Thames watermen and lightermen 1688-2010
Useful links & resources
About the Thames watermen and lightermen records
Here you can search 99,140 occupational records of Thames watermen and lightermen for the period 1688-2010.
This collection comprises the following records:
The Company of Watermen & Lightermen of the River Thames binding records 1692-1949
82,238 records of apprentice binding books, which include details of each apprentice's binding to his master.
The Company of Watermen & Lightermen of the River Thames reassignments 1688-1908
A list of apprentices who were reassigned from one master to another – 12,410 records, including information about both masters and apprentices.
Thomas Doggett Coat & Badge records 1715-2010
A record of all known competitors who rowed in the annual Thomas Doggett Coat & Badge race 1715-2010 – 4,402 records.
Corporation of Trinity House 1829-1864
A register of licences granted to ex-mariners to work as watermen on the River Thames 1829-1864 – 90 records.
These records are licensed from local specialist Rob Cottrell.
The history of the Thames watermen and lightermen
An Act of Parliament established the Company of Watermen and Lightermen in 1555. The act controlled the watermen on the River Thames who were responsible for the movement of goods and passengers. It is the only ancient City Guild that an Act of Parliament has formed and controlled.
Watermen were highly skilled boatmen who carried passengers up and down and across the Thames in row boats, steam boats, sailing boats and vessels.
Lightermen worked on cargo boats rather than passenger vessels and were originally members of the Woodmongers Company. In 1700 they successfully petitioned Parliament to join the watermen.
The Thames is the only river in the United Kingdom that Parliament regulates for the training and apprenticeship of young men to the trade of watermen and lightermen. Originally boys were bound to a master (or mistress, who was normally the widow of a freeman) for one year. During the 19th century, however, the apprenticeship period was altered so the boy served between five and seven years with the apprentice, coming out of his time at the age of 21.
The oldest annual sporting event in the world is Doggett's Coat and Badge, which first took place on 1 August 1715 between London Bridge and Chelsea. Rob Cottrell has recorded the name of every known competitor, including those who were unsuccessful in the drawing of lots at Watermen's Hall or the trials held at Putney.
The watermen and lightermen still work on the River Thames to this day. The watermen remain responsible for passenger transport and the lightermen take care of the carriage of goods.
If you've found one waterman or lighterman ancestor it's likely that you'll find more; this tended to be an occupation that ran in families.
Read more about the Thames watermen and lightermen in this article by Rob Cottrell (PDF).
The Thames watermen and lightermen records are part of our Thames-side and Medway collection, which also contains parish baptism, marriage and burial records. Find out more about this collection
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