernard "Bernie" Constable was an English first class cricketer for Surrey County Cricket Club. Playing for the Surrey club East Molesey for the earlier part of his career, he was a right-handed batsman and leg break bowler. Constable had a long first class career, playing from 1939 until 1964...
(1921-1997), cricketer, brother of the below - Dennis ConstableDennis ConstableDennis Constable is a former English cricketer. Constable was a right-handed batsman who fielded as a wicket-keeper. He was born at East Molesey, Surrey....
(born 1925), cricketer, brother of the above - Omid DjaliliOmid DjaliliOmid Djalili is a British Iranian stand-up comedian, actor, television producer and writer.-Personal life:Djalili was born in Chelsea, London to Iranian Bahá'í parents and is a Bahá'í himself...
, comedian and actor, lives outside the town. - Roy HolderRoy HolderRoy Holder is an English television actor who has appeared in various programmes including Ace of Wands, Z-Cars, Spearhead, the Doctor Who serial The Caves of Androzani and Sorry! His first notable appearance on the screen was in the 1961 film Whistle Down the Wind...
, infamous actor and celebrity cat owner. - Piers MorganPiers MorganPiers Stefan Pughe-Morgan , known professionally as Piers Morgan, is a British journalist and television presenter. He is editorial director of First News, a national newspaper for children....
, presenter, lives in West Molesey. - Robert Robinson regularly quoted on his Radio Four programme, Stop the Week, from an alleged correspondent in East Molesey. Many believe this to have been merely a device used by Robinson to promote his own whimsical views on a variety of esoteric subjects.
- Les StrongLes StrongLes Strong is a former professional association footballer who played at left back. He spent the majority of his career at Fulham, where he had begun as a youth player, making 427 appearances, including 373 in the league. He had a short spell at Brentford on loan and spent single seasons at...
, professional football player. Played for Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Fulham. - Veronica Tudor-Williams, noted basenjiBasenjiThe Basenji is a breed of hunting dog that was bred from stock originating in central Africa. Most of the major kennel clubs in the English-speaking world place the breed in the Hound Group; more specifically, it may be classified as belonging to the sighthound type...
breeder, lived in East Molesey, as noted in this 1954 newsreel.
Musician, TV Presenter and ex-actor Matt Willis
Matt Willis
Matthew James Willis is an English singer-songwriter. He found fame as a founding member of the band Busted.- Early years :...
moved to Molesey from Tooting
Tooting
Tooting is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated south south-west of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
, South London
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
during his youth. Best known for being the bassist in the disbanded pop rock band 'Busted'. He released a solo album "Don't Let It Go To Waste" and won ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's 'I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!' in 2006. He also DJ-ed for many successful club nights in 2008.
Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, Lord Chancellor of England.
External links
- Molesey History - This site has many books, papers and pictures on the history of Molesey and the surrounding area from Rowland G M Baker's collection.
- Molesey News & Mail local newspaper
- Molesey Residents' Association - The local Residents Association.
- Elmbridge Borough Council - The local council.
- 1st Molesey (Jaguar) Sea Scout Group - One of Molesey's three Scout groups. 1st Molesey are RN Recognised and provide water activities for young people aged 6–18