Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Corps of River Fencibles of the City of London , volunteer force
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
Thames watermen and other groups of river tradesmen had voluntarily formed associations of River Fencibles in 1798, the same year that the Corps of Sea Fencibles was established as a coastal home guard. Fencibles were service personnel liable only for defensive service, an early version of the Home Guard.
The River Fencibles were officially established in 1803, and by 1804 had uniformed commissioned officers. Members of the London Corps in small boats escorted the barge carrying the body of Nelson along the Thames during his state funeral in 1806. The force was disbanded in 1813.