Rivetted steel/wrought iron Thames Lighter built c’1890 by London builders unknown. Typical of many hundreds of ‘dumb barges’ used on the Thames, canals, tributaries, docks and Port of London for the transport of cargo, aggregates and supplies between wharves, warehouses and ships.
Usually towed singly or in large groups by river or dock tugs, they were also hand rowed by one man going with the tide, this is known as ‘barge driving’ and is still celebrated in the annual Thames Barge Driving Match.
