Thames Watermen Act 1728
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1728 c. 26 |
(2 Geo. 2) C A P. XXVI.
'WHEREAS several Laws and Statutes have been heretofore made for the better regulating and governing all Persons free of the Watermens Company, owning, rowing or working Boats or other Craft upon the RiverThames , between Gravesend in the County of Kent , and Windsor in the County of Berks ; but the said Laws have by Experience been found to be ineffectual to answer the good Ends and Purposes thereof; and it is necessary to make further Provision in the Premisses, and to provide against the Mischiefs which happen by intrusting Apprentices too weak, unable, and unskilful in the Work, with the Care of Goods, and the Lives of Passengers on the said River;' May it therefore please your Majesty that it may be enacted, and be it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consentof the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That from and after the twenty-fourth Day ofJune one thousand seven hundred and twenty-nine, it shall not be lawful for any Person whatsoever, who now or hereafter shall keep, use, hire or work any Wherry Boat, Tilt Boat, Barge or other Vessel for carrying Passengers or Goods for Hire, upon the River Thames between Gravesend and Windsor aforesaid, to bind, receive, take or employ; any Apprentice or Apprentice,, Servant or Servants, unless he shall be a House-keeper, or have some known Habitation, Lodging or Place of Abode, where he may receive and entertain such Apprentice or Apprentices, Servant or Servants, and shall from time to time register with the Clerk of the said Company for the Time being, the Habitation, Lodging or Place of Abode where he shall then reside, or whereto he shall afterwards remove; upon Pain that every Master or Person binding, receiving, taking, retaining or employing any Apprentice or Servant contrary to this Act, and being thereof convicted before the Lord Mayor of the City of London for the Time being, or before any one or more Justice or Justices of the Peace for the Time being, for the said City, or for the County or Place where the Offenders shall be found, by the Oaths of two or more CredibleWitnesses, shall for every such Offence, forfeit the Sum of ten Pounds of lawful Money ofGreat Britain , to be levied by Distress and Sale of the Offender's Goods and Chattles, by Warrant or Warrants under the Hand and Seal or Hands and Seals of such Lord Mayor, Justice or Justices of the Peace as aforesaid; and for want of sufficient Distress such Offender shall, by Warrant or Warrants under the Hand and Seal or Hands and Seals of such Lord Mayor, Justice or Justices of the Peace be committed to the next common of publick Workhouseor House of Correction, there to remain without Bail or Mainprize, and to be kept to hard Labour, for any Time not exceeding one Month, nor less than fourteen Days; and the Clerkof the said Company for the Time being is hereby required, upon any Application made to him, to register the Habitation, Lodging and Place of Abode of every such Waterman Wherryman or Lighterman, and every such Removal as aforesaid, of any or either of them, in some Book of the said Company, to be kept for that Purpose, without Fee or Reward; and, in case such Clerk shall neglect or refuse so to do, he shall, for every such Offence, forfeit the Sum of ten Pounds, to be levied, recovered and applied as any other Penaltyis to be levied, recovered and applied by this Act; and if any such Waterman, Wherryman or Lighterman shall neglect or refuse to register his Habitation, Lodging or Place of Abode, and every such Removal thereof as aforesaid, every such Apprentice or Apprentices bound to any such Waterman, Wherryman or Lighterman, shall and may, upon Application made to the Rulers and Overseers of the said Company, or the major Part of them, at any of their publick Courts or Assemblies, be by them turned over to any other Master or Mistress; any Indenture, Covenant, Contract or Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding.
II Apprentice not to be entrusted with the sole Care of a Boat till 16 Years of Age, if a Waterman's Son, and 17 if the Son of a Landman.
II. And for the Security of the Lives of Passengers, and Safety of Goods passing, on the said River, between the Limits aforesaid, Be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That from and after the...
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