Group    From 1510 

Thames watermen

Categories: Transport

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.

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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...

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Other Subjects

Conservators of the River Thames / Thames Conservancy

Conservators of the River Thames / Thames Conservancy

Came into being as a result of the Thames Conservancy Act,1857. Completed the building of Teddington Lock. Lost some of its responsibilities in 1909 to the Port of London Authority and in 1974 the ...

Group, Engineering, Gardens / Agriculture, Transport

3 memorials
South End Road bridge reconstruction

South End Road bridge reconstruction

Reconstructed & widened in 1969 replacing a 28 ft. wide cast iron bridge built in 1864.

Event, Engineering, Transport

1 memorial
Norwood Junction subway

Norwood Junction subway

A step-free cut through from one side to the other of Norwood Junction Station, connecting Station Road to Clifford Road, was formally opened on 31 July 1912. It is claimed to be the world's first ...

Place, Transport

2 memorials
Lord Ashfield

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...

Person, Politics & Administration, Transport, USA

2 memorials
British Motor Cab Company

British Motor Cab Company

Former public transport company, about which we can discover virtually nothing.  Its premises appear in an old photo "Pickets outside the British Motor Cab Company's Garage" but the location is no...

Group, Transport

1 memorial