Green Plaque for Wombles author Elisabeth Beresford

Elisabeth Beresford has been honoured with a Green Plaque on her former home in Wandsworth, south London.

The children’s author and creator of the Wombles lived at the house from 1952 to 1971 with her husband Max Robertson and their son and daughter, Marcus and Kate.

Although the family lived very close to Wandsworth Common, the inspiration for the Wombles came on a Boxing Day trip to nearby Wimbledon Common in 1967, when Kate mispronounced it as ‘Wombledon Common’.

The plaque at 4 Earlsfield Road was unveiled by Wandsworth Council at a ceremony on 5 June, attended by Kate and Marcus and the current residents of the house, Roger and Fleur Hambury.

Kate said: “I’d like to thank Wandsworth Council for this tribute to my mother. She’d have been very proud.”

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

Cabinet member for community services Cllr 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.”