I’ve often mentioned the activities of the waterways charity Thames21 in this column but I thought it might be helpful to take a closer look at the organisation’s background.
History
Travel in style on a steamer
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]F YOU don’t own a boat, then for many people their only experience of getting out on the Thames is by taking a trip on a passenger launch. The heyday of the Thames passenger launches was during the latter part of the 19th century and the early years of the 20th, when the Victorians and […]
The ‘liquid history’ of our Old Father Thames
[dropcap]I’[/dropcap]VE spent most of my life on, in or around the River Thames and it has never ceased to fascinate me – and occasionally I find myself pondering the question: Why? Sometimes I’ve heard people say – ‘It’s just a river – what’s so special about that?’ – which simply makes me think they have […]
Memories of a magical – if nerve-wracking – time
[dropcap]I’[/dropcap]VE ALWAYS loved the pleasure boats that carry passengers up and down the Thames and I wrote in a recent column that as a youngster in the 1950s I used to enjoy watching the steamers coming and going from the pier at Richmond as they carried passengers upstream to Hampton Court or downstream to Westminster. […]
For whom the Belle tolls
I’ve always had a real soft spot for historic ships and boats. Vessels that hark back to an era when Britain really did rule the waves and when craftsmanship was something to be proud of rather than regarded as old-fashioned.
From a mystery tunnel to dredging the Thames
Last week, I told the story about Doug Millsom and his friends who, as youngsters, used to play around a tunnel that emerged on the bank of Desborough Island and asked whether any readers knew its history.
Fisherman need friends – and some bigger nets
My old mate Doug ‘the ancient angler’ Millsom called me up this week to chide me for ignoring his fellow fishermen.
Turbulence of the Thames
For those living close to the river, the past few weeks must have been an absolute nightmare.
Search goes on for news of Home Guard member
A couple of weeks back I wrote about Phil McCarthy, the father of a lady called Dinah Ballantyne, who was a member of the Home Guard given the responsibility for protecting Penton Hook Lock during the dark days of the Second World War.
Home Guards’ ‘Mac’ was the guardian of the lock
One of the things I love most about writing this column is that every now and again I’m contacted by someone with a lovely story to tell connected to our stretch of the Thames.