The Old Ways

stu9000

stu9000

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Found this image of St Paul's with heavily laden Thames barge sailing by
A549.jpg
Some good stuff in here and more sources in the comments

The Docks of Old London | Spitalfields Life

I was looking for info and footage of the Medway e.g. Chatham docks. I'm fairly clued up on the Dutch raid but know little about the early industrial period. I'm particularly interested in the Thames Barge story. Can anyone cite good sources of history for the Medway?

In the mean time here are a couple more of the Thames Docks

A233.jpg

A256.jpg
 
stu9000 said:
Found this image of St Paul's with heavily laden Thames barge sailing by
View attachment 83848
Some good stuff in here and more sources in the comments

The Docks of Old London | Spitalfields Life

I was looking for info and footage of the Medway e.g. Chatham docks. I'm fairly clued up on the Dutch raid but know little about the early industrial period. I'm particularly interested in the Thames Barge story. Can anyone cite good sources of history for the Medway?

In the mean time here are a couple more of the Thames Docks

View attachment 83849

View attachment 83850
Click to expand...
I cannot find the book I had on the industrial development along the Medway. It was a soft covered book about A4 that was a thesis if I remember correctly.

This selection of books from Abe Books should give you some books to read.
Industrial Medway - AbeBooks
 
Great photos. I suppose the two barges in the St Paul's pic have such different freeboard because one is heavily laden, the other empty?

I'd love to see how one of those was turned around and sailed off her mooring, without auxiliary, in the confines of the flowing river...

...I guess they're far enough apart to swing clear, still tethered by a stern-line when the mooring is let go at the bow.

Last year I spent a month working close to Tower Bridge, crossing on foot each morning and afternoon. I was impressed by the speed of the flow, the lumpiness of the surface and unpredictability of waves reflected off walls. Not a place that would allow much room for misjudgements in a heavy eighty-foot hull without powered winches or steering.
 
There's also a load of good pictures and historical items in the (free!) museum of London Docklands near Canary Wharf..

From my point of view the last third is the best part of the museum with barges, small general cargo ships and items appertaining to them.

Beware though, the museum was curated by someone of a different colour to me; by the time I actually got to the interesting bits I had started hating myself for being white.
 
stu9000 said:
Found this image of St Paul's with heavily laden Thames barge sailing by
View attachment 83848
Some good stuff in here and more sources in the comments

The Docks of Old London | Spitalfields Life

I was looking for info and footage of the Medway e.g. Chatham docks. I'm fairly clued up on the Dutch raid but know little about the early industrial period. I'm particularly interested in the Thames Barge story. Can anyone cite good sources of history for the Medway?

In the mean time here are a couple more of the Thames Docks

View attachment 83849

View attachment 83850
Click to expand...
Stu
Re Medway history, is this any use?
MALSC - About Medway images
 
I have a relative (my father's great uncle?). Horace Shrubsall, who built Thames barges, initially at Ipswich, Sittingbourne, and from 1900 in a yard near Greenwich. I believe there is at least one that is still in existence and working.

His boats had a reputation for being quite fast (by barge standards!). Bit more information at: Greenwich built barges
 
Try:

George Bargebrick Esquire

He worked brick works at Murston/Milton Creek and shipped the bricks to London, by barge, and returned with garbage which I think was used to fire the kilns and the rags might have been used in the infant paper making industry

another source might be

The past glory of Milton Creek (tales of slipways, sails and setting booms) by Cordell and Williams, 1985 Lots of pictures of barges, not very well copied. Sketches of the larger yards on the creek and the hulks lying there in 1948 and 1974.

Memories of Murston by Goarge Andrews, 1930 - no pictures some sketches (none of barges). A lot of Andrew's family history.

and finally

Sittingbourne and Milton by Bellingham - no pictures of barges, just background of the 2 locations

Bowaters, are they still around?, used to have a large collection of records

Jonathan
 
We are accustomed to seeing barges sailing around, but I would dearly love to see them fully laden. The ones we see are high out of the water, and nothing like those on histric photos. I'd give anything for the chance to sail around a stackie and get some snaps.
 
More great photos, thanks.

I'm confused though...that first photo shows St Paul's cathedral close behind...

...so I'm reckoning the barges are approximately where the Millenium Bridge now is...

...but it seems unlikely that their masts would have got under London Bridge - less than 30ft clearance.

Would they have had to dip their yards while under sail to get under, or would those last miles have been under tow?
 
Last edited:
Is this the one?

49414093512_3c97ebee6e_c.jpg
 
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