Lighterman?

[jobarbra]

I have an ancestor called either Richard Samuel or Samual Richard James, born about 1831 in Bermondsey and says he is a lighterman. I have been looking in the registers but to no avail. Can anyone shed some light on whether he had to be registered or is it a profession he could do without being noticed??!??!

[Peter Goodey]

is it a profession he could do without being noticed?

No.

See the book My Ancestors were Watermen, obtainable through Parish Chest.

Also Google Thames Watermen Lightermen and in particular see the site parishregister.com which has advice on tracing watermen & lightermen ancestors.

Plus see this LMA Information Leaflet

[British Viking]

I had always thought lightermen were those fellas that used to go around on bikes with long poles and switch on and off the street gas lights at dusk/dawn until all the street lights were eventually electrified thus the profession died off?

[Peter Goodey]

I had always thought lightermen were those fellas that used to go around on bikes with long poles and switch on and off the street gas lights

And the watermen had to follow along behind them in order to douse any fire that might have been started by the gas lamps.

[geneius]

I had always thought lightermen were those fellas that used to go around on bikes with long poles and switch on and off the street gas lights at dusk/dawn until all the street lights were eventually electrified thus the profession died off?

Me too!

[AnnB]

And the watermen had to follow along behind them in order to douse any fire that might have been started by the gas lamps.

I had always thought lightermen were those fellas that used to go around on bikes with long poles and switch on and off the street gas lights at dusk/dawn until all the street lights were eventually electrified thus the profession died off?

I think you will find they were called lamplighters

Best wishes
Ann

[jobarbra]

Now you are all confusing me..................!!! I thought a Lighterman worked on the canals operating barges?

[Peter Goodey]

I thought a Lighterman worked on the canals operating barges?

Your man was from Bermondsey, he would be a Thames Lighterman. Please have a look at the references mentioned above. A lighterman shifted goods - on the Thames this was typically between ship and shore although it could be from place to place along the river. A lighter was a type of barge. A waterman transported passengers.

[nataliew]

I also have watermen and lightermen - guess it's almost inevitable when you have so many branches living on the Thames!
Thanks Peter for the LMA leaflet and other sources for info. I've also come across the Trueflare site: trueflaregenealogy.co.uk, which I think overlaps with quite a bit of Peter's links but might turn something up.
I also found this link quite interesting for a bit of background
https://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rmhttp/wo...0_watermen.pdf
You'll see they were certainly 'noticed' - the training is incredible!

[Mutley]

I believe Thames Lighterman and/or Watermen had to serve the seven years apprenticeship to become Freemen. A Freeman was allowed to ply his trade where ever on the river.

Boatman's Licences have been around for a good few years and normally only licence someone to work in a particular part of the river.