‘Western’ Barges carried London’s Corn Supplies from the Grain-growing Regions of Southern Central England, while in the opposite direction came Coal by Sea from Newcastle. Lighters Loaded & Unloaded the Cargoes of the Great Ships that could travel no further Upstream than London Bridge. Once the Supplies were brought Ashore, Wharfingers, Porters & Carters Transported them to their Destinations.
The places where Boats were available for Public Hire were known as ‘stairs’ or ‘pairs of stairs’. There were also private stairs for the use of, for example, Parliament at Westminster or the City of London gilds. These stairs were often literally a flight of steps leading down to a wooden jetty which protruded into the river, where the boats would be moored. Here the watermen would ply their trade, often vociferously and very persuasively — competition among them could evidently be intense. Long-distance transport was available for specific destinations from particular Wharves. Besides the Long Ferry, which plied with the twice-daily Tide, ‘Great Boats’ were available twice-weekly at Queenhythe for Kingston, Windsor and other Upriver Destinations, while the Reading Boat called weekly at Bull Wharf near Queenhythe. It was evidently the policy of the Watermen’s Company to assign Watermen to particular Pairs of Stairs as their Workbase. This would have aided in the Supervision of the Watermen, a long-running requirement for this unruly body of River Workers. City Regulations of 1634 laid down that Watermen should be at their Plying Places by 5.00am in Summer, 7.00am in Winter. Navigation on the Thames
The earliest mention of the 1st Hall of the Company of Watermen was in 1603. At the time of this view of 1647 it was located at Cold Harbour, to the East of the modern Charing Cross, a Mansion that had been acquired from Earl Gilbert. It was Destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666 along with the Company’s Records.
The Barges were generally a Flat Structure with a small Cabin at the Stern and a Locker in the Bows for Stowing Ropes and other Equipment. The Cargo Hold was covered by either Wooden Hatches or a Canvas Tarpaulin which were held above the Cargo by the Hatch Beam. The Boats were built in a large Sheds at the north end of a Wharf. The Frames of the Hull were built from Oak. There was a Steam Chest behind the Shed where the wood could be shaped. The Hull was Planked. Pitch Pine was used because it was lightweight and came in long lengths so required less Joints. Elm was tried, and although it was more water resistant, it was heavier & therefore the Barge had a lower Cargo capacity. The gaps between the planks were sealed by Caulking, a process involving mixing a fibrous substance, often unpicked old rope, with Tar & ramming the mixture into the Joints while the Tar was Hot. The Barge was Flat Bottomed & Straight sided, this meant that it could operate in shallow Water with a reasonable Cargo, also it could be safely Grounded in Tidal Waters. Once the Hull was complete it was covered in Pitch to create a Watertight finish. The Barge was Built on Trestles to keep it off the Ground and assist in Launching. Only the Hull was built in the Shed. On completion the Water Side of the Shed was removed and the Barge was Launched Sideways into the River. The Barge was then Towed up to Moorings and it was here that Fitting out was completed. This was also the area used to Repair Barges.
As many as 300-Flat-bottomed ‘Western’ Barges plied the River. The largest of these were 4-times as long as a London Bus and more than twice as wide. They could carry up to 200-Tons of Cargo. Yet, when fully Laden, they could Operate in Water little more than 4-ft Deep. The Construction of the Western Barge changed little over the Centuries. The Flat Bottom was usually Built of Elm Planks, 3-ins wide. These ran along the length of the Vessel and were grooved together, the joints sealed with pitch and old rope fibres. There was a Planked Floor to prevent the Cargo damaging the Bottom of the Barge. The Vessel’s Sides were formed of Oak Planks coated with Pitch, and the Upper Edge of the Hull was protected by a substantial Timber Rail called the Gunwale. The Stern was Square Cut and strongly Constructed to support a huge Rudder. Crew Quarters were situated at the Stern and consisted of little more than a space covered by a Canvas Awning. The rest of the Vessel was devoted to Cargo. Whenever possible, a Sail was used to help Propel the Boat. The Mast stood Amidships. It was usually from the Top of this that the Barge would be Towed.
Until the mid-18thC, it was unusual for Horses to be used for Towing. Instead, Teams of Hauliers were recruited from the Dregs of Society along the River Valley. A heavy Barge might need as many as 60-Men to pull it, and the Haulier Gangs were feared by the more respectable Thameside Residents. Only in times of Drought would Animals be used to augment the Efforts of the Hauliers. When the Water Level was Low, Barges could be stranded in the Mud for Weeks & Horses or Oxen would therefore be borrowed from Local Farmers to try to Free the Vessels. When the use of Horse Teams eventually became Commonplace, as many as 12-Horses were used to pull a Large Vessel against the Current. The Massive Tow Ropes could be over 200-yds long and might weigh more than 6-cwt. They needed frequent replacement and cost the equivalent of about £800 each in today’s money. The old Bridge at Henley-on-Thames posed an obstacle to NMavigation, being impassable by Larger Craft during the Drier half of the year. This necessitated transferring Cargoes, either to other Craft, or to Road Transport. Wagons carrying relatively light Cargoes destined for Wallingford, or further Upstream, could take a short cut across the Chilterns, avoiding the long Loop in the River between Wallingford & Henley.
Expansion to c.1600 Grain & Barging:- An expansion of Grain-Exporting to London was underway by 1493 when the presence of Londoners in Henley for Grain-buying was noted. Sixteen leading Henley men were listed as Corn-buyers in 1517, all but one of whom were Burgesses. Richard Brockham, at the Head of the List, was Henley’s Joint wealthiest man in 1524 with goods assessed at £80, and in 1527 bequeathed a Granary, 3 Barges & other Property. Corn-buyers, however, also engaged in other occupations. John Fowl, whose Tax Assessment equalled Brockham’s, was a Fuller, while the 3 next wealthiest men in 1524, all listed as Corn-Buyers, are known to have been respectively a Fuller & Innkeeper, a Glover, & a Butcher. By the 1560s–70s Henley was again a major source of London’s Grain: 34% of Corn Shipments recorded in the Bridgehouse Corn Book in 1568–73 came from Henley, and from October 1573 to March 1574, 43% of London’s Corn was allegedly Imported from there. London’s resurgence probably also reinvigorated the Export of Wood. In the mid-16thC Farmers at Marsh Baldon (near Oxford) made a large Sale of Timber to a Henley Merchant, while John Venner, Warden 1558–60, supplied Wood to a London Woodmonger. In 1559 London’s Governors obtained Authority to seize Wood at Henley & elsewhere after Merchants had allegedly restricted Supplies
The revival in Export of Bulk Goods from Henley must have required an expansion in River Transport, which presumably increased employment for Bargemen. Probate Documents survive for 6-Henley Bargemen between 1563 & 1574, and another 2 were mentioned; recorded Wealth ranged from c.£6 to c.£79, the higher amounts being comparable with the Wealth of modestly prosperous Farmers. One owned a ¼-share in a Barge called the Dragon, which implies participation in a Barge-owning Partnership, and possibly receipt of a Share of Profits. 2–Bargemen in 1587 likewise owned a ¼ of a Barge each, the 2 other Part-owners including the Henley-based Grain-exporter Michael Woolley (d.1608). Most Bargemen, however, must have been casual Labourers, and large-scale Barge Owners seem to have been rare at Henley during the 16thC. Apart from Brockham & Woolley, the only known 16thC example was Richard Cutler (d.1566), who called himself Yeoman and made Cash Bequests totalling £127. He Bequeathed a Barge called the Sun, ½ of a Barge called the Peter, and a Barge under Construction, suggesting an expansive economic climate. Probably many Barges were owned by Londoners and men at other Riverside Towns.
Further Upstream, Large Barges were prevented from reaching Oxford by the Rocky River Bed at Clifton Hampden. Their Cargoes would therefore be transferred to smaller Craft at Burcot, a mile or so Downstream of the Rocky Shallows. From 1624 onwards, Navigational improvements were made by the installation of more and better Locks, by the digging of New Channels to bypass difficult Sections of Thames River, and by the introduction of Regulations to control Toll Charges and the Operation of Locks. The Canalisation of one of the Thames’s Major Tributaries, the Kennet, began in 1719. The Kennet & Avon Canal opened in 1810 which allowed the Passage of Barges to enter the Thames & thus the River Wey. The problems at Henley remained until the old Bridge was Demolished to make way for the present Structure, completed in 1786. By the early-19thC, the River Journey from Oxford to London could be completed in 3½-Days. It was also possible to travel by Barge from the Thames Valley to the West Country & the Midlands.
Aston Rowant & Chilterns Spring Line Villages 