https://spitalfieldslife.com/2026/07/21/swan-upping-on-the-thames-iiii/ In the midst of life I woke to find myself living in an old house beside Brick Lane in the East End of London Tue, 21 Jul 2026 17:14:56 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.4 https://spitalfieldslife.com/2026/07/21/swan-upping-on-the-thames-iiii/#comment-2145600 Tue, 21 Jul 2026 17:14:56 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=207642#comment-2145600 Swans on the Thames should be ‘upped’ and culled as there are too many of them now They are cruel. birds, I have seen one take a greylag goose by the neck and try to drown it and they will peck at small children for no reason at all.

]]> https://spitalfieldslife.com/2026/07/21/swan-upping-on-the-thames-iiii/#comment-2145328 Tue, 21 Jul 2026 13:55:50 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=207642#comment-2145328 I knew Mr Turk from Cookham who was involved with the Swan Upping for many years. There are still Turks involved in the Thames, as I saw a family business on the banks of the River in Kingstone a few short years ago, when I visiting an old school friend and we were walking along the towpath there.
AI says “Turk’s Boatyard in Cookham was a historic, family-run boat business established in 1911 by Frederick Turk, the Queen’s Swan Master. While the physical boatyard ceased operations years ago, its legacy lives on in the famous landscape paintings of Sir Stanley Spencer. If you are looking for active river experiences, you can explore the Turks Thames Cruises in nearby Richmond and Kingston, operated by the same historic family.

]]> https://spitalfieldslife.com/2026/07/21/swan-upping-on-the-thames-iiii/#comment-2144982 Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:01:24 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=207642#comment-2144982 Still hoping to see this one day – meanwhile, read your excellent post. Thank you!

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