From the earliest days until the mid-18th century the Thames was the preferred route for travelling east-west across London, and a barrier which had to be crossed by boat to travel north-south. By boat, because the roads were very poor and there was only one bridge. In 1510 Henry VIII set up a licencing system for watermen, or wherrymen, and in 1555 the watermen were incorporated to control tariffs and impose safety regulations. In 1700 the watermen joined forces with the lightermen (who carried cargo rather than passengers) to form the Company of Watermen and Lightermen. See also Doggett's Coat and Badge.
This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Thames watermen
Commemorated ati
wherrymen seat
{On the modern plaque above:} The Ferryman's seat located on previous buildin...
Other Subjects
Brunel's Thames Tunnel
The first tunnel in the world under a navigable river. Built between 1825 and 1843 using the tunnelling shield technology invented by Marc Brunel. It was originally intended to be used for horse-dr...
5 memorials
Kindertransport
10,000 unaccompanied mainly Jewish children fled from Nazi persecution in 1938 and 1939. This was organised mainly by World Jewish Relief, but many Quakers helped the children at stations on the jo...
Event, Children, Transport, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Poland
2 memorials
Charles Lightoller
Born Charles Herbert Lightoller in Chorley, Lancashire. He joined the White Star Line in 1900 and served on several ships before being appointed second officer on the Titanic. As the ship was aband...
1 memorial
Lord Ashfield
Transport organizer and politician. Born Albert Henry Knattriess at New Normanton, Derbyshire. His family moved to the USA in 1880 and changed their surname to Stanley. While working for various tr...
2 memorials
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