Hammerton's Ferry
Encyclopedia
Hammerton's Ferry is a pedestrian and cycle ferry
service across the River Thames
in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
, London
, England
. The ferry links the northern bank near Marble Hill House
in Twickenham
with the southern bank near Ham House in Ham
. It is one of only four remaining ferry routes in London not to be replaced by a bridge or tunnel.
since at least 1652 the lands to the south of the river at this point had historically been privately held by the Tollemache family
(owners of Ham House) and off limits to the public. Consequently, despite the distance from the nearest crossings there was little demand for cross-river services at this location. Additionally, the Tollemache family had licensing rights for the Twickenham Ferry
at Eel Pie Island (sometimes known as Dysart's ferry after the family), and consequently had little interest in promoting a competing service. The Twickenham Ferry is a setting for some action in Little Dorritt by Charles Dickens
.
on the north bank of the Thames and the surrounding park were purchased for public use and in 1902 the footpath on the southern bank near Ham House became a public right of way by Act of Parliament resulting in increased passenger traffic in the area. In 1908 local resident Walter Hammerton began hiring out boats to leisure users from a boathouse opposite Marble Hill House, and in 1909 began to operate a regular ferry service across the river at this point using a 12-passenger clinker
-built skiff
, charging 1d
per journey.
, operators of the nearby Twickenham Ferry, took legal action against Hammerton to remove his right to operate the ferry. Although Hammerton won the initial case, the judgement was reversed on appeal. Following considerable public interest in the case, a public subscription raised the funds for Hammerton to take the case to the House of Lords
, who ruled in his favour on 23 July 1915.
The legal case resulted in considerable publicity for Hammerton, culminating in the release of the song "The Ferry to Fairyland" celebrating the case. ("Fairyland", in this case, referring to Marble Hill House, recently purchased by the London County Council
for public enjoyment.)
In 1947 Hammerton retired after 38 years of operating the ferry, leaving the ferry & boathouse to Sandy Scott.
.
The ferry currently operates between a floating boathouse on the north bank of the Thames and a rudimentary jetty
on the south bank. The boathouse is also in use as a private mooring for leisure craft. The ferry operates on all weekends, and weekdays between February and October. As well as the ferry service, rowboats, canoe
s and motorboat
s can also be hired from the boathouse.
In July 2007 the ferry briefly made headlines when owner Francis Spencer saved from drowning a woman found floating in the Thames. After the rescue, the woman left the scene and was never identified.
A local tradition holds that a tunnel connects Ham House and Marble Hill House, paralleling the route of the ferry. However, there is no evidence that this is the case.
The ferry marks the starting point of the Great River Race
and is on the course of the Twickenham Regatta. As the ferry has right-of-way over rowed craft, the races have to be carefully timed to ensure that the ferry does not interfere with their running.
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
service across the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames is a London borough in South West London, UK, which forms part of Outer London. It is unique because it is the only London borough situated both north and south of the River Thames.-Settlement:...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The ferry links the northern bank near Marble Hill House
Marble Hill House
Marble Hill House is a Palladian villa on the River Thames in southwest London, situated halfway between Richmond and Twickenham. The architect was Roger Morris, who collaborated with Henry Herbert, Earl of Pembroke, one of the "architect earls", in adapting a more expansive design by Colen...
in Twickenham
Twickenham
Twickenham is a large suburban town southwest of central London. It is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan...
with the southern bank near Ham House in Ham
Ham, London
Ham is a district in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames on the River Thames.- Location :Its name derives from the Old English word Hamme meaning place in the bend in the river. Together with Petersham, Ham lies to the east of the bend in the river south of Richmond and north of Kingston...
. It is one of only four remaining ferry routes in London not to be replaced by a bridge or tunnel.
Historical background
Although ferries (and later bridges) had crossed the river to the east at Richmond since 1459 and to the west at Eel Pie IslandEel Pie Island
Eel Pie Island is an island in the River Thames in England at Twickenham, in the Borough of Richmond upon Thames, London. It is situated on the Tideway and can be reached only by footbridge or boat...
since at least 1652 the lands to the south of the river at this point had historically been privately held by the Tollemache family
Earl of Dysart
Earl of Dysart is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1643 for William Murray, who had earlier represented Fowey and East Looe in the English House of Commons. He was made Lord Huntingtower at the same time, also in the Peerage of Scotland. He was succeeded by his daughter, the...
(owners of Ham House) and off limits to the public. Consequently, despite the distance from the nearest crossings there was little demand for cross-river services at this location. Additionally, the Tollemache family had licensing rights for the Twickenham Ferry
Twickenham Ferry
The Twickenham Ferry, sometimes known as Dysart's Ferry, was a historic ferry crossing of the River Thames in the western suburbs of London, England. The ferry connected a location just downstream to Eel Pie Island in the town of Twickenham on the northern bank of the river with Ham House on the...
at Eel Pie Island (sometimes known as Dysart's ferry after the family), and consequently had little interest in promoting a competing service. The Twickenham Ferry is a setting for some action in Little Dorritt by Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
.
Walter Hammerton
In 1901 Marble Hill HouseMarble Hill House
Marble Hill House is a Palladian villa on the River Thames in southwest London, situated halfway between Richmond and Twickenham. The architect was Roger Morris, who collaborated with Henry Herbert, Earl of Pembroke, one of the "architect earls", in adapting a more expansive design by Colen...
on the north bank of the Thames and the surrounding park were purchased for public use and in 1902 the footpath on the southern bank near Ham House became a public right of way by Act of Parliament resulting in increased passenger traffic in the area. In 1908 local resident Walter Hammerton began hiring out boats to leisure users from a boathouse opposite Marble Hill House, and in 1909 began to operate a regular ferry service across the river at this point using a 12-passenger clinker
Clinker (boat building)
Clinker building is a method of constructing hulls of boats and ships by fixing wooden planks and, in the early nineteenth century, iron plates to each other so that the planks overlap along their edges. The overlapping joint is called a land. In any but a very small boat, the individual planks...
-built skiff
Thames skiff
A Thames skiff is a traditional River Thames wooden rowing boat used for the activity of Skiffing. These boats evolved from Thames wherries in the Victorian era to meet a passion for river exploration and leisure outings on the water.-Construction of a skiff:...
, charging 1d
British One Penny coin (pre-decimal)
The English Penny, originally a coin of 1.3 to 1.5 g pure silver, includes the penny introduced around the year 785 by King Offa of Mercia. However, his coins were similar in size and weight to the continental deniers of the period, and to the Anglo-Saxon sceats which had gone before it, which were...
per journey.
Legal challenge
In 1913 William Champion, and Lord DysartWilliam Tollemache, 9th Earl of Dysart
William John Manners Tollemache, 9th Earl of Dysart in the Peerage of Scotland, was also a Baronet in the Baronetage of Great Britain, Lord Lieutenant of Rutland , and Justice of the Peace for Leicestershire and Lincolnshire.He was a grandson of the 8th Earl, and the son of William Tollemache,...
, operators of the nearby Twickenham Ferry, took legal action against Hammerton to remove his right to operate the ferry. Although Hammerton won the initial case, the judgement was reversed on appeal. Following considerable public interest in the case, a public subscription raised the funds for Hammerton to take the case to the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
, who ruled in his favour on 23 July 1915.
The legal case resulted in considerable publicity for Hammerton, culminating in the release of the song "The Ferry to Fairyland" celebrating the case. ("Fairyland", in this case, referring to Marble Hill House, recently purchased by the London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
for public enjoyment.)
In 1947 Hammerton retired after 38 years of operating the ferry, leaving the ferry & boathouse to Sandy Scott.
Current operation
The ferry is currently owned by Francis Spencer and operated by Stan Rust. The current ferry, Peace of Mind, was designed and built by Thanetcraft Limited in South Wales in 1997. Hammerton's original skiff is now on display at the Museum in DocklandsMuseum in Docklands
The Museum of London Docklands is a museum on the Isle of Dogs, east London that tells the history of London's River Thames and Docklands...
.
The ferry currently operates between a floating boathouse on the north bank of the Thames and a rudimentary jetty
Jetty
A jetty is any of a variety of structures used in river, dock, and maritime works that are generally carried out in pairs from river banks, or in continuation of river channels at their outlets into deep water; or out into docks, and outside their entrances; or for forming basins along the...
on the south bank. The boathouse is also in use as a private mooring for leisure craft. The ferry operates on all weekends, and weekdays between February and October. As well as the ferry service, rowboats, canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
s and motorboat
Motorboat
A motorboat is a boat which is powered by an engine. Some motorboats are fitted with inboard engines, others have an outboard motor installed on the rear, containing the internal combustion engine, the gearbox and the propeller in one portable unit.An inboard/outboard contains a hybrid of a...
s can also be hired from the boathouse.
In July 2007 the ferry briefly made headlines when owner Francis Spencer saved from drowning a woman found floating in the Thames. After the rescue, the woman left the scene and was never identified.
A local tradition holds that a tunnel connects Ham House and Marble Hill House, paralleling the route of the ferry. However, there is no evidence that this is the case.
The ferry marks the starting point of the Great River Race
Great River Race
The Great River Race is an annual competition held on the River Thames for any traditional-style coxed boat propelled by oars or paddles.The competition was started in 1988 and covers a 21 mile course on the tidal Thames between Ham, London and Greenwich...
and is on the course of the Twickenham Regatta. As the ferry has right-of-way over rowed craft, the races have to be carefully timed to ensure that the ferry does not interfere with their running.