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Thames Wherry

Type Object Region England Time c. 1500–1900

The Thames wherry was a small rowing or sail-and-oar ferry operating on England's Thames in the 17th century, carrying passengers, ferries, and short…

Timeline

  1. c. 1500–1630Thames River upstream of London Bridge · LondonFrom the 16th to the early 17th century, Thames wherries carried citizens across the river and handled short-haul freight where bridges were scarce and riverside landings scattered; boatmen's guilds and ferry licensing systems gradually took shape.
  2. 1645–1650Thames ferry crossings in London (Westminster–Southwark area) · LondonIn the 1640s, London expanded amid political turmoil, and Thames wherries remained a daily means of transport for cross-river commuting, official travel, and goods transfer, with dense and busy ferry crossings.
  3. c. 1750–1900London docklands on the lower Thames · LondonAfter modern bridge-building and the rise of steam ferries, traditional rowing wherries ceded their main passenger role but continued on some stretches and in tourism, becoming an important legacy of Thames transport history.

Sources