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