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The Jubilant Trust was initiated by the Thames Traditional Rowing Association (TTRA). TTRA was formed in 1995 to promote traditional fixed seat rowing and help publicise the annual Doggett's Coat and Badge Wager between Watermen Apprentices. It also aims to encourage use of the river Thames for sport and recreation.
The TTRA also undertook to arrange rowing events for Thames Watermen's Cutters. The first of these accompanied the Doggetts rowers with Sir Steven Redgrave rowing in the PLA cutter "Penelope" with apprentices not yet ready to enter the wager. This was not a race but an escorting flotilla.
The next year 1996 Betty Boothroyd, the then Speaker of the House of Commons, started the first "Port of London Challenge" from the terrace of the House to London Bridge and in each subsequent year the course for this popular and hotly contested race has been from London Bridge to HQS Wellington and back. The start and finish line is now well established at the Fishmongers' Hall balcony. The date for the race in 2003 is Thursday 26th June.
For the Queen's Golden Jubilee the TTRA decided to honour the occasion by building a craft suitable for people with disabilities and others who are in some way disadvantaged to enjoy the sport and recreation on the Thames. This idea was prompted by the Queen's Bargemaster who became one of the Trustees.
Thus the the "Jubilant " was built with the encouragement of Her Majesty in the shape of a Royal Shallop, being a replica of the Naval Victualling Commissioners' Barge owned by the National Maritime Museum and on display in Somerset House, London.
The "Jubilant" is available during the summer months for use by groups of up to twelve people for rowing training under the supervision of expert coaches. For more details contact us on 01483 223308.
She was made possible by the generosity of many private and corporate donors, in particular Lloyd's Register of Shipping was the major sponsor and Rotary International London District 1130 clubs galvanised a fund raising effort via their 84 London clubs.
Others to contribute included the Fishmongers' Company, Leathersellers' Company, Pewterers' Company, Corporation of Trinity House, Kumala Wines Ltd, Knight's Glass Ltd, Latham's Wood Merchants, Robbins Timber Ltd., Woods River Services, Port of London Authority, National Physical Laboratory Ltd, Butchers' Company, Drapers' Company, Skipper Paints Ltd, Tallow Chandlers' Company, the Trafagar Tavern and many more beside. Our grateful thanks to them all.
We hope that the Royal Shallop will be invited to attend regattas and events along the Thames to encourage more people to participate in rowing.
FOUR YEAR ROUND UP
Click here for a complete report of the Royal Shallop Jubilant and the activities of the Jubilant Trust 2002/06
WHO'S WHO
President
Sir Clive Martin OBE TD DL
Chairman
Maldwin Drummond OBE JP DL Hon Dsc.
Honorary Treasurer
John Cracknell
Trustees
Mrs Miranda Jaggers
Mr H C Oberst
Honorary Secretary
Mr Roger Mutton
The Queen's Bargemaster
Paul Ludwig
TRADITIONAL CRAFT OF THE THAMES
When the Thames was the main highway through London and along the Thames Valley, many different types of vessels were developed to carry passengers. The choice for the ordinary citizen wishing to go from one place to another, was between a cross river ferry, which plied between fixed points on either side of the river or, on longer journeys, the wherry.
The wherry design, became standardised in the early fifteen hundreds and adopted as the vessel licensed for use by watermen and would ply for hire from the many landing stairs sited along the riverbanks. The equivalent today of the black taxicabs.
The Gravesend, or Long Ferry, which left on the turn of the tide from The Pool of London, was a larger open vessel, capable of carrying as many as twenty passengers and even a little cargo if necessary. This Long Ferry, if full, allowed a Shallop to take the excess passengers. These were called Tilt-boats, a tilt being a covered section or primitive cabin for sheltering passengers. These shallops were rowed by up to eight men and were very fast.
Tilt-boats or Shallops date back in their basic design to the early Viking vessels. The shallow draft, wide burden carrying middle section and the almost double-ended design, was found to be the most suitable for use on the waters of the Thames. This fast-through-the-water design was therefore chosen as the quickest and most comfortable means of travel for City officials. The wealthy adopted them as their private water transport. In today's terms we can liken a Shallop to a modern limousine. An eight-oared Shallop could cover the distance from Hampton Court to Greenwich in approximately four hours.
Over the prime years of oared craft, from the thirteenth century to the late nineteenth century, all rich families, official organisations such as the Navy Board and the City merchants, built their own Shallop. These Barges were the fastest means of water transport between business centres and residences, which were mostly built alongside the Thames. Evidence can still be seen today of the importance of these vessels. At Somerset House in London the arched river entrance for Shallops to enter the Barge-House of the building can still be seen, the magnificence of the stonework displaying its importance. In the small park off Villier's Street near Charing Cross you can still see an example of a beautiful river Watergate in Victoria Gardens, now sadly some distance back from the embankment built by the Victorian engineer Joseph Bazalgette.
The earliest mention of a Royal Shallop is in 1214 at the signing of Magna Carta, near Runnymede on the Thames. It is stated that King John was attended on by his Royal Barge. It is also mentioned that the Barons arrived in their barges for this prestigious occasion. All these craft would have been Shallops of various sizes. The largest of the private shallops were eight oared, with six and four-oared versions being the smaller and slower vessels.
Today the Queen is still attended by her Bargemaster and eight Royal Watermen for ceremonial river duties in memory of those eight oared Royal Shallops.
One way in which rich and powerful men displayed their wealth and importance, was by decorating their Shallop with gilded carvings, or to drape an expensive carpet over the vessel's Tilt. They also employed crew splendidly dressed in a livery.
The most highly decorated of all were the Royal Shallop Barges, examples of which can be seen in the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich. In the wonderfully restored Barge House in Somerset House an Admiralty Shallop can also be seen on display.
R. G. Crouch
Past Bargemaster to HM the Queen
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