LONDON’S EEL BARGES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 45, 2 December 1938, Page 8

LONDON’S EEL BARGES.

GONE FROM THEIR MOORINGS. London is the poorer because two grimy barges moored below London Bridge have gone—and with them goes a romantic privilege granted by Royal decree in the seventeenth century. They are the Dutch eel boats, for nearly three centuries allowed free moorings. The privilege was granted by Charles 11. as a reward to the Dutch eel men for gallantly saving life and property during the Great hire oi London. Charles 11. granted the privilege in perpetuity, but he made one strange stipulation. If the moorings were left vacant for two minutes, lie decreed, the privilege would end. So through the year the Dutchmen kept two of their odd-looking craft moored there. In the later days the eels were brought over in liners, and merely stored in the barges until bought by Billingsgate. Ten million eels a year were sold at one time, but lately business has declined.

Now the owner of the firm that earned on the rights is retiring, and the privilege, which to-day is no real asset, has been dropped.

Last big day in the history of the Dutch eel boats was when Princess Juliana’s baby was born. The fishermen hoisted the national flag and celebrated on board. Eel boats from Holland have come to England for centuries. There are records of them as far back as 1102.