HERITAGE WATER FOUNTAIN IS RESTORED TO GLORY – AND FANNY COMPLETES THE PICTURE - July 2025
- geoffdavis5
- Jul 10
- 3 min read
By Charles Runcie, Chair of the Friends of Coronation Gardens
A piece of Southfields heritage is once again serving our community. The restored 122-year-old heritage drinking fountain, centrepiece of Coronation Gardens, was rededicated to the local community at an event on Thursday 3rd July 2025. It was hosted by major funders the Heritage of London Trust (HOLT) and attended by over 150 people.
A collaboration between the Friends of Coronation Gardens (FoCG), HOLT, Wandsworth Council and many other stakeholders, the fountainwas fully restored during the spring, and can once again provide fresh drinking water. The missing statuette at its centrepiece has been replaced with a modern sculpture of Fanny Wilkinson. The UK’s first female professional garden designer, she laid out Coronation Gardens in 1903 after the land had been gifted by the Mayor of Wandsworth William Lancaster. The Mayor’s two sisters then gave the fountain to the Gardens to honour of their brother’s work.
Over the years its condition had deteriorated, the original artwork had disappeared, and it was unloved – until now. Restoration took place in spring 2025, and artist Gillian Brett won a competition run by the Putney School of Art + Design and its Friends group to create and then produce a new image for the fountain.
Local schools have also been involved in the restoration project as part of ‘Proud Places’. It’s a youth engagement programme inviting young people to explore their local heritage and learn craft skills, and aims to develop young people’s pride and curiosity about where they live. Pupils from Riversdale Primary School, Southfields Academy, Francis Barber PRU and Malden Oaks School all visited the site, meeting conservators at their work and taking part in creative workshops.
Fanny’s ‘creator’, sculptor artist Gillian Brett won a competition run by the Putney School of Art + Design and its Friends group, and felt proud to have made the first ever statue of her.“I’m so proud my sculpture commemorating Fanny Wilkinson is part of the refurbishment of the drinking fountain in Coronation Gardens. She worked hard for many years to design public gardens, making green spaces and fresh drinking water available for all to enjoy. It’s an absolute pleasure to know my sculpture will help to commemorate her pioneering professionalism.”
“Many of Fanny Wilkinson’s gardens across London included public drinking fountains” added Dr Nicola Stacey, CEO of HOLT. “These amenities, often dedicated like this one to a person of note, were designed as attractive landscape features around which children and families would gather for refreshment. It’s particularly fitting that Fanny should now have her own here in Coronation Gardens. We look forward to it becoming a beacon for the Southfields community.”
One disappointing footnote, but you can help! Due to recent unexpected costs this wonderful project, now completed, has gone a little over budget. Perhaps you have benefitted from visiting Coronation Gardens and all it has to offer – a safe play area for kids, a quiet area for reading, dog-walking or learning about the various plants tended by our FoCG volunteers. If you are interested in helping we would welcome your financial support. Donate whatever amount you can via the FoCG’s Barclays Bank account - sort code is 20-90-74, account number 03573605, and putting ‘Fountain’ as the reference.
This restoration projectdrew significant media coverage on the day of and after the event. There were main items on both BBC and ITV London’sevening TV news programmes, a feature in The Guardian newspaper, comprehensive coverage on Wandsworth Council’s ‘Brightside’media channels as well asarticles and social media posts in many other publications It was a real collaborate effort over more than two years, but the results will be enjoyed by users of Coronation Gardens for another century. Truly a historic event for Southfields, Coronation Gardens - and Fanny.