View source for Hammerton's Ferry

{{Short description|Pedestrian and cycle ferry service across the River Thames}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox water transit
| name            = Hammerton's Ferry
| symbol          = {{R-I|london|river}}
| logo            = 
| logo_size       = 
| image           = Hammerton's Ferry midriver.jpg
| image_size      = 
| image_caption   = 
| locale          = [[London]], England, UK
| waterway        = [[River Thames]]
| transit_type    = Passenger [[ferry]]
| quays           = 
| owner           = Francis Spencer
| operator        = Andrew Spencer
| began_operation = 1909
| ended_operation = 
| length          = {{Convert|0.12|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| lines           = 1
| vessels         = 1
| terminals       = 2
| ridership       = 
| website         = http://www.hammertonsferry.com
}}

'''Hammerton's Ferry''' is a pedestrian and cycle [[ferry]] service across the [[River Thames]] in the [[London Borough of Richmond upon Thames]], [[London]], [[England]]. The ferry links the river's northern bank near [[Marble Hill House]] in [[Twickenham]] with its southern bank near [[Ham House]] in [[Ham, London|Ham]]. It is one of only four remaining ferry routes in London not to be replaced by a bridge or tunnel.

==Historical background==

Although ferries (and later bridges) had crossed the river to the east at Richmond since 1459<ref>{{cite journal  | last =Reynolds  | first =Susan  | author-link = Susan Reynolds|title =Twickenham: Introduction  | journal =A History of the County of Middlesex  | volume =3  | pages =139–147  | year =1962  | url =http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=22287  | access-date =2007-12-30  }}</ref> and to the west at [[Eel Pie Island]] since at least 1652, the lands to the south of the river at this point had historically been privately held by the [[Earl of Dysart|Tollemache family]] (owners of Ham House) and were off limits to the public. Consequently, despite the distance from the nearest crossings there was little demand for cross-river services at this location. Additionally, the Tollemache family had licensing rights for the [[Twickenham Ferry]] at Eel Pie Island (sometimes known as Dysart's ferry after the family), and consequently had little interest in promoting a competing service.<ref>{{cite web  | title =Twickenham Ferry  | publisher =The Twickenham Museum  | url =http://www.twickenham-museum.org.uk/detail.asp?ContentID=172  | access-date =2007-12-30  | archive-date =15 April 2015  | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20150415063310/http://www.twickenham-museum.org.uk/detail.asp?ContentID=172  | url-status =dead  }}</ref> The Twickenham Ferry is a setting for some action in ''[[Little Dorrit]]'' by [[Charles Dickens]].

==Walter Hammerton==
In 1901 [[Marble Hill House]] on the north bank of the Thames and the surrounding park were purchased for public use<ref>{{cite web  | last =Tolhurst  | first =Marilyn  | title =Marble Hill House: Information for Teachers  | publisher =[[English Heritage]]  | year =1998  | url =http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/upload/pdf/marble_hill_house.pdf  | access-date =2007-12-30  }}</ref> and in 1902 the footpath on the southern bank near [[Ham House]] became a public right of way by Act of Parliament,<ref>{{cite book  | last =Slater  | first =G  | title =The English Peasantry and the Enclosure of Common Fields  | url =https://archive.org/details/englishpeasantry00slatuoft  | publisher =Constable & Co  | year =1907  | location =London  | pages =[https://archive.org/details/englishpeasantry00slatuoft/page/337 337]  | isbn =1-4212-1082-7 }}</ref> resulting in increased passenger traffic in the area. In 1908 local resident Walter Hammerton began hiring out boats to leisure users from a boathouse opposite Marble Hill House, and in 1909 began to operate a regular ferry service across the river at this point using a 12-passenger [[clinker (boat building)|clinker]]-built [[Thames skiff|skiff]],<ref name="MusInDock">{{cite web|title=Museum in Docklands: Vessels |publisher=Museum of London |url=http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/Artefact/Vessels.htm |access-date=2007-12-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071213063535/http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/Artefact/Vessels.htm |archive-date=2007-12-13 |url-status=dead }}</ref> charging [[British one penny coin (pre-decimal)|1d]] per journey.<ref name="TwickMuseum">{{cite web  | title =Walter Hammerton's Ferry  | publisher =[[Twickenham Museum]]  | url =http://www.twickenham-museum.org.uk/detail.asp?ContentID=230  | access-date =2007-12-30  | archive-date =26 October 2007  | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20071026151946/http://www.twickenham-museum.org.uk/detail.asp?ContentID=230  | url-status =dead  }}</ref>

===Legal challenge===
In 1913, William Champion and [[William Tollemache, 9th Earl of Dysart|Lord Dysart]], operators of the nearby Twickenham Ferry, took legal action against Hammerton to remove his right to operate the ferry.<ref>{{cite web  | title =Hammerton's Ferry, Ham  | publisher =Old Father Thames  | url =http://www.old-father-thames.co.uk/sector04/0104HTML/ad043025.html  | access-date =30 December 2007  | url-status =dead  | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20080723213818/http://www.old-father-thames.co.uk/sector04/0104HTML/ad043025.html  | archive-date =23 July 2008  }}</ref> Although Hammerton won the initial case, the judgment was reversed on appeal. Following considerable public interest in the case, a public subscription raised the funds for Hammerton to take the case to the [[House of Lords]], who ruled in his favour on 23 July 1915.<ref name="TwickMuseum"/>

The legal case resulted in considerable publicity for Hammerton, culminating in the release of the song "The Ferry to Fairyland" celebrating the case. ("Fairyland", in this case, referring to Marble Hill House, recently purchased by the [[London County Council]] for public enjoyment.)<ref name="TwickMuseum"/>

In 1947 Hammerton retired after 38 years of operating the ferry, leaving the ferry and boathouse to Sandy Scott.<ref name="TwickMuseum"/> The business had been given a [[Royal warrant of appointment|royal warrant]] in the early 20th century, which Hammerton kept in the family even after the ferry and boathouse were under new management. The drummer [[Phil Collins]] is the grandson of the original proprietor, Walter Hammerton, and is said to be in possession of the original warrant.<ref>{{cite web|date=20 October 2017|title=Ever Been On This West London Ferry?|url=https://londonist.com/london/great-outdoors/ever-been-on-this-west-london-ferry|access-date=12 September 2021|website=[[Londonist]]|language=en}}</ref>

{{imagestack|
[[File:Hammerton's Ferry pedestrians boarding.jpg|right|thumb|Passengers boarding from the north bank]]
[[File:Hammerton's Ferry south pier across river.jpg|right|thumb|The jetty on the south bank]]
}}

==Current operation==
The ferry is currently owned by Francis Spencer<ref name="Hero">{{Cite news  | last =Blades  | first =Hollye  | title =Hero of Thames Rescue  | newspaper =[[Richmond and Twickenham Times]]  | date =18 July 2007  | url =http://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/news/localnews/display.var.1552311.0.hero_of_thames_rescue.php }}</ref> and operated by Stan Rust.<ref>{{Cite news  | last =Mayes  | first =Robert  | title =River Recluse's Home is an Eyesore Say Neighbours  | newspaper =[[Richmond and Twickenham Times]]  | date =7 February 2003  | url =http://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/search/display.var.269433.0.river_recluses_home_is_an_eyesore_say_neighbours.php }}</ref> The current ferry, ''Peace of Mind'', was designed and built by Thanetcraft Limited in South Wales in 1997.<ref>{{cite book  | last =Hatts  | first =Leigh    | title =The Thames Path:From the Sea to the Source  | publisher =Cicerone Press Ltd  | year =2005  | location =Milnthorpe  | isbn =1-85284-436-1 }}</ref> Hammerton's original wooden skiff is now on display at the [[Museum of London Docklands]].<ref name="MusInDock"/>

The ferry currently operates between a floating boathouse on the north bank of the Thames and on the south bank, a rudimentary [[jetty]] used at high tide and a set of stairs in the embankment used at low tide. The boathouse is also in use as a private [[mooring (watercraft)|mooring]] for leisure craft.<ref>{{cite web  | title =Marinas, Moorings, Boatyards, Consultants, Equipment Suppliers & Services  | publisher =The Yacht Harbour Association Ltd  | url =http://www.britishmarine.co.uk/DocImages/ForceDownload.asp?id=76  | access-date =30 December 2007  | url-status =dead  | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20050124090343/http://www.britishmarine.co.uk/DocImages/ForceDownload.asp?id=76  | archive-date =24 January 2005  }}</ref> Weather permitting, the ferry operates on weekends year-round, and weekdays between February and October.<ref>{{Cite news  | author=Hoggart, Simon  | author-link=Simon Hoggart  | title =Suburban Hymn  | newspaper =[[The Guardian]]  | date =18 January 2001  | access-date = 25 July 2019|url =https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2001/aug/18/london.unitedkingdom.walkingholidays?page=all }}</ref> As well as the ferry service, [[rowboat]]s, [[canoe]]s and [[motorboat]]s can also be hired from the boathouse.<ref>{{cite web  | title =Interim Report of the Centre Working Party  | work =Appendix 7: River-related Users of the Eel Pie Centre  | publisher =Twickenham Riverside Redevelopment  | date =13 April 2000  | url =http://www.rivercentre.org.uk/centre_report/appendix7.htm  | access-date =30 December 2007  }}</ref>

In July 2007 the ferry briefly made headlines when owner Francis Spencer saved from drowning a woman found floating in the Thames.<ref name="Hero"/><ref>{{Cite news  | last =Newstead  | first =Sarah  | title =Drowning Lady Pulled from River  | newspaper =[[Richmond and Twickenham Times]]  | date =4 July 2007 |access-date= 25 July 2019 | url =http://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/news/localnews/display.var.1524057.0.drowning_lady_pulled_from_river.php }}</ref> After the rescue, the woman left the scene and was never identified.<ref name="Hero"/>

The ferry is just downstream of the finish line of the [[Great River Race]] and is on the course of the [[Twickenham Regatta]]. As the ferry has right of way over rowed craft, the races have to be carefully timed to ensure that the ferry does not interfere with their running.<ref>{{cite web  | title =Twickenham Regatta Safety Instructions  | publisher =Twickenham Rowing Club  | date =26 May 2007  | url =http://www.twickenham-regatta.org/TwAR07-Safety-Instructions.doc  | access-date =30 December 2007  | url-status =dead  | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20110728134334/http://www.twickenham-regatta.org/TwAR07-Safety-Instructions.doc  | archive-date =28 July 2011  }}</ref>

==Image gallery==
<gallery widths="160px">
Image:Hammerton's Ferry south pier.jpg|View across the river from the Ham side, showing the wooden jetty and the private boats moored at the boathouse on the north bank
Image:Hammerton's Ferry casting off.jpg|The ferry departing from the north bank
Image:Hammerton's Ferry northbound from s bank.jpg|The ferry running empty from the south to north bank to collect passengers
Image:Hammerton's Ferry north pier.jpg|The boathouse on the north bank
Image:Hammerton's Ferry moored.jpg|''Peace of Mind'' moored at the boathouse
</gallery>

==Further reading==
* Cashmore, T H R (2006; reissued 2017). ''The Ferry from Ham to Twickenham: Dysart v Hammerton 1909–1915''. [[Richmond, London#Societies|Richmond Local History Society]].

==See also==
{{Portal|United Kingdom|Transport}}
*[[Crossings of the River Thames]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.hammertonsferry.com/ Official website]
* {{Commons category-inline|Hammerton's Ferry}}

<br />
{{Crossings navbox
|structure = [[Crossings of the River Thames|Crossings]]
|place = [[River Thames]]
|upstream=[[Teddington Lock Footbridge]]|downstream=[[Richmond Bridge, London|Richmond Bridge]]|bridge = Hammerton's Ferry
}}
{{Coord|51.446652|-0.314012|type:landmark_region:GB|display=title}}

{{good article}}

{{LB Richmond}}
[[Category:1909 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Ham, London]]
[[Category:River Thames ferries]]
[[Category:Transport in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames]]
[[Category:Twickenham]]