Death of "good man" Arthur Edwards dealt "bad hand in life" marked by former colleagues after Roehampton fire

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Former work colleagues have marked the death of a postman with a minute's silence, after he died in a house fire in Roehampton.

Named locally as Arthur Edwards but also known as Richard or Ricky, the postman, who worked in Fulham, was pronounced dead in the early hours of Monday morning after a fire in his flat.


He was known to neighbours as a gardener, who had planted daffodils around the Roehampton estate.

Until about 18 months ago, he had been a postman, working in the Fulham delivery office.

Mr Edwards had been medically retired after a stroke and had contracted HIV after a blood transfusion in hospital.

His wife died six years ago from cancer, and he looked after his two children with his sister and mother-in-law until their deaths recently.

His former work colleague Nicky Hunt said: "He was a lovely chap who was just dealt a bad hand in life.

"He did everything for his kids but his mother-in-law looked after them a lot after he had his stroke because he couldn’t get around easily and he had no other immediate family.

"He had a couple of bad turns but he was a good man."

Another colleague who did not want to be named said: "He wasn't a drinker or a smoker, he was ultra fit but he did not take stress well.

"He had a bad stroke and was pensioned off.

"We held a minute's silence on Tuesday for him."

He was thought to be about 50-years-old.

One neighbour, who asked to be referred to as Pawal, said: "He was a gardener.

"It was brilliant, before it was just grass and now everywhere we have flowers.

"It is tragic."

Pawal said he had been told to leave his flat while the fire crews dealt with the fire.

Another neighbour explained the gardening in the estate had been done by Richard "off his own back".


Fire crews were called to a flat fire in Bessborough Road in Roehampton at 2.15am.

Four crews from Wandsworth, Fulham, Battersea and Richmond and 21 firefighters attended.

Firefighters using breathing apparatus entered the two bedroom maisonette where they found the body of a man.

He was later declared dead.

Another neighbour, called Grace, said: "It was not dramatic, there were no sirens or noise."

The crews evacuated 12 nearby homes.

The fire was out by 3.47am and the cause is under investigation