Forbes House, Ham

Forbes House, Ham Common in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames was built in 1996 for Sean O'Brien who founded Telstar Records.

[1] The present Forbes House overlooking Ham Common is a brick-built mansion in the Queen Anne style using two colours of brick, reconstituted stone, and wide timber window surrounds.

His wife Louisa Scott (1832–1918) had a daughter, Cecilia Nina (1862–1938), from her first marriage who in 1881 married Claude George Bowes-Lyon, Lord Glamis, at St Peter's Church, Petersham.

Their first child, Violet Hyacinth Bowes-Lyon (1882–1893), died of diphtheria at Forbes House; she is buried in St Andrew's churchyard.

[20] In St Andrew's church there is a memorial stained-glass window by Warren Wilson to George Dance and his son Eric who died in a prison camp during the Second World War.

[21] Lady Dance planned to sell the house in November 1949 to the Association of Engineering and Shipbuilding Draughtsmen to use as offices but the sale was refused by Surrey County Council who wanted it for an old people's home.

[3] A new house, designed in the Queen Anne style by Julian Bicknell for Sean O'Brien who founded Telstar Records, was completed in 1996.