Sir Ratan an Indian industrialist was the last private owner of York House. He was responsible for considerable refurbishment of the property. He particularly embellished the gardens including the importing of a group of statuary and fountains and the building of a bridge to the riverside terrace. What the statuary represent is definitely only uncertain. To the local citizenry they are known simply as 'The Naked Ladies'. They were available to Sir Ratan, in 1909, because their intended owner committed suicide following his conviction for fraud. Twickenham U.D.C. bought the house from Lady Tata, his widow, in 1922 when she had returned to India. The Tata family are one of the major present-day commercial dynasties in India.

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Rural Walks around Richmond