Author and creator of The Wombles honoured with a Green Plaque on her former Wandsworth Common home

A children’s author and creator of The Wombles, Elisabeth Beresford has been honoured with a Green Plaque on her former Wandsworth Common home.

The plaque was unveiled at her home in Earlsfield Road at a ceremony on June 5 attended by her son and daughter, Marcus and Kate, and the current residents of the house, Roger and Fleur Hambury.

Daughter Kate Robertson explained that despite living near Wandsworth Common, the book was set on Wimbledon Common following a family Boxing Day trip there.

Kate said she loved visiting ‘Wombledon Common’, and a legend was born.

“I’d like to thank Wandsworth Common for this tribute to my mother. She’d have been very proud,” she said.

The Wandsworth Green Plaque scheme honours people and places that are important in the history of the borough.

Previous recipients have included Clement Attlee, the Biograph Cinema in Wandsworth, Dame Margaret Rutherford, the Festival of Britain Gardens and the site of the V2 rocket incident in Tooting.

Cabinet member for community services Councillor Steffi Sutters said: “The Green Plaque scheme helps us recall our shared history and connects us to the people and places that have helped make the borough what it is.

“The Wombles are remembered as Wimbledon residents, so I’m delighted that we have acknowledged Elisabeth Beresford’s place in Wandsworth history – especially as The Wombles were ecological torchbearers with their work making good use of the things that the everyday folks left behind.”