Afloat on the Thames

A Personal Journey with Family and Friends from Lechlade to the Thames Flood Barrier

Hugh Williams

Between 1959 and 2016, Hugh Williams travelled the length of the Thames afloat. The whole journey was not accomplished in one fell swoop but in scores of different trips here and there spread over nearly six decades. Some of the distance was covered by rowing in single sculling boats – pairs, fours, eights, and even in a ten-oared Monarch. For the rest of the distances, Hugh travelled in small motorboats, cabin cruisers and on board Thames steamers. By adding all of these trips together, he can claim to have travelled the whole navigable length of this great river afloat – afloat on the Thames

When looking for something to entertain his cousin, Jane Wilson, who was languishing in a London nursing home having suffered a pretty severe stroke, he decided to put his photographs of these adventures into geographical order, make a slideshow and show them to her on his laptop.

She seemed to enjoy the entertainment and so Hugh showed it to others, a number of whom suggested he turn the presentation into a book.

This book is the result. It’s a story of a family, of a river and of time passing.

Hugh hopes you can sit back and enjoy the journey from Lechlade to the London Flood Barrier as much as his cousin Jane did.

Afloat on the Thames. £25 including UK postage and packing.

Afloat on the Thames. £25 plus £5 EU postage and packing.

Afloat on the Thames. £25 plus £13 Rest of the World postage and packing.