D'Oyly Carte Island

D'Oyly Carte Island is a small private island in the River Thames, England, administratively and historically part of Weybridge near its other inhabited islands and part of Old Shepperton, on the reach above Sunbury Lock, 200m downstream of Shepperton Lock. Before 1890 the island was known as Folly Eyot.

The wooded island is 145m in length and, apart from its two points, 30-45m in width. It is 16.8 miles (27.0 km) from Charing Cross, London.Weybridge is the parish and post town.Elmbridge and Surrey County Council are the district and county level local authorities.

The island was, until the eponymous owner bought it, called Folly Eyot. Richard D'Oyly Carte was the producer of the Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas from 1875 to 1896 (such as The Mikado), founder of the Savoy Theatre and Royal English Opera House (now the Palace Theatre) in London and a hotelier. He bought the island around 1890, and it acquired his middle name and surname.

Carte intended to use as a special secluded annex, accessible by boat, to his new Savoy Hotel, but a panel of the local magistrates refused to grant him an alcoholic drinks selling licence for the property. Among the famous guests who stayed at Carte's house on the island were the dramatist W. S. Gilbert and the composer Arthur Sullivan. Carte's widow, Helen Carte, sold it to a private owner.

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