The Thames Navigation Commission managed the
River Thames
The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the ...
in southern
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...
from 1751 to 1866. In particular, they were responsible for installing or renovating many of the
locks on the river in the 18th and early 19th centuries
History
The first Commission concerned with the River Thames was the
Oxford-Burcot Commission, appointed in an Act of 1605 by
James I James I may refer to:
People
*James I of Aragon (1208–1276)
* James I of Sicily or James II of Aragon (1267–1327)
* James I, Count of La Marche (1319–1362), Count of Ponthieu
* James I, Count of Urgell (1321–1347)
*James I of Cyprus (1334� ...
. It took responsibility for the river between
Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the Un ...
and
Burcot.
The Oxford-Burcot Commission was reasonably successful. Thus, the permanent Thames Navigation Commissioners were appointed through a further Act under
King George II in 1751. This Commission had similar powers covering the whole of the river down to
Staines as far as a point marked by the
London Stone
London Stone is a historic landmark housed at 111 Cannon Street in the City of London. It is an irregular block of oolitic limestone measuring 53 × 43 × 30 cm (21 × 17 × 12"), the remnant of a once much larger object that had stood ...
; below this point the rights and responsibilities for managing the Thames were vested in the
City of London Corporation
The City of London Corporation, officially and legally the Mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of the City of London, is the municipal governing body of the City of London, the historic centre of London and the location of much of the United King ...
. Earlier commissions had been created by acts as early as 1695, although these had limited terms.
The
Thames Conservancy
The Thames Conservancy (formally the Conservators of the River Thames) was a body responsible for the management of the that river in England. It was founded in 1857 to replace the jurisdiction of the City of London up to Staines. Nine years la ...
was established in 1857 to take over duties from the City of London because of falling revenue from boat traffic. Not long after, in 1866, it was considered best to have the navigation of the whole river under a single management, so the Thames Navigation Commission was subsumed by the Thames Conservancy.
Locks built by the Thames Navigation Commission
*
Boulter's Lock
Boulter's Lock is a lock and weir on the River Thames in England north-east of Maidenhead town centre, Berkshire. The present 1912-built lock replaces those at this point of the river to the immediate east dating from the late 16th century and ...
(1772)
*
Hambleden Lock (1773)
*
Hurley Lock (1773)
*
Marlow Lock (1773)
*
Marsh Lock (1773)
*
Shiplake Lock (1773)
*
Sonning Lock
Sonning is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England, on the River Thames, east of Reading. The village was described by Jerome K. Jerome in his book ''Three Men in a Boat'' as "the most fairy-like little nook on the whole river".
Geog ...
(1773)
*
Temple Lock (1773)
*
Caversham Lock
Caversham Lock is a lock and main weir on the River Thames in England at Reading, Berkshire. Both the lock and main weir are connected to De Bohun Island (colloquially known as Lock Island). The Thames Navigation Commissioners built the ...
(1778)
*
Mapledurham Lock (1778)
*
Cleeve Lock (1787)
*
Goring Lock (1787)
*
Whitchurch Lock (1787)
*
Benson Lock (1788)
*
Day's Lock (1789)
*
Abingdon Lock (1790)
*
Buscot Lock (1790)
*
Godstow Lock (1790)
*
Osney Lock (1790)
*
Rushey Lock (1790)
*
St John's Lock
St John's Lock, below the town of Lechlade, Gloucestershire, is the furthest upstream lock on the River Thames in England. The name of the lock derives from a priory that was established nearby in 1250, but which no longer exists. The lock was ...
(1790)
*
Pinkhill Lock (1791)
*
Romney Lock (1798)
*
Culham Lock (1809)
*
Bell Weir Lock (1817)
*
Clifton Lock (1822)
*
Old Windsor Lock
Old Windsor Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England on the right bank beside Old Windsor, Berkshire. The lock marks the downstream end of the New Cut, a meander cutoff built in 1822 by the Thames Navigation Commissioners which created ...
(1822)
*
Cookham Lock (1830)
*
Bray Lock (1845)
*
Boveney Lock (1838)
See also
*
Edward Loveden Loveden
Edward Loveden Loveden (ca. 1749/1751–1822) was an English Member of Parliament (MP), sometimes described as a Whig but often not voting with that party.
Life
The date of birth of Edward Loveden Loveden, whose birthname was Edward Loved ...
References
The River Thames — Its management past and present
Further reading
*
1751 establishments in England
1866 disestablishments in the United Kingdom
Defunct public bodies of the United Kingdom
History of the River Thames
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