Nature of Source
Records of apprenticeship and employment of watermen and lightermen. Watermen were licensed to navigate vessels and carry passengers in vessels called wherries whilst lightermen unloaded cargo from ships into smaller barges and then into the quayside for unloading. As the docks developed allowing ships to unload directly at the dockside, the lightermen were used to transport goods from dock to dock. The watermen were always in demand as a form of taxi as there were so few bridges crossing the Thames.
At the time of the incorporation of the lightermen into the Company of Watermen in 1700, the lightermen were very much the junior partner. However with the rapid rise of commercial activity in the Pool of London, the lightermen gained in numbers and influence. The watermen on the other hand saw demand for their passenger services decline with new bridges built across the Thames, the advent of steam boats and the arrival of the railways. They adapted to the new circumstances by offering their services to the newly emerging leisure uses on the Thames. The introduction of huge container ship in the 20th century saw trade decline in Pool of London and a subsequent rapid decline for the services of the lightermen. By the mid-1970s the profession had all but disappeared.
The Company of Watermen was established by an Act of 1555 to control and regulate what had been an unruly profession. Although the watermen wore distinctive uniforms the company was not a livery company.
The most important records are the Apprentice Bindings Books, 1688-1908. Those that worked on the river had to undergo an apprenticeship before applying for a licence. Many did not gain their freedom from the apprenticeship and therefore did not join the Society. This could have been for a variety of reasons such as an untimely death on the river, joining the Royal or Navy voluntarily or press ganged or deciding to break the apprenticeship. Other records include the Apprenticeship Affidavits, from 1759 to 1897 with a gap between 1787 to 1792, which are filed by date of binding and record the date and place of the apprentice’s baptism. The Quarterage Files, 1764-1917 will note the quarterly payments of membership fees and licence payments and where the member worked. Other lesser sources include the Contracts Files, 1865-1917 which record those too old to serve an apprenticeship but gained a licence by being contracted or articled to the Company for two years. The Court of Complaint books record complaints to the Company about watermen and lightermen and any action taken. It was possible for an ex-mariner to pursue a career as a waterman on the Thames with a licence issued by the Corporation of Trinity House. As ex-mariners these men were older and fewer in number. The only surviving Register of Licences covers the years from 1829 to 1864 and is available at the Guildhall Library or to purchase on CD from https://trueflaregenealogy.co.uk or to search at Findmypast. The waterman’s licence will show the name and address of the waterman, the date of issue and where the waterman is permitted to operate.
Most extant records of the Company of Watermen and Lightermen date from around 1700 when the lightermen amalgamated with the watermen. The men were committed to serve in the navy when required. Also look for pension records and for those in receipt of payments from the poor relief fund and for those that infringed the rules.
Also see
Apprenticeship Agreements, Trade
Apprenticeship Indentures, Parish
Business & Company Records
Directories, Trade, Professional, Telephone & Street
Friendly & Fraternal Society Records
Guilds, Freedoms & Freemen’s or Burgess Rolls
Occupational and Labour Records (Includes links and guidance on calculating historical wage rates and the cost of living)
Trade Union Records
Where Found
Guildhall Library (Records previously held by the Company of Watermen and Lightermen covering 1514-1908, including indexes compiled by R J Cottrell)
The Company of Watermen and Lightermen of the River Thames (The Company is a working guild and is very actively involved with the life of the River and those who work on it. Resources include more recent Register of Apprentices including Register of Bindings from 1898 to the present time and the Register of Freedoms from 1891 to the present)
Period Covered
1300 – Onwards
Genealogical Value
Apprentice Bindings Books
- Name of the apprentice and occupation.
- The date of binding.
- The master’s name and mooring.
- Date of freedom if applicable.
Apprenticeship Affidavits
- Dates of birth/baptism and parish born in.
Further References
- Burgess, Eric. Men of the Tideway: Hale, 1966
- Colquhoun, Patrick. Treatise on the Commerce and Police of the River Thames: containing an historical view of the trade of the port of London: London, 1800 (Available to read online or download from the Internet Archive)
- Cottrell, Robert J. Various Titles and Compiled Indexes
- Harris, Harry. Under Oars: Reminiscences of a Thames Lighterman, 1894-1909: Centreprise, 1978
- Humpherus, Henry. History of the Origin and Progress of the Company of Watermen and Lightermen of the River Thames with Numerous Historical Notes: S. Prentice, 1887
- Legon, James. My Ancestors Were Thames Watermen: A Guide to Tracing your Thames Watermen and Lightermen Ancestors: Society of Genealogists, 2014
- Murray, Ernest G. Tales of a Thames Lighterman: Quotes, 1992
Websites
http://watermenscompany.com/the-company/tracing-watermen-lightermen-ancestors (The Company of Watermen and Lightermen of the River Thames. Tracing Watermen or Lightermen Ancestors. The company records will show the apprentice’s name, date bound, place, master’s name and the date if/when he gained his Freedom of the Company. The Company is a working guild and is very actively involved with the life of the River and those who work on it)
www.history.ac.uk/gh/water.htm (Guides to Records held at the Guildhall Library)
www.history.ac.uk/gh/w&l.htm (Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section: Livery Company Membership Guide)
https://docplayer.net/33884312-Licensed-river-thames-watermen-lightermen.html (DocPlayer: Licensed River Thames Watermen & Lightermen, by Robert John Cottrell)
www.thehistoryoflondon.co.uk/thames-watermen-and-ferries (The History of London: Thames watermen and ferries)
https://archives.history.ac.uk/guildhallmanuscripts/water.htm (Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section: Leaflet Guides to Records: Records of The Company of Watermen and Lightermen at Guildhall Library)
https://docplayer.net/33884312-Licensed-river-thames-watermen-lightermen.html (DocPlayer: Licensed River Thames Watermen & Lightermen, by Robert John Cottrell)
www.londononline.co.uk/history/c18/3 (Regulation of the watermen)
https://doggettsrace.com/history (Race for Doggett’s Coat & Badge. History of the race named after the founder, Thomas Doggett)
www.portcities.org.uk/london/server/show/ConNarrative.142/chapterId/2966/Thames-Watermen.html (Doggett’s coat and badge race)
https://boards.ancestry.co.uk/topics.occupations/mb.ashx (Ancestry Message Boards: Occupations)
Online Databases
www.findmypast.co.uk (London, List of Free Watermen, 1827. List of 5,400 members of the Worshipful Company of Waterman and Lighterman who had completed their apprenticeship)
www.findmypast.co.uk (Thames Watermen & Lightermen 1688-2010. Search through 99,098 occupational records of The Company of Watermen and Lightermen for the period 1688-2010. The collection includes records from the Corporation of Trinity House, Thomas Doggett coat and badge race and binding and reassignment records from The Company. These records are licensed from local specialist Rob Cottrell)
www.findmypast.co.uk (London, Watermen, Birth Register of Contracted Men, 1865-1921. The register lists over 1,400 apprentices of the Worshipful Company of Waterman and Lighterman)
www.findmypast.co.uk (London, Watermen In Royal Navy, 1803-1809. This collection holds lists of employees of The Worshipful Company of Watermen and Lightermen who were impressed into the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic wars)
www.findmypast.co.uk (London, Watermen, Admiralty Muster Of The Port Of London, 1628. Register of employees of the Watermen Company who were considered for impressment into the Royal Navy. The register recorded the individual’s name, age, number of naval voyages completed up to that time, residence and in some cases additional notes)
www.findmypast.co.uk (London, Watermen’s Petition For The King Charles I, 1648. List of 2,000 Watermen who signed the petition to King Charles I during the Second English Civil War in the hope of encouraging a speedy end to the hostilities and the return of the king)
www.findmypast.co.uk (Trade Union Membership Registers. Digitised images of original records books from 9 different trade unions from the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick. Search for an individual in the records including admission books, annual reports and membership lists and include details about individual members such as payments made, benefits received and the names of spouses. The unions include the Watermen & Lightermen, 1916)
CD Roms
Trueflare (Publisher specialising in River Thames watermen and lightermen)
