london-footprints.co.uk

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION - ASPECTS OF THE RIVER THAMES

Topics featured: [archaeology] [birds] [HMS Belfast] [Blackfriars Barge] [bridges] [Doggett's Coat & Badge] [environment] [fish] [Fleet] [frost fairs] [Golden Hinde] [Golden Jubilee Bridges] [Great River Race] [historical changes] [Lord Mayor's procession] [HMS President] [Queenhithe Dock] [RNLI] [sewers] [stairs] [Thames Festival] [Thames Path] [tides] [the Walbrook] [websites] [HQS Wellington] [wildlife]

There are a number of WEBSITES including:

Thames 21 - environmental charity
The River Thames Guide
River Thames - various aspects
The Port of London Authority - includes events section
Thames Pilot - images and documents from archives and museums

A full list is available on the Links page of this site

The Thames is TIDAL to Teddington. High and low tides occur twice daily and the difference between the two is up to 21' (7m).
Tide tables for the whole year can be purchased from Ocean Leisure, 11-14 Northumberland Avenue (by Embankment tube station).
Advance information is available on the PLA website or telephone them on 01474 562 200.

The BLACKFRIARS BARGE was found in 1962 during construction of an underpass. It was a keeless, flat-bottomed carvel-built barge 55' long. It had a cargo of Kentish Ragstone for building the City Wall. Pottery and coins enabled it to be dated to the late 2nd century. It is now in the care of the Museum of London.

The River has undergone major HISTORICAL CHANGES. Roman Londinium was built on gravel terraces to the north in AD 50 at the lowest ford point and had extensive port facilities (along the line of present-day Thames Street). At low tide the river was almost 3 times as wide as it is now with expanses of reedbeds and marsh, especially to the south.
As London grew land was reclaimed, including Thorney Island on which Westminster Abbey stands. As river transport increased wharves and warehouses were built for loading and unloading and by the mid 20th century thousands of acres had been reclaimed as sites for housing, factories, docks and power stations.

The wider, shallower river and the constrictions at London Bridge meant there were occasions when the Thames froze over and FROST FAIRS were held. These are recorded in 1564/5, 1683/4 (2 months) 1715/6, 1739/40 and 1813/4. The ice was used for all manner of things; 'streets' of booths were set up, printing presses would sell souvenir broadsheets, oxen would be roasted and activities such as dancing and archery took place. A good time was had by all - except the Watermen, who lost their trade. Ever resourceful they would make channels in the ice near the shore and charge to help people across! The frost fairs are depicted in slate panels on the riverside walkway under Southwark Bridge. There are images of the fairs in the Collage collection.

For some 400 years the ceremony which marked the appointment of the LORD MAYOR OF LONDON took place on the Thames. In 1215 King John granted a charter for the City to elect a Lord Mayor who would present himself, usually to Westminster, and 'swear fealty'. By 1401 he was being accompanied by the Aldermen of the City. In 1422 they travelled by water rather than on horseback and in 1452 by barge. In 1501 a feast was added and in the 16th & 17th centuries pageants were held. By 1575 Livery Companies in their own barges were joining the procession, which returned via Cheapside. In 1639 the Puritans stopped the pageants and the last trip by barge was in 1856. Since 1883 the Mayor has presented himself at the Law Courts in the Strand.

A much newer celebration of the Thames is the THAMES FESTIVAL involving hundreds of different organisations. The event, which takes place mid-September, centres on the South Bank with numerous attractions and activities. It culminates with a Lantern Procession and fireworks display on Sunday evening. [website]

The GREAT RIVER RACE is rowed on a handicap basis over a 22 mile course. Around 300 traditional style boats take place including wherries, canoes and Dragon Boats. Each must have a minimum of 4 oars or paddles, be coxed and carry a passenger. The winner is awarded the Challenge Trophy of the Company of Watermen and Lightermen of the River Thames. The race takes place in September. [website]

The oldest annual event in the British sporting calendar is DOGGGETT'S COAT & BADGE race. This was instigated by Thomas Doggett, a comedian and joint manager of the Drury Lane Theatre, who had relied on the Watermen to carry him from his home in Chelsea to his place of work, sometimes in poor weather conditions. When he died in 1715 his will provided £5 for a silver badge, weighing 12oz and depicting the White Horse of Hanover (to commemorate the ascession of George I to the throne) together with a livery including a red coat with silver buttons. The race is from London Bridge to Chelsea Pier, a distance of 4 miles 5 furlongs, and takes place in July with (originally against!) the tide. The first boats were skiffs but are now light sculling boats which average a time of 30 minutes. Men and women in their first year of freedom of the Company of Watermen & Lightermen are eligible to enter and from the 1990's unsuccessful entrants could row again in their second and third years. The original bequest no longer covers the cost of the prize which is supplied by the Fishmongers who organise the event and make the presentation to the winner at a special dinner. There is a pub named after the race at the south west of Blackfriars Bridge.

The Thames has a number of TRIBUTARIES, most now hidden from view. These 'Lost Rivers of London' are featured in a book by Nicholas Barton. The WALBROOK stream (12' - 14' wide and shallow) was the main water supply for the Romans who built the Temple of Mithras on its banks (the remains of this have been re-located to Queen Victoria Street). This stream flowed some 50 yards to the west of the present Walbrook (street) and the mouth provided a harbour known as Dowgate. It is recorded as being cleaned in 1288 and Stow writing in 1598 describes it as bricked over. Walbrook Wharf now provides a location for loading the rubbish barges. The FLEET which rises in Hampstead now flows under Farringdon Street and New Bridge Street entering the Thames under Blackfriars Road Bridge. You can see it by looking over from St Paul's Walk on the west side. In Roman times it was a tidal inlet between the gravel hill on which the city was built to the east and fenland to the west which was later to be reclaimed by the Knights Templar. It was used to transport the stone used in the building of old St Paul's and in the 14th century carried various cargoes. It was cleaned in 1502, 1606 and 1652. After the Great Fire it was improved and canalised by Wren and Hooke. However demand for a street was greater and the wharves and storage areas became a thoroughfare. By 1733 the canal only reached Fleet Street and the remainder became the site for a market. The last of the canal was covered in 1766 and in 1829 the market was removed for the creation of Farringdon Street.

QUEENHITHE DOCK was built in AD 890 and re-named in honour of Queen Matilda, wife of Henry I (who built the first public convenience on the site!). It was a public landing place with duties payable to the queen. It declined in the 15th century as vessels became larger.

As a main highway from Roman times to the 19th century the Thames has needed STAIRS at landing places. The Agas map of 1560 shows 30 between the Tower and Westminster and the large riverside houses had their own gateways and steps (Somerset House and the York Watergate for example). Roque's map of 1746 shows 100 between Chelsea and Shadwell and Mogg's (1827) 66 between Battersea and the Isle of Dogs. By the time of Cassell's (1867) there are 25 but also 20 piers for the Penny Steamers. During 1861 over 3 million passengers embarked at the Old Shades Pier of the London and Westminster Steamboat Company! When Bazalgette built the Victoria Embankment the Temple Stairs were incorporated into this structure. The steps to the south west of Southwark bridge are known as 'Wren's Steps' and are protected by royal charter so that the bridge had to be built around them. Perhaps I should write and tell the Queen that they need repairing as they are currently out of use.

Nowadays the Thames is crossed by a number of BRIDGES. Money left for the upkeep of London Bridge enabled the Bridge House Trust to be set up and this still maintains the 5 bridges (Tower, London, Southwark, Millennium & Blackfriars) in the City. Surplus funds provide charitable grants [website]. The first LONDON BRIDGE was a wooden bridge built by the Romans and burnt down by King Olaf in 1014. The first stone bridge was erected between 1176 and 1209 with a drawbridge at the Southwark end. The piers were supported by 'starlings' which formed 19 narrow arches dangerous to river traffic. Tolls were collected and when houses and a chapel were added the rents from these provided additional revenue. The houses were removed in 1758 -1762. In 1823-31 a replacement 5 arch bridge designed by John Rennie was built slightly up-stream. This was dis-mantled in 1967-72 and sold to an American who re-erected it in Arizona. I wonder how he coped without the 'missing' pieces that we managed to retain? (a whole arch still supports the south end of the present bridge). The current 3 span concrete bridge is London's widest road bridge and was designed by Harold Knox.

The correct name of the CANNON STREET RAILWAY BRIDGE is Alexandra Bridge. It was built to serve the City terminus of the South East Railway in 1866 and designed by Sir John Wolfe Barry. It was widened in the 1880s and bombed during the last war. The listed former water towers have been retained.
SOUTHWARK BRIDGE (built 1819) was another design by John Rennie this time in cast iron with 3 arches including a large central one. It featured in Dickens 'Little Dorrit' as the Iron Bridge. The present 5 span bridge by Mott & Hay was built in 1912-21. Images of the bridge are featured on tiled panels under the north end.

The BLACKFRIARS ROAD BRIDGE was the second to be built in the City in 1760-9. Designed by Robert Mylne in Portland stone its correct name was William Pitt Bridge. In 1780 the Gordon Rioters broke down the toll gates and stole the money (tolls stopped in 1785). A new bridge was built in 1860-9 designed by Joseph Cubitt and H Carr. It is 5 span wrought iron supported on granite piers representing pulpits to recall the Blackfriars Monastery. It was opened by Queen Victoria along with Holborn Viaduct and widened in 1907-10. The story of the Blackfriars bridges is shown in the tiles lining the riverside underpass for pedestrians.
WATERLOO BRIDGE was re-named as such in 1816 having been built as Strand Bridge in 1811-17. The 9 arch granite structure with Doric columns was designed by John Rennie and opened by the Prince Regent. It was demolished in 1936 and rebuilt, mainly by women, in 1937-42 to a design of Giles Gilbert Scott. It is London's longest traffic bridge.

Cesspits were abolished in 1847 and the waste of London's large (some 3 million) population was all going into the Thames. There were numerous cholera epidemics (10000 Londoners died in 1853) and 1858 became known as the 'Great Stink' when sheets soaked with chloride of lime were hung in the Palace of Westminster to try and combat the smell. The SEWAGE SYSTEM, that is still in use today, was built by the Metropolitan Board of Works to the designs of Joseph Bazalgette between 1865 and 1874. It was a 1,300 mile network of brick built sewers at 3 levels on both sides. The high and middle levels worked by gravity but the low level was aided by pumps. Those on the north went to Beckton and those on the south to Crossness. The elaborate buildings constructed still exist at Abbey Mills and Crossness. The project included the constuction of the Victoria, Albert and Chelsea Embankments stretching 3½ miles and reclaiming 32 acres of land.

By the early 19th century much of the river's WILDLIFE had been destroyed by pollution and habitat loss. In 1960 the GLC and Thames Water Authority embarked on a 20 year project to clean up the river, which is now regarded as one of the cleanest Metropolitan estuaries in the world due to improved sewage disposal and tight control of other discharges. The Thames is a wildlife corridor through the UK's biggest conurbation and provides a wide range of habitats. It supports 118 species of fish which stock the North Sea. However the tidal foreshore is vital for birds, invertebrates and fry migration and pressures to develop this are immense. If buildings encroach the increased flow will accelerate erosion and the narrowing of the river would increase flood levels and tidal range. The 'Thames Bubbler' has been used since 1989 to re-oxygenate polluted water and was joined in 1997 by 'Thames Vitality'. The 'Thames Guardian' monitors water quality for the Environment Agency.

The ENVIRONMENT AGENCY deals with:
Flood defences / Pollution - prevention & control / Waste regulations / Radioactive substances / Water quality / Water resources / Fisheries / Conservation / Navigation / Recreation. They have produced a series of leaflets: Archaeology, Fish and Invertebrates of the tidal Thames. Further information including the address and telephone number of the area office is available on their website.
Thames Fact: 7.2 million people get their drinking water from the Thames.

The Thames once had important and valuable FISHERIES. 30-40 boats worked between Wandsworth and Hammersmith catching up to 50,000 smelt per day. Whitebait were plentiful and lamperns were sold to Dutch fishermen. Remains of Bronze Age and Saxon fish traps have been found (ie at Chelsea). The Thames can be divided into 3 zones: freshwater (down to London Bridge) saltwater (beyond Southend) and brackish (in between) but varies according to rainfall. These areas dictate the types of fish found with fewest species in the brackish zone. Freshwater fish include bream, carp, dace, perch, pike and roach. BASS are common and can be found between Chiswick and Thamesmead. Anglers regularly catch fish up tp 4kg. EELS breed in the Sargasso Sea and the young then drift in the Gulf Stream and migrate through the Thames estuary in April/May to mature upstream before leaving in late autumn. FLOUNDERS are a flatfish growing up to 50cm and migrating upstream in May/June. these are probably the most abundant fish from Tilbury to Teddington in the summer and the only flatfish likely to be found above Woolwich. SALMON require good water quality and are therefore a good indication of a healthy river. There was once a large population but it declined rapidly with weir construction and pollution. When an adult salmon was discovered in 1974, the first for 150 years, the TWA set up a salmon rehabilition programme which has included the construction of fish passes on 20 weirs. SMELT are a cousin of the salmon and are now abundant in the Thames, spawning near Wandsworth whilst the smaller SAND SMELT spawns near Greenwich. TROUT is also a member of the salmon family and can grow to 100cm. Brown and Rainbow varieties have been recorded. STICKLEBACK (both 3 and 10 spined) and TWAITE SHAD (a very rare fish) are also found. In 2001 a dolphin was to be seen swimming in the Thames but sadly it died (we also spotted a seal at Shadwell). If you pick up a large stone near the waterline you may well see small SHRIMPS (please replace the stone afterwards).

The Thames is a good food source for BIRDS.

CORMORANTS eat only fish of which they can consume more than their own weight per day and as such indicate the quality of the water. It is a strong underwater swimmer but as the only web-footed bird without waterproofing oil for its feathers they spread their wings to dry themselves, often perching on posts or jetties to do so. The BLACK HEADED GULL is a scavenger for whom food sources are plentiful in London. Thousands roost on reservoirs in winter flying westward from London in the late afternoon. Smaller than the Herring Gull it has red feet and bill and loses its black head colouring in winter. The HERRING GULL is a large bird with yellow bill and pink legs. They eat almost anything and the abundance of edible refuse attracts large numbers. CANADA GEESE were introduced from North America and have now become widespread in large flocks. They feed mainly on grasses. The FERAL PIGEON has evolved from domestic birds originally kept for food. Regarded by most people as a nuisance they remain popular with tourists in Trafalgar Square. There are a large variety of patterns and colours including white. The CROW has a varied diet and is able to smash open shells such as mussels by dropping them. The COOT is distinguished by its white head and bill. They favour large areas of water but will also feed along estuaries. Ungainly on land they can submerge under water. [RSPB website]

There are several SHIPS moored along the Thames:

HMS PRESIDENT is the blue ship moored at Victoria Embankment. A sloop of World War I it is now the HQ of Inter-Action, an educational trust and charity.

The tragic collision between the Marchioness and the dredger Bowbelle in 1989 in which 51 people were killed led to an enquiry on river safety. As a result of this the RNLI was asked to provide a rescue service. Lifeboats stations at the Tower, Chiswick, Teddington and Gravesend became operational on 2 January 2002. The boats used are Tiger Marine fast response craft with a 9m alloy hull, a crew of 3 and a top speed of 40 knots. website

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