Meaning
A person who operated a lighter or flat-bottomed barge on rivers and tidal waters.
Description
Lightermen worked on the tidal Thames and other navigable rivers, transferring cargo between large ships anchored in the river and the wharves and warehouses on shore. Their flat-bottomed vessels, known as lighters, could carry heavy loads in shallow water. The trade was one of the most ancient on the Thames and was regulated by the Watermen and Lightermen's Company from 1555. Lightermen served a lengthy apprenticeship and the trade was often passed from father to son. The work was physically demanding and required skill in navigating tidal currents.
Also Known As
Waterman, Bargeman, River Lighterman
Commonly Found In
- Census Returns
- Parish Registers
- Watermen and Lightermen Records
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