I played there in the sixties when we won the schools London cup (2 nil I think, can't recall the opposition but I saved a penalty in the semi against weybridge) and terry bullivan was in the team before signing for fulham. The changing rooms were really basic, but the atmosphere electric. pity to see the incredible, irrational overreactions but emotions go deep of course. Thanks for a great video of a rollercoaster

i live faraway now in a village cant beleive it thanks for this im watching the lot to see if anyone i know

Then the stations were run down. Now the people are - like the fare dodgers.

Met ray armfeild on the stadium tour a few years ago such a lovejy guy with a lifetime of experience and knowledge

I love trains 🚂 🚆

Best football doc I've seen to date. 23 mins in - that thing about the floodlights on night matches - I feel you, bro. From a Hull City supporter, you're all brilliant.

An excelent slice of working history. You never know when oil runs out or after the next war the waterways may well become a trade rout again.

🐱

My Great Uncle was a lighterman and won the Doggett Coat and Badge. Went on to found a company building large passenger cruisers on the Thames. He was R. G.O'dell.

it is not same it lost that nicesfeeling i wasborn in 1957

Hearing these voices reminds me of my childhood, because although I was born and raised in Manchester, my Dad's home town my Mum was born in Bromley by Bow in 1934. In 1938 she and her parents had to move in with her Grandmother in Silvertown. A year later she was evacuated to the West Country and never went back as her Nan's house was bombed out. Her Dad was born in Plaistow along with his sister, but her Mum was born in 1910 in Woolwich, as were her seven siblings. As a kid in the '60s I used to visit and was introduced to the family, of whom there were a hell of a lot. Although some moved to Romford or Rochester, most didn't move far, staying in places like Thamesmead, Greenwich, East Ham and Leyton. So these voices brought a tear to my eye as anyone of them could have been Great Uncle Johnny or Frank.

As an ex merchant seaman I remember an old lighterman who came to work on the ferries. Force Ten Ken who skippered the Pochahontas.

I was born in the wrong time, I would love to work the river I live on!

Great video and wonderful history lesson. Love and respect to all the Lightermen & Watermen from NY.

Am I correct in thinking year 6 children were the creative force behind this documentary? I so I am stunned, it was a very moving piece of work.

Just an old man from the USA wondering if such jobs still exist? What a great job to build character in a young man. ✌️👍🇺🇸

Really enjoyable film, I worked as a studio manager at Maida Vale and always very much admired the session musicians, such incredible talent; thank you !

OLD IS GOLD

This is Gold

Awesome indeed

Ok didn’t expect that song at the beginning to be so good

I have to admit I punched the stop sign on the escalator in 1983 at Manor House when there were quite a few people on it, but we done it as a train was coming in, so we got away with it.😂

My older brother went to barnsole school and told to line up in the playground given a gas mask and a pack of sandwiches a line of buses were in barnsole road with numbers on and told to get on their bus he ended up in st Hilary wales 1939

Primitive way to unload a ship, no surprise it all came to an end.

Somebody bring back RPGTV or Sportystuff really miss it

I'm curious about the London map that features behind the interviewees. Does anybody know what it's representing with all those oval shapes?

Wow! This is amazing....! How many tailors, even now in the US, rather than UK, are still practicing this art, unless it is being perfected in a vocational sewing class? Even though you're taking a traditional stitching class, for attempting to learn bespoke technique--not enough training, for approximately six weeks in some community colleges, to master some of its overall 'prime' workmanship of jackets, suits, trousers, or coats: collars, facings [fronts, sides, backs, sleeves, shoulders]; linings, padstitching, pockets [welts/side seams], zippers or button holders, trimmings, and additional accessories that uniformed tailored outfits! 👖 Yet, for many of us, working-class Americans, often imagined traveling to Britain so that they could purchase a custom 'authentic' suit from Saville Row--oftentimes, expect the overall expense that hand labor is costly, plus the timing can be overwhelming! Therefore, many fashion and costume-production designers often try to emulate the tailored British mockups: on Broadway musicals, or perhaps certain historic television series, veering for gullible American viewing...😮

Whilst at Gravesend Sea school in 88 the old officers told me all about the strange rock plinths with strange markings in them.... lightermen.

My father died in 1958, he was 40. I love learning anything from the 30s/40s/50s. It helps me understand him a little better.

A Bombay oyster wow that's a mans breaky if ever Iv heard one love this doc no pun intended 😊

When i started i got a reserve duty cutting tipping facing 😂

Great piece of work - thanks very much

So much history around these trades and what's more they endure. It was a time when people had a fair chance to earn an honest living. How these people endure I don't know they must love what they do

Thank you for making & sharing this video. Love to hear the stories. In Holland you get fined when your dust-trolley isn't lined up the right way with all the others in a row at certain points or if you have real waste material in the recycle-bin for instance. The last one is for free and for the real dust you have to pay. The glass and paper are collected in bins near a shop in the neighbourhood. These men are doing a lot more than just a good job! From Holland with ❤

Excellent video, brings back so many memories to the good old days that these modern day drivers have no clue about today, Overpaid and under experienced with all the luxuries of the job.

a wonderful series of oral documentaries, bravo to the producers! those old routemasters look remarkably stable on the skid pan. Reassuring, but I wouldn't want to pull those manoeuvers with a full top deck....!

Very nice memories, Michael Caisley

An Orient fan here, we will never go to the Premier League maybe, but I remember the times when we crossed paths, a great fan base, real people, simple, familiar, friendly and passionate. I always had a good time on away days to Griffin Park, so many great memories. Great documentary, history is not only made by the big clubs, long live the small neighborhood teams

Incredible film, one of last living links to the Thames and Londons history.

Great film,I was apprenticed in 1970 as a waterman,got my apprentices licence at 17 in 1972 & my full licence in 1976 & my freedom of the company of waterman & lightermen. I have had seven of my own apprentices & all have done well too. I loved every minute of my career of 50 years.i retired in 2020 & now live in Sandwich & Exuma island Bahamas for half a year. I was the first & only Waterman in my family , dad was a master mariner. I love watching all these films about the Thames,very happy memories

Loved this.

I had no connection with the lighterman however on those occasions when my parents dragged me to St Margaret's Lee, at the top of Belmont Hill, I enquired from my mother who the elderly lady was, wearing a matching tweed jacket skirt, court shoes, odd hat and occasionally smoking cigars. "That is Mrs Fisher, sometimes known as mother Thames". That was the 1950's, she was quite a character.

In some respects what a curse the electronic age has become ,e mails ,on line shopping ,we are going to loose our communication skills ,,I knew a lad whose father was a postman after the war ,almost had to parade at beginning of the day ,smart uniform ,polished bike but his dad loved it ,so much of what we had has now gone ,remember going to Newcastle station at night time ,heaving with activity ,papers ,parcels ,and post sacks and parcel trolleys ,Travelling Post Office a treasured job ,glad to have grown up with it ,

My granddad was a dustman in Camden Town

My dadwas a lighterman David Arthur Corbett Pickles fame salt of the earth.

I would hope this would be taught in schools

Hard to believe they had to go out of the Country to get Drivers & Conductors.

Wonderful!

As a Londoner, I lived in Grimsby for a while. A vacancy came up for a LUMPER (that's a Docker that unloads fish off of trawlers (farther and son Job)). I applied and got the job. It was great, with lots of money and all the fish you could eat.

What a fantastic film.