Riverbank drawing 3: Confluence of the Thames and Beverley Brook

Pencil drawing by Stephen Chaplin depicting the confluence of the Thames and Beverley Brook dated 22 September 2000.

This pencil drawing by Stephen Chaplin entitled "Riverbank drawing 3: Confluence of the Thames and Beverley Brook" was, as the name suggests, the third of his drawings of the south bank of the Thames at Wandsworth and Putney specifically for Wandsworth Museum. The previous two were drawn on 20 September 2000 and show the bank at Wandsworth Town and Putney. This was drawn two days later when, as the artist notes, the news headlines concerned the DUP victory in the South Antrim by-election and a Court of Appeal decision requiring the surgical separation of conjoined twins so that one might survive. All three drawings show the view from the Fulham area with this one being from Bishop's Park.

The drawing focuses on the mouth of Beverley Brook where it joins the Thames between Putney Embankment (in Wandsworth) and Putney towpath (in Richmond). There is a footbridge over the confluence. At this point, the brook forms the border between the two London boroughs. The drawing also shows the trees on the south bank of the Thames (including Leader's Gardens and Smoky Wood) and a police launch and scull on the river.

Beverley Brook is a 9 mile long river rising in Worcester Park. The name derives from the beavers that lived in the river and from meadows on the banks The Middle English word for beaver was bever and the word for meadow was ley. Both the beavers and the meadows are no longer present.