Anyone who has walked or driven along the Portsmouth Road, Seething Wells in Surbiton and past the old water works and reservoirs will have probably done so without realising the importance of these sites in the story of public health in Great Britain and the defeat of Cholera in this country and abroad.

A great deal of this story is visible to the naked eye, the water beds, engine houses and coal stores. There is also much that lies beneath our feet. Massive Victorian tunnels and pipes still exist under the ground, created to allow barges to deliver coal to pumping stations via rail. Massive pipes to take water from the ground breaking filter beds and more pipes to take this precious clean water into London.

These are no ordinary waterworks – these are the waterworks that allowed Dr John Snow to prove that Cholera was ‘waterborne’ and put an end to the outbreaks of the disease that haunted towns and cities. During the last year a local group, The Community Brain, has been researching this story with the support of a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund with a team of local volunteers.

They are now inviting everyone to a performance of ‘Seething Wells and the defeat of King Cholera’ at 7.30 at the Kingston University Halls of Residence, Seething Wells. The show is taking place on the 6th, 7th, 8th, 10^th, 11th and 12th of November (no Wednesday performance)

To reserve your free tickets please email tickets@seethingwellswater.org saying how many tickets you would like and which performance you would like to attend.