Garden of 'Bag Lady' Destroyed by TfL

Miss Naysmith's personal shrub garden a 'security hazard'

The 'car park garden' of Miss Anne Naysmith, sometimes known as "The Bag Lady of Chiswick," has been torn down by TfL after they claimed that it was a security hazard.

Picture: @janeyjones1

The small plot, in a car park behind Stamford Brook Station, housed a small garden in which Miss Naysmith grew vegetables and other plants, some of which she cooked for sustenance, others simply for pleasure.

For years, Miss Naysmith lived in a car in Prebend Gardens, before it was removed by the Council, much to both her dismay and the outcry of a large proportion of the neighbourhood. She battled on, however, and for years, her “spiritual” home has been beneath some shrubby trees on the Vaughan Avenue side of the Stamford Brook car park.

She spends much of her day here where she can barely be seen, calling out to passers-by occasionally to ask the time. In 2002, Hounslow Council accidentally cut these trees down, but they were later replaced and an apology was issued.

Picture: @janeyjones1

However, this Wednesday, contractors working for Transport for London (TfL) cut these trees down whilst Miss Naysmith was not around. Upon her return, she was reported to be absolutely distraught by the destruction of her own patch of shrubbery. There have been outcries about the unfairness of the situation on social networking site Twitter by locals concerned for Miss Naysmith.

A TfL spokesperson said, “Yesterday some contractors, working on our behalf, near Stamford Brook Tube station removed some overgrown vegetation to replace a section of damaged fencing. This damage was a risk to the security of the railway and the safety of any intruder.

“The contractors were not aware of the special significance this piece of land had for Miss Naysmith and their primary concern was dealing with a safety critical issue. Obviously we very much regret the distress caused to Miss Naysmith.”

TfL claim that London Underground station staff at Stamford Brook Tube station enjoy an excellent relationship with Miss Naysmith and allow her to use the toilets in the station every day.

August 30, 2012