Woolwich Ferry Names

[TheHitMaker]

Every so often I use the Woolwich Ferry. There are three boats, the Ernest Bevan, the John Burns and the James Newman. I know who Ernest Bevan is, but who are/were the other two?

[sddsddean]

Being born about 200 yards from the south terminal of the ferry, I should know this! Ernest Bevan was the MP who started the National Health etc. His name is used as he was the MP for Woolwich in the 30's. John Elliott Burns led the Great Dock Strike of 1889 James Newman was Mayor of Woolwich (sometime pre '65). The amalgamation of the Boroughs of Woolwich and Greenwich, the whole thing being called The London Borough of Greenwich, happened in '65. I am proud to say both my Mum and Dad held the office of Mayor of Greenwich. Anyway, as the amalgamation was in '65, he may have been Mayor at the time the boats came into service in '63. As an aside, my Dad could remember the old ferries, which were paddle steamers, going to Dunkirk. They were excellant for the rescue as they had a big deck area and being almost flat bottomed, could get well into shore.

[TheHitMaker]

Thanks sddsddean, a more complete answer I could not have hoped for!