Bugsby’s Reach is to be renamed Watermen’s Reach.
This change, which appears to have the support of the Port of London Authority, takes place next year to mark the 500th anniversary of the Watermen’s Company.
Bugsby’s Reach is the name of the River Thames between Woolwich Reach (where the Thames Barrier was built) and Blackwall Reach where the river turns south by the O2.
This first reach of the Thames Path has been known as Bugsby’s for almost 200 years. Who was Bugsby? He may have been a market gardener on the Greenwich Peninsula where one of the roads is called Bugsby’s Way.
The change is a surprise and many will say confusing.
[…] understand that moves are afoot to change the name of the bit of river which runs from the tip of the Greenwich Peninsula to Charlton. The historic name is ‘Bugsby’s […]
Keep the old name – Bugsby’s Reach, and find another place or way to commemorate the Watermen
[…] As reported here the PLA wish to call the Thames Barrier to the O2 river stretch ‘Waterman’s Reach’. […]