Rowing and boating developed, both for pleasure and competitive sport. Thomas Doggett founded the Waterman’s Race in 1715 between London Bridge and Chelsea. Ernest Barry of Twickenham won the Coat and Badge in 1903.

A working barge near Radnor House, 1749

The Twickenham Rowing Club was founded in 1860, its boathouse built in 1880.

Detail from Glover map of 1635

Commercial barges are shown with sails in many views but they had to be pulled upstream. Both horses and men did the work and Peter Tillemans’ view of about 1725 illustrates this human drudgery. Glover’s map of 1635 shows a barge, drawn by five men, on the Middlesex bank below Richmond and another beside Eel Pie Island drawn by a pair of horses. Such men, working in teams, were known as “Scufflehunters” or “Halers”. There were territorial disputes between gangs and with bargemen about charges.

Drudgery for men, c1725. Detail from ‘A Prospect of Twickenham’ by Peter Tillemans (by courtesy of Orleans House Gallery)

Later, towpaths were formed and along the Surrey side at Ham, Lord Dysart erected a toll bar, charging horses 3d each. There were still disputes, both about payment and with landowners along the river bank. Heavy barges needed teams of up to sixteen horses to draw them.