Enough said! - # 08/114

One of the old ferry points from Twickenham across to Ham. Believe it or not, it's at the bottom of Ferry Rd. At high Spring tides the water rises high up the lamp post and blocks the road.

Towards evening we arrived at Richmond - # 145

........actually, City Daily Photo readers arrive at "the very steps" where, I firmly believe, thanks to exhaustive research, that Karl Moritz crossed the river. He crossed it on this very same day, 21st June, 225 years ago! These are the steps at the end of Ferry Lane, Kew. The crossing went from Brentford to Kew close to the site of the current Kew Bridge.

Tonight I will go in search of the inn where he might have stayed, and I will drink his health. (Well actually I have spent several nights already searching for his inn, but it is hard and needs a lot of work to check them all out!).

In the coming days we will try to look through his eyes at things as they are now. We will also follow him out of Richmond (another search for another ferry!) and make an astounding discovery about a certain tree (if I can find it and actually get a photo).

The 500 yr long queue - #5

This is the last foot ferry in existence across the Thames, at Ham. For hundreds of years these crossings were essential, because bridges were too expensive and difficult to build. This ferry site was the monopoly business of the Earl of Dysart for hundreds of years until Mr. Hammerton set up a rival ferry on this crossing, about 200 metres away from where the Earl's boat was operating. The Earl tried to stop him, but Parliament, for some reason, supported Hammerton, and now his successors still operate the last remaining foot ferry service on the Thames. You can see that it is still a valued service, even in the age of the car and bus.