Thames lighters
Thames lighters and hoys
Editorial history
08/11/12: CSG, created page
Purpose of page
The MarineLives project is seeking to link and enhance HCA 13/71, not just to transcribe it.
Thames lighters and hoys are frequently mentioned in HCA 13/71. There is clear potential to develop an article about such vessells on the Thames in the 1650s, which would enhance the historiography, using HCA 13/71 as a starting point.
All associates, facilitators, advisors and PhD Forum members are encouraged to contribute to this page from their knowledge of the material, and from their broader knowledge and interest in the topic.
- What examples of lighters and hoys are mentioned in cases and depositions?
- What can we learn about their physical characteristics (burthen, crewing, rigging, cargo capacity)?
- What can we learn about their ownership?
- What can we learn about their captains and crew, and how do they compare socially and economically with captains and crew on larger ships?
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- HCA 13/71 f.XXXX Case: XXXX; Deposition: XXXX; Date: XXXX. Transcribed by XXXX[1]
Contents
Suggested links
Materials handling
Port trades
Thames docks and wharves
Thames shipyards in 1650s
Examples of Thames lighters
Lighter delivering Copperis to fully laded ship
Lighter delivered twelve hogsheads of Copperis to fully laded ship
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- "5. To the first second and third 4th and 5th articles of the sayd allegation
6. hee saith that hee this deponent being Carpenter and aboard
7. the Julian arlate the voyage in question and bound for Roane in
8. ffrance well knoweth and remembreth that the sayd shipp being
9. then lying at or neere the hermitage stayers in Wapping there
10. sawe a lighterman with a lighter to the same shipps side in the
11. moneth of december 1653 (and as hee remembreth upon Christmas
12. Eve that yeare) and in absense of the arlate Richard Bryan the
13. Master of the sayd shipp spake to the boatswaine of her
14. and required him to take a board the sayd sayd (SIC) shipp twelve
15. hogsheads of Coppers which hee had then in his lighter and
16. were sent as hee sayd by one Mr Tether to bee shipped aboard her
17. whereto the sayd Boatswaine replyed in presense and hearing of
18. this deponent and others of the sayd shipps Company to this effect
19. videlicet that the sayd shipp was now fully laden and that her sayd
20. Master was absent and had given Command before hee went
21. from on board that her Company should take in noe more ladeing
22. aboard her and therefore the sayd Copperis could not bee taken
23. in but the sayd Lighterman sayd hee was ordered to bring it
24. thither and soe left his lighter and the Copperis aforesayd in it by the
25. sayd shipps side, and saith hee this deponent was
26. not present on board when the sayd Copperis was laden aboard
27. the sayd shipp, but saith hee hath heard that the same was ˹putt˺
28. on board the sayd shipp towards Evening that
29. day
30.
31. but by whome hee knoweth not nor hath heard and hee saith
32. that the sayd shipp being full laden before receipt of the
33. sayd Copperis was soe pressed with the weight thereof that
34. the next ˹day˺ after the same was soe putt on board her shee would
35. not floate, and thereby the tyde overflowed the sayd shipp
36. and all her ladeing this hee knoweth for that the next
37. day hee this deponent coming to goe on board her
38. found that shee was sunke and nothing of her appearing
39. above water but a little of her sterne, and the tyde being
40. fallen this deponent came aboard her the same
41. day being Christmas day and helped to pumpe her and same"
- HCA 13/71 f.265r Case: Tether against Bryan "Examined upon the allegation on behalfe of the sayd Bryan"); Deposition: 4. William Evans of Newcastle upon Tine in the County of Northumberland Mariner Carpenter of the shipp the Julian aged sixtie yeares and upwards; Date: 26/06/1656. Transcribed by Colin Greenstreet[2]
Repair of a lighter in wharf at Horsey Down, Surrey
The twenty-four year old shipwright Isaac Mayers was from Horsey Downe, Surrey. He testified in the Admiralty Court that the Thames lighter the William and ffrance "was and stoode in greate neede of reparation" in November 1654.
The lighter was brought to John Mayer's wharf by the lighterman in Horsey Downe to be repaired at the request of Mr Coltman. But John Mayer found the lighter "soe much out of repaire and soe rotten, that hee refused to proceede on in her repaire till hee spake with mr Coltman who recommended the said worke unto him."
John Mayer insisted on meeting Coltman to view the lighter, who visited Horsey Downe together with "mr dandy wharfinger of the Customshouse", who confirmed that the repairs should go ahead.
- "26. The 4th of March 1655
27. Mayor and the William and ffrance}
28. and against knight. Clements. Smith.}
29. Examined upon the allegat libell.
30. Rp. .j.
31. Isaac Mayers of horsey downe Shippwright
32. aged 24 yeeres or thereabouts sworne and examined
33. To the first árticle hee cannot depose, not knowing William knight
34. or other the owners arlate.
35. To the second árticle hee saith and deposeth that within the time arlate
36. the Lighter the William and ffrance arlate was and remained in the
37. River of Thames, and was and stoode in greate neede of reparation,
38. and that in or about the moneth of November 1654 shee was by the
39. lighter man of her brought to the wharfe of the producent John Mayer
40. to horsey downe to be repaired and hee the said John (who had formerly
41. severall times repaired her) undertooke the said worke at the request of
42. the said lighterman who came in the name of the said arlate mr
43. Coltman, and when the said producent had begun to search and try her
44. defects, hee found her soe much out of repaire and soe rotten, that
45. hee refused to proceede on in her repaire till hee spake with mr
46. Coltman who recommended the said worke unto him; whereupon mr
47. Coltman accompanied with mr dandy wharfinger of the Customshouse
48. came over, and viewed the said lighter and being made acquainted with
49. her defects, hee desired the said John Mayor to goe on and to repaire
50. her in what ever was needfull, which hee accordingly did, and
51. hired men and laid out moneys for their wages and for materialls,
52. and saith the said repaires happened and were done in or about
53. the moneth of November 1654 and that the particulars thereof
54. were in all things and of the severall valewes mentioned in the schedule
55. annexed"
- HCA 13/71 f.15v Case: Mayor (?Mayer) and the William and ffrance and against knight; Deposition: 1. Isaac Mayers of horsey downe shipwright aged 24 yeeres; Date: XXXX. Transcribed by 04/03/1655(56)[3]
XXXX
- "the said lighter"
- HCA 13/71 f.454v Case: Matson against Naylor; Deposition: 1. Oliver Langdon of Wapping Wall Deale Merchant aged 38 yeares: Date: 12/12/1656[4]
