| The Thames was once a tributary of the River | | | | skillfully navigated by a single lightermen |
| Rhine becoming a river in it's own right as | | | | with one oar he used as a rudder to skilfully |
| the surface of the earth changed over many | | | | postion the barge in specific tidal sets to |
| thousands of years. The Thames is one of the | | | | harness the flow of the water to travel up or |
| UK's longest river's and by far the most | | | | down the river. Evidence of the trade is |
| important! The river's importance developed | | | | still clear today with many of the old |
| with the growth of the City of London. | | | | working wharves redeveloped into luxury |
| Providing a means of trade and transport the | | | | residential apartments, but retaining their |
| river Thames linked the villages and towns | | | | working names; Tea Trade Wharf, Spice Wharf, |
| inland with the trading capital of London and | | | | Gun Wharf, to mention but a few! |
| the sea for international trade. Today, the | | | | |
| Thame is a growing area for boat hire and | | | | Taxi style boats were used for crossing the |
| chartered boats for hosting events and | | | | river due to the lack of bridge crossing |
| private engagements | | | | points. The small taxi boats were piloted by |
| | | | Watermen licensed to take passengers over the |
| The river in Central London thrived on trade, | | | | river. The queen even had her own Watermen to |
| in fact London thrived on the Thames! At | | | | pilot her royal waterborne transport! |
| times the Thames was so full of barges you | | | | |
| could walk across it simply by hopping from | | | | One of the most important ships in British |
| one barge to another! Huge dock networks and | | | | heritage now rests in a dry dock at Greenwich |
| canals were constructed to try and keep the | | | | in the heart of Naval London on the banks of |
| river free for boats to travel. These include | | | | the Thames. The Cutty Sark was the fastest |
| the West India Docks where you now find | | | | Tea Cutter in the World holding the record |
| Canary Wharf, the Rotherhithe Dock network | | | | for a staggering 10 years. She was even known |
| which is now largely filled in, the Royal | | | | to overhaul more modern steam powered ships! |
| Docks which now hosts London's City Airport | | | | |
| and the Grand Union Canal and Regents Canals. | | | | Being a tidal river, fed by a network of |
| | | | tributaries the Thames often flooded causing |
| The ships brought goods and trade to London. | | | | disease and misery as well as fertilising the |
| When they arrived they were often unloaded by | | | | flood planes. In the winter it was known to |
| barges known as lighters. These Thames | | | | freeze and London's residents would ice |
| Lighters were driven by the tide being | | | | skate. |