The following is an extract of the online article by Nick Pollard
There have been ferries crossing the River Thames for centuries, way before there were bridges of any kind. Sunbury has had its fair share over the years. Records show a Sunbury ferry was in existence at least as early as 1604 and there were still two ferries operating in Sunbury back in the 1950’s. The river was regarded as a main highway and the narrow alleys that can still be seen between some of the houses in the village probably led to wharfs for use by barges. These barges may well have been carrying such goods as coal and wine. In 1860, these barges were liable to pay a tax for entering London and a ring of about 280 cast iron tax posts were placed around the capital to show when a tax would be due. One of those posts can still be seen in its original location at our Sunbury ferry jetty. A Sunbury map of 1722 shows a substantial ‘Foreland’ crossing Sunbury Park which may have been the genesis for the later Walled Garden whose Thames Street entrance faces directly on to Ferry House. Wilson’s ferry at Church Wharf came into being in 1907 and provided Sunbury with a second ferry service. From ‘Sunbury Remembered’ – by Bert John-son, we know that Johnson’s father was asked by the boat builder, Horace Clark Jnr., to be-come the Ferryman and manage the repair premises on Lock Island in 1932, following the death of Edwin Clark Jnr. that year. John-son remained as Ferryman until the outbreak of war in 1939. There were two ferry boats, a wherry for five or six people and a punt which could carry eighteen people and two bicycles. His son Bert, then only 15, worked extremely hard for his father, rowing much of the day at week-ends. A gentleman by the name of Jack Skinner (possibly related to Sunbury’s notable Albert Skinner) then took up residence at the Ferry House, but it is not known whether he actual-ly operated the ferry service for Horace Clark Jnr. A bomb fell on the concrete steps of the land-ing stage in 1940 and the blast pushed the side of the Ferry House in, causing serious dam-age, although it did not fully collapse. At some time during 1941 a chain ferry was installed and this can be clearly seen on the 1950’s photograph above which shows Mr. Jeffrey and passengers aboard the ferry. The chain ferry pro-vided a really useful service to the local community and an enjoyable trip for holidaymakers wishing to visit Lock Island and access to the tow path into Walton. This ferry operated until the 1960’s.
