Thames and River Lea/Lee Lightermen

[Peter Goodey]

Definitely looks like Strood on the page

Yes but the suggestion is speculation about what it meant, not what it looks like. You seem to be forgetting that the enumerator's book is itself a transcription. When I said that "Herts could be a misreading of Kent", I wasn't suggesting that you might have misread it but the enumerator might have misread it.

[fedup]

Aha, I take your point! Will have a look at that angle also.

[sdrobson]

Read entire thread with great interest. Also have Thames lightermen on my father's side - first was from Suffolk, apprenticed and lived in Woolwich. His son, on gaining his freedom (to work on the river) moved to Walthamstow from 1841 census onwards. Did this move enable the son (and his sons) to work on the River Lea? The censuses describe them as "lightermen". Does anyone know of any records relating to the River Lea - i.e. the type of goods carried and the bargemen involved?

[fedup]

Yes, I would like to know if the freedom was passed down the generations because this particular family had business(es) at various points on the River Lea up until the 1930s. I think the phone book entries cease about then. They were at Lea Bridge, Clapton, Hackney Wick and Tottenham Hale over the years, and were described as wharfingers as well as lightermen.

I have come across nothing specific regarding records relating to the River Lea, but would be most interested to know of any. FMP has nothing among the Bound records for people in my tree.

[fedup]

I've revisited the entry on the page in 1851, and it says "Hertford Strood", so I don't think it can be "Herts" as a misreading of "Kent". On the summary page on A******y, it just shows "Herts" not "Hertfordshire". I suppose it's possible that there used to be a district of Hertford which was known as Strood, although I can't see it on the map now. Probably my best bet is to post on the Hertfordshire forum, in the hope that some one local to Hertford will see it. Will also have a look for an OPC in Hertford.

[fedup]

I would appreciate anyone who has any knowledge of the history of Hertford helping me out with an 1851 census entry.

I have a birthplace which says on the page "Hertford Strood" but can't find this on any map. Could it be that there was a small area of Hertford that used to be known as Strood? The birth year would have been c1790.

Thanks all.

[malcolm99]

I can't find anything in the usual gazetteers. Have you got a census ref so that we can look at the original entry?

[Peter Goodey]

Have we been through these hoops before?

http://www.british-genealogy.com/for...Lee-Lightermen

[Jan1954]

Have we been through these hoops before?

http://www.british-genealogy.com/for...Lee-Lightermen

We have, Peter, and so I have tacked this onto the end of the original thread and moved it to the Hertfordshire forum.

Meanwhile, fedup, I am a born and bred Hertfordshire girl and I have never come across a place called Strood - either in the Hertford environs or in the rest of Hertfordshire. Probably a mistake by the enumerator.

[Mutley]

Yes, I would like to know if the freedom was passed down the generations because this particular family had business(es) at various points on the River Lea up until the 1930s.

Freedom of the Thames was not actually passed down the generations. A lighterman or waterman still had to undergo their long apprenticeship but were often apprenticed to family members. For example, a lad would be apprenticed to his father, his grandfather or to his uncle. It was a very close knit community, sometimes it would be, you take my son and I will take yours. Either way they still had to work very hard to earn their freedom of the Thames.

P.S. A waterman moves passengers, a lighterman handles freight.
Traditionally, watermen are the only members of the public permitted to touch royalty - they helped them into boats!