For the introduction of steam navigation, the public are indebted, among many other improvements, but particularly the Waterloo and Vauxhall bridges, to the skill, spirit, and enterprise at Mr. George Dodd, who, in the summer of 1815, purchased and fitted up a vessel at Glasgow, and brought it to London by the power of steam machinery in one hundred and twenty-one hours. At the present day, steam-packets run daily to Ramsgate, Margate, Gravesend, Southend, Herne Bay, and Sheerness, and at stated periods, to all the ports and principal places on the coast of Great Britain and Ireland, as well as to the Continent, India, and America. Steam-packets, upon a smaller scale, run several times a day from Hungerford Market and London Bridge to Greenwich and Woolwich; and in the summer season, every quarter of an hour from Hungerford Market to Dyer's Hall Wharf, near London Bridge, to Westminster and Vauxhall bridges. The days of departure of the coasting and continental vessels are regularly advertised in the leading newspapers, the columns of the Times, in particular, contains the whole of these announcements. To describe them all would far exceed the limits of this work; but to those who are desirous of acquiring the best information on the subject, as regards England, Scotland, and Ireland, we would recommend Mogg's Map of Steam Navigation, or Water Itinerary of Great Britain and Ireland, with the adjacent parts of the Continent, from Amsterdam to Paris and Brest; which, us addition to other information, exhibits the tracks pursued by the steam-packets in their passage to the several outports and the Continent, with the distances figured thereon; the whole is accompanied by printed observations, and forms altogether a steam-boat companion of peculiar interest to the pleasure tourist.
Mogg's New Picture of London and Visitor's Guide to it Sights, 1844
Steamboats. The steamboats belonging to the "Iron" and "Citizen" Companies start from the piers at London Bridge (Middlesex and Surrey sides) about every five minutes, from 9 a.m, until dusk. They stop at the following stations:
1 · From London Bridge -
St. Paul's Wharf. [for each
passenger, 1d. Passengers for or from the Surrey side of
London Bridge change boats at St. Paul's Wharf]
Blackfriars Br. Pier. [" "]
Essex Street Pier. ["
"]
Waterloo Br. Pier. ["
"]
Hungerford Br. Pier. ["
"]
Westminster Br. Pier. ["
"]
Lambeth Palace Pier. ["
"]
Millbank Pier. [Fare: 2d. each
passenger]
Nine Elms. [" "]
Pimlico Pier. [" "]
Chelsea Bridge and Battersea Park
Pr. [Fare: 3d. each passenger]
Cadogan Pr. Chelsea. ["
"]
Battersea Pier. [" "]
2. From Cadogan Pier, Chelsea (during the summer), every half-hour, for-
Wandsworth.
Putney.
Hammersmith.
Kew;
and from London Bridge and Hungerford Piers to Kew and back.
The steamboats belonging to the "Watermens Company"
start every twenty minutes in summer, and half- hour in winter, from Hungerford,
Essex Street Pier, Blackfriars and London Bridge, for-
Cherry Garden Pier. [fare 4d.
and 2d.]
Thames Tunnel Pier ["
"]
Commercial Docks [" "]
Greenwich Pier. [" "]
Blackwall Pier. [fare 6d.]
Charlton Pier. [" "]
Woolwich Pier. [" "]
During the summer season boats run to Erith and Gravesend
about seven times daily, fare 1s. 6d.; and to Southend, fare 2s. 6d.,
about four times daily.
Penny boats run, every ten minutes, between the Surrey side
of Westminster Bridge, Hungerford, and London Bridge.
Half-penny boats run, every five minutes, from the Adelphi
Pier (Strand) to Dyers' Hall Pier, London Bridge.
Cruchley's London in 1865 : A Handbook for Strangers, 1865
STEAM-BOATS. - The " silent highway'' is traversed
by a number of regular steamers. Eastward there are
boats to Rotheritithe, Greenwich, Woolwich, Blackwall,
and Gravesend, from the piers at London-bridge. Westward, the Citizen Company and Iron Boat Company run
steamers between London-bridge and Chelsea. These call
at the intermediate piers, and make a large number of trips
daily, at fares varying between a penny and sixpence.
Other boats proceed to places farther sib the river-
Hammersmith, Kew, Richmond, Twickenham, &c.
The Penny boats go to and from London-bridge and Hungerford and Westminster, close to the Westminster
Station of the Metropolitan Railway, about every five
minutes. The Twopenny and Threepenny boats go
from London-bridge to Chelsea (Cremorne-gardens) and
Battersea every ten minutes; while the boats for
Kew and Richmond generally start from Chelsea.
Few, except excursion boats, and others engaged especially, at times when the tide allows, proceed as far as
Richmond.
The Greenwich, Woolwich, and Blackwall boats run
every twenty minutes between Hungerford pier and
Woolwich, stopping at several piers on their way. Their
fares range between 2d. and 6d. They also work in conjunction with the Blackwall and North Woolwich railways, so that visitors may go to either of these places by
boat and return at night by rail.
The steamers for Gravesend, Margate, Ramsgate, and
more distant places start from the eastern side of London-bridge, from Blackwall and Thames-Haven piers, as well
as from the piers above bridge. The times and fares are
always advertised in the daily papers.
Routledge's Popular Guide to London, [c.1873]
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Steamboat (London) Company –PRICE LIST OF BOATS FOR
PRIVATE EXCURSION PARTIES – The prices quoted below include pier dues, except
at Charing-cross, London-bridge-wharf, Blackwall, Charlton, North Woolwich, all
piers below Woolwich, and Teddington-lock dues.
DOWN-RIVER BOATS
WESTMINSTER TO ERITH OR GRAVESEND |
WESTMINSTER TO SOUTHEND OR SHEERNESS |
LONDON-BR TO CLACTON-ON-SEA |
|||||
|
PRICE |
Steamers to convey passengers as under. |
PRICE |
Steamers to convey passengers as under. |
PRICE | ||
On Mondays and Saturdays |
Any day except Saturday, Sunday or Monday |
On Mondays and Saturdays |
Any day except Saturday, Sunday or Monday |
Any day except Saturday, Sunday or Monday |
|||
|
£ |
£ |
|
£ |
£ |
|
£ |
*800 |
55 |
50 |
500 |
60 |
55 |
- |
|
*700 |
48 |
40 |
400 |
50 |
45 |
370 309 |
60 50 |
*500 |
35 |
32 |
300 |
40 |
35 |
278 260 |
45 45 |
470 |
25 |
22 |
250 |
28 |
25 |
240 209 |
40 35 |
400 |
23 |
20 |
200 |
24 |
23 |
CHELSEA TO GREENWICH OR WOOLWICH | |
350 |
21 |
17 |
180 |
22 |
20 | ||
300 |
17 |
16 |
- |
- |
- | ||
280 |
16 |
14 |
- |
19 |
- |
440 350 |
16 13 |
250 |
14 |
13 |
160 |
- |
- |
300 |
12 |
Steamers to convey passengers as under. |
FROM CHELSEA OR LONDON-BRIDGE TO GRAVESEND |
FROM CHELSEA OR LONDON-BRIDGE TO WOOLWICH |
FROM LONDON-BRIDGE TO KEW OR RICHMOND |
FROM LONDON-BRIDGE TO HAMPTON COURT |
|
On Mondays and Saturdays |
Any day except Saturday, Sunday or Monday | ||||
|
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ s |
£ s |
350 |
21 |
17 |
13 |
13 0 |
16 0 |
300 |
18 |
16 |
12 |
TO KEW 12 0 |
- |
280 |
16 |
14 |
11 |
TO KEW 11 10 |
- |
250 |
14 |
13 |
10 |
- |
- |
230 |
13 |
12 |
9 |
- |
- |
200 |
12 |
11 |
8 |
- |
- |
Charles Dickens (Jr.), Dickens's Dictionary of London, 1879
STEAMERS.
London Bridge (City and Surrey sides) to Chelsea, calling at St. Pauls,
Blackfriars Bridge, Temple, Waterloo Bridge, Charing Cross, Westminster Bridge,
Lambeth, Millbank, Nine Elms, Pimlico, Battersea Park, Chelsea, and
Battersea-square Piers, every ten minutes, from nine A.M. till dusk.
GREENWICH. From London Bridge every half-hour, calling at Cherry Garden, Tunnel,
Globe Stairs Rotherhithe, Limehouse, West India Docks, Commercial Docks, and
Millwal1 Piers.
GRAVESEND, SOUTHEND, AND SHEERNESS, from London Bridge Pier every morning during
the summer.
WANDSWORTH, PUTNEY, AND KEW STEAMERS from Cadogan Pier, Chelsea, daily,
at short intervals, during the summer.
RICHMOND AND HAMPTON COURT. A steamer leaves London Bridge at ten am. during
summer, calling at all piers.
Reynolds' Shilling Coloured Map of London, 1895