Gill Collection

Raymond Gill (1912-2009) was a lawyer and local historian. He was an only child and his parents lived in East Sheen. He was schooled in East Sheen and won a scholarship to St Paul’s School in West Kensington. As a child, Gill was was fascinated by the grand houses he passed on the way to school and photographed many before they were demolished. This later developed into a collection of 400 photographs.

Raymond became a clerk then a solicitor. He married in 1952 and settled in Richmond.

In 1955, he was a founder member of the Barnes and Mortlake History Society and only stood down 30 years later in 1985. He wrote a number of local historical booklets they published.

Gill collected a vast array of local historical information and artworks, over 160 of which he donated to the collection in 2000, 2006 and 2009. His library and other materials were donated to the Richmond Local Studies Collection in 2007.