Transcriber’s Notes.
[Illustration: Map of the River Thames from its Source to Windsor]
[Illustration: Map of the River Thames to Windsor]
FATHER THAMES
[Illustration:
Offices of The Port of London Authority
_Frontispiece_]
FATHER THAMES
[Illustration]
BY
WALTER HIGGINS
WELLS GARDNER, DARTON & CO., LTD.
3 & 4 PATERNOSTER BUILDINGS, LONDON, E.C.
[Illustration]
PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN
FATHER THAMES
BOOK I.—LONDON RIVER. BOOK II.—THE GREAT CITY WHICH THE RIVER MADE.
BOOK III.—THE UPPER RIVER.
_This book is also issued in separate parts, as above._
CONTENTS
BOOK I
LONDON RIVER
CHAPTER PAGE
INTRODUCTION: THE RIVER AND ITS VALLEY 1
I. LONDON RIVER 15
II. THE ESTUARY AND ITS TOWNS 31
III. THE MEDWAY AND ITS TOWNS 40
IV. GRAVESEND AND TILBURY 52
V. THE MARSHES 64
VI. WOOLWICH 77
VII. GREENWICH 87
VIII. THE PORT AND THE DOCKS 101
BOOK II
THE GREAT CITY WHICH THE RIVER MADE
I. HOW THE RIVER FOUNDED THE CITY 123
II. HOW THE CITY GREW (ROMAN DAYS) 130
III. HOW THE CITY GREW (SAXON DAYS) 137
IV. HOW THE CITY GREW (NORMAN DAYS) 143
V. THE RIVER’S FIRST BRIDGE 147
VI. HOW THE CITY GREW (IN THE MIDDLE AGES) 157
VII. THE TOWER OF LONDON 166
VIII. HOW FIRE DESTROYED WHAT THE RIVER HAD MADE 181
IX. THE RIVERSIDE AND ITS PALACES 193
X. ROYAL WESTMINSTER—THE ABBEY 209
XI. ROYAL WESTMINSTER—THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT 220
XII. THE RIVERSIDE OF TO-DAY 227
BOOK III
THE UPPER RIVER
I. STRIPLING THAMES 237
II. OXFORD 246
III. ABINGDON, WALLINGFORD, AND THE GORING GAP 263
IV. READING 271
V. HOLIDAY THAMES—HENLEY TO MAIDENHEAD 279
VI. WINDSOR 285
VII. ETON COLLEGE 298
VIII. HAMPTON COURT 305
IX. KINGSTON 317
X. RICHMOND 326
XI. RICHMOND TO WESTMINSTER 332
INDEX 349
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
BOOK I
LONDON RIVER
CHART OF THE THAMES FROM THE SOURCE TO WINDSOR
_Front end papers_
PORT OF LONDON OFFICES _Frontispiece_
PAGE
HOW THE THAMES WAS MADE 4
THE BIRTH OF THE RIVER 8
MOUTH OF THE THAMES 16
THE NORE LIGHTSHIP 17
SHEERNESS 20
TRAINING SHIPS OFF GREENHITHE 22
LONDON’S GIANT GATEWAY 25
THE POOL 27
A THAMES-SIDE WHARF 29
ROCHESTER CASTLE 48
ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL 50
GRAVESEND 54
A RIVER-SIDE CEMENT WORKS 56
TILBURY FORT 58
BUGSBY’S REACH 69
WOOLWICH 79
GREENWICH PARK 88
GREENWICH HOSPITAL 94
THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY 98
DOCKLAND 103
DOCKHEAD, BERMONDSEY 107
WAPPING AND LIMEHOUSE 109
A GIANT LINER 117