Tagg's Island
Encyclopedia
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,...
in England on the reach above 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...
and just above Ash Island
Ash Island
Ash Island is an island in the River Thames in England, adjacent to Molesey Lock. Although the lock is at East Molesey, Surrey, the island is administratively within the London Borough of Richmond. The main weir is at the downstream end of the island connecting to the lock; the second weir is at...
. Although it is close to the Surrey bank near East Molesey
East Molesey
Molesey is a town in the Borough of Elmbridge in Surrey, England. Situated on the outskirts of Greater London, approximately from Charing Cross, it is a typical suburban area. There are two distinct areas in the town: West and East Molesey...
, 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...
, it is connected to the further Middlesex bank by a long single track road bridge and is within the London Borough of Richmond. It is not permitted to build houses on the island so it is surrounded by houseboats, some of which are three stories high.
History
The island had previous names including "Walnut Tree Ait". It is now named after Tom Tagg who hired out boats on the island from 1841 and built the Thames Hotel there in 1872. The hotel was popular with London Society including Edward Prince of Wales.In 1912 Fred Karno
Fred Karno
Frederick John Westcott , best known by his stage name Fred Karno, was a theatre impresario of the British music hall. Karno is credited with inventing the custard-pie-in-the-face gag. Among the young comedians who worked for him were Charlie Chaplin and Arthur Jefferson, who later adopted the...
, who discovered Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...
, purchased the island and rebuilt the hotel, employing the noted theatre architect Frank Matcham
Frank Matcham
Frank Matcham was a famous English theatrical architect. He is buried in Highgate Cemetery.-Early career:...
to include a music hall called The Karsino
The Karsino
The Karsino was a hotel on Tagg's Island in the River Thames in England which existed from 1912 till 1972.-History:It was built for Fred Karno by architect Frank Matcham in 1912. When World War I started in 1914, the resort was popular with returning military officers and their families. In 1925...
. Karno sold the hotel in 1926 and after a chequered history involving many financial collapses, the building was demolished in 1971 and never rebuilt.
The island was eventually acquired by the houseboat residents who set the island up as a houseboat community.
The Astoria Houseboat
Astoria (recording studio)
Astoria is a grand houseboat, adapted as a recording studio by its owner, Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour. It is moored on the River Thames near Hampton Court...
, built by Fred Karno
Fred Karno
Frederick John Westcott , best known by his stage name Fred Karno, was a theatre impresario of the British music hall. Karno is credited with inventing the custard-pie-in-the-face gag. Among the young comedians who worked for him were Charlie Chaplin and Arthur Jefferson, who later adopted the...
and owned by Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour
David Gilmour
David Jon Gilmour, CBE, D.M. is an English rock musician and multi-instrumentalist who is best known as the guitarist, one of the lead singers and main songwriters in the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has worked as a producer for a variety of...
is a short way up the reach on the Middlesex Bank.