Thames Watermen Act 1698

Reasons for passing this Act.

Former Laws in force to be executed; Lightermen working between Gravesend and Windsor deemed the Watermens' Company.

Whereas notwithstanding the Laws that have been heretofore made for good Order Rule and Government amongst the Watermen and Wherrymen useing and rowing on the said River of Thames it hath oftentimes happened that divers People passing by Water upon the said River have been put in Danger of their Lives and Goods and many times have perished and been drowned and this occasioned by [X1 the] Unskilfullnesse and want of Experience in Wherrymen and Watermen and Persons out of the Rule of any Master or Governor And for that in and by the said Acts the Rulers and Overseers of the Company or Society of Watermen are not sufficiently impowered to make Rules Orders and Constitutions for the Order Rule and Government of the Watermen and Wherrymen rowing on the said River with Pains and Penalties to enforce their due Obedience to such Orders Rules and Constitutions and easie Recovery of the said Penalties And whereas the Lightermen rowing on the said River of Thames are growne very numerous and are at present without Rule and Government amongst them by whose Rudenesse and Unskilfullnesse in working of Lighters and other large Craft Ships and Vessells are hindred in the Delivery of Coals and thereby frequently stopped in the Proceed of their Voyages and the Goods and Lives of divers of His Majesties Subjects are likewise frequently endangered and lost and Notorious Disorders are occasioned For Remedy whereof Be it enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same That all and every Law and Statute now in force touching or concerning Watermen and Wherrymen and every Article and Thing in them contained and not herein or hereby altered or repealed shall be duely put in Execution by all Persons therein concerned according to the Tenour of the said Laws and under the Penalties therein contained And that all and every Person being a Lighterman or Owner of any Lighter or Lighters or having and keeping any Lighter or other large Craft or working in the same betweene Gravesend and Windsor shall be and be deemed and taken to be of one and the same Society or Company with the said Wherrymen and Watermen and the said Wherrymen Watermen and Lightermen are declared to be and are hereby made and constituted one Society and Company and as such shall be hereafter deemed and taken

Editorial Information

X1 interlined on the Roll.