May 31, 2018

​The River Thames has been used as a transportation route for hundreds of years and London owes its beginning to the Romans who recognized that its position at the highest point of the tidal waters was ideal for establishing a port.  In 1510 King Henry VIII regulated water transportation on the Thames by giving watermen licenses which gave them the right to carry passengers on the river.  In the 18th century the growth of the Industrial Revolution saw the building of locks on several rivers, including the Thames, in order to facilitate the movement of products.  Eventually a network of canals grew up all over England, all interconnected, and the Thames was part of this network.  As modern transportation developed the canals were replaced by rail lines and modern roads and the canals started to fall into disrepair.  In recent years many of the canals have been restored and they have become popular for recreational boating.