The parish of Chelsea Communications Ferries The right to operate the ferry was leased out by the owners. In 1665 Thomasina Cootes, widow of a waterman, left the ferry and boats to her father Laurence Chase, (Footnote 5) and in 1668 the lessee was Samuel Chase. (Footnote 6) In 1696 and 1704 Bartholomew Nutt paid rates for the ferry; John Medley paid in 1735, and George Ludlow in 1750. (Footnote 7) By statute the Corporation of the City of London appointed watermen to oversee all wherrymen and watermen on the Thames as far as Windsor, and in 1668 Sir Walter St John and Samuel Chase brought a suit against the City's appointees and about 34 watermen of Chelsea, who claimed that the plaintiffs' exclusive rights to operate the ferry from Chelsea's 'Ferry Place', opposite Danvers Street, to Battersea only extended to the horseboat and not to footboats. They also claimed that the ancient ferry was near the Crown on the Chelsea side, and that long before the ferry there was a dock for dredging and trimming boats used by watermen, perhaps referring to the public draw dock at the east end of Cheyne Walk. The charges at that time were 1d. for every horse or beast and horseman in the horseboat, and ½d. for everyone on foot. (Footnote 1) A ferrymen's petition in 1726 for compensation for loss of business to the proposed Putney Bridge was rejected. (Footnote 2) In 1808 and 1812 plying places on the river where watermen could pick up passengers included a stretch under the trees opposite the Yorkshire Grey by Manor Street, where there were wooden stairs and a good causeway, opposite Lawrence Street where there were small stairs, and the original ferry place opposite Danvers Street and the White Hart, where there were 8-ft wide brick stairs alongside a brick wall and a 20-ft wide dock. (Footnote 3) From: 'The parish of Chelsea: Communications', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 12: Chelsea (2004), pp. 2-13. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=28685&strquery=Chase. Date accessed: 24 August 2005. **************************************************** Marlow Election. A Petition of Ralph Bucknall, Esquire, was read; setting forth, That James Chase, Esquire, and the Petitioner were duly elected for the Borough of Great Marlow; and were accordingly proclaimed by Two of the Constables, who are the proper Officers there; and were also returned by their Indentures, joined in by many of the Inhabitants: After the doing whereof, the said Constables, and divers of the Inhabitants were called out of their Beds, and were unduly prevailed upon to execute another indenture; wherein the said Mr. Chase, with Sir Wm. Whitlock, are returned, in Prejudice of the Petitioner's Right: And praying the Consideration of the House in the Premises. Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee of Privileges and Elections: Who are to examine the Matters thereof; and report the same, with their Opinions therein, to the House. From: 'House of Commons Journal Volume 10: 6 October 1690', Journal of the House of Commons: volume 10: 1688-1693 (1802), pp. 426-29. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=29047&strquery=chase. Date accessed: 24 August 2005. ******************************************************* Persons sent for. RESOLVED, &c. That Mr. Alexander Thaine, Mr. Wm. Davies, Mr. Stephen Chase, Mr. Tho. Bagley, Cleve Ven, Gilb. Meese, James Weaver, Jo. Miller, be forthwith sent for, as Delinquents, for refusing to pay the weekly Assessments; and for abusing the Collectors when they came to demand it. From: 'House of Commons Journal Volume 3: 11 April 1643', Journal of the House of Commons: volume 3: 1643-1644 (1802), pp. 38-40. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=8393&strquery=chase. Date accessed: 24 August 2005.