Chelsea Pensioners’ boat trip to explore London: Port City

An exploration of London’s port history by a quartet of Chelsea Pensioners started with a trip on the Thames (30 March).

Army veterans Chris O’Connor, Kenroy McDonald, Trevor Rafferty and Geoff Read travelled from Cadogan Pier in the west of the capital to the Museum of London Docklands, aboard a Port of London Authority (PLA) patrol vessel.

At the museum, they enjoyed a guided tour of London: Port City, an interactive exhibition, celebrating over 200 years of the Port of London, which draws on the PLA’s extensive corporate archive, stored at the museum.

Chris O’Connor, originally from Bexhill in East Sussex, who served in the Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers Corps, said: “As riverside residents, we all have a strong interest in the history of the Thames, particularly how it has shaped the face of modern London.

“Our tour of London: Port City, led by exhibition curator Iona Ball, was packed with fascinating insights into the how the port, has evolved over two centuries.”

“I can highly recommend the exhibition as an Easter destination for Thames enthusiasts of all ages. It has something for everybody.”

The veterans’ river trip was hosted by deputy harbour master Darren Knight, from Bermondsey, whose grandfather was also a Chelsea pensioner.

London: Port City closes on 8 May 2022. There is no entry fee, but booking is advised via the museum website.

During the pandemic, London re-emerged as the country’s largest port, handling over nearly 52 million tonnes of cargo in 2021. The tidal Thames is also the country’s busiest inland waterway.

A PLA public consultation to update the Thames Vision 2050, charting the port’s future as Net Zero trading hub, destination and natural haven, concludes at the end of April.