Week 64: My ancestor was a bargeman, waterman or lighterman

[Jill on the A272]

Week 64: My ancestor was a bargeman, waterman or lighterman

This is an opportunity to showcase a bargeman, waterman or lighterman from your family tree, you might want to offer a short biography and speak about their work eg
Name
Birth location/date
Family background
Where you've found them on the census
Their workplace/employer
Any tips on researching this occupation?

Trades and Occupations - Family Tree Forum

[Next week: Cooper]

[Jill on the A272]

Thomas Pillow (1796-1879) was a Thames lighterman and waterman, he married Hopestill Harland who was related to my husband. Thomas was appointed to the Courts of Assistance of the Watermen & Lighterman's Company in 1853. He donated to the Watermen's and Lightermen's alms-houses at Penge, and served on the Thames Conservancy Board from 1864. His first wife died in 1862, his second much younger wife Eliza (though I cannot find their marriage) eventually died in 1909 in the alms-houses he had supported.

He was also father in law to William Henry Monk, composer of hymn tunes such as Abide with Me and All things bright and beautiful.

[Lin Fisher]

I have the Bell family from Worksop in Nottinghamshire .Richard Bell, my 3 x G Grandfather, was born in Lincoln in 1797 and moved to Worksop with his parents and married Sarah Waterfall there. He is a boatman on all the census and died in 1878 in the Workhouse in Clarborough.

His sons, John, George and Henry were all boatman in various census, Also his Grandsons, Charles, William and Thomas.

[Lin Fisher]

Not sure if this is an exact description of waterman but Mum and her siblings went on the River Trent to the pleasure beach when they were young on the pleasure boat from Trent Bridge. A relation of theirs call Uncle Charlie work the boat. Found out he was Charles Benson a 2nd cousin of Mums.

[Jill on the A272]

Not sure if this is an exact description of waterman but Mum and her siblings went on the River Trent to the pleasure beach when they were young on the pleasure boat from Trent Bridge. A relation of theirs call Uncle Charlie work the boat. Found out he was Charles Benson a 2nd cousin of Mums.

You've just reminded me - before I was born my mum told me dad went for a job on the Regents Canal in London taking tourists on a pleasure boat, but decided against it in the end as it was too seasonal.

[Lin Fisher]

Jill, so nice to remember things that are in our lifetime. So much family history is just names and dates. That's why I hoped you didn't mind me putting that one in.

[Charney Jo]

My dad and uncle were both watermen and lightermen in the 1960s, '70s and the early part of the '80s, until they closed the London docks. It broke my dad's heart as they were from Bermondsey. Watermen carried people and lightermen worked lighters (boats that carried cargo). I feel sad as generations back my ancestors were dockers and finally they managed to pull themselves up to be skilled and it all closed. I still have my dad's certificates and love of the Thames.