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

AC Cars Limited

AC Cars Limited

AC Cars are Britain’s oldest car manufacturers having been producing cars since 1901. Founded by John Weller and John Portwine.  The company name comes from an early model, the Auto Carrier, pictur...

Group, Engineering, Transport

1 memorial
Serjeant William Stuart Lock Maxwell

Serjeant William Stuart Lock Maxwell

William Stuart Lock Maxwell was born in Brixton, one of the six children of William Henry Maxwell (1864-1938) and Agnes Sarah Maxwell née Lock (1864-1953). His birth was registered in 4th quarter o...

Person, Armed Forces, Transport, Egypt

War dead, WW1
2 memorials
Port of Tilbury, London

Port of Tilbury, London

As ships got bigger ports were needed further down the Thames.  In 1909 Tilbury Port became part of the Port of London Authority. Situated just upstream from Tilbury Fort.

Group, Commerce, Transport

1 memorial
drovers trail via Hackney

drovers trail via Hackney

The route to Bishopsgate can still be seen clearly on a current map, wending its way fairly directly via roads and footpaths from Mare Street Narroway down to Virginia Road which, prior redevelopme...

Place, Commerce, Food & Drink, Transport

1 memorial
West Brompton Station

West Brompton Station

A station was first opened here as part of the West London Extension Joint Railway (WLER). In 1869 the Metropolitan District Railway (MDR) opened its own station (pictured, still in use and now Lis...

Building, Transport

1 memorial