The annual Swan Upping Voyage takes place

During the third week of July, members of The Dyers’ Company and their guests visited our “Swan Uppers” hard at work, rowing the annual 70-mile “Swan Upping” voyage along the River Thames.

Swan Upping takes place during the third week of July and involves the annual census and marking of swans and cygnets along the non-tidal stretch of the river between Sunbury and Abingdon.

The Mute Swan has been a Royal bird since around 1189. In 1483, an Act of Parliament decreed that only the monarch could grant ownership of swans, and thus issue a Swan Mark. Many centuries ago, the Dyers’ and @vintnerscompany were granted the right to a royalty of swans along this part of the Thames, originally for consumption at feasts and banquets.

Today, Swan Upping is carried out for conservation purposes – no swans are harmed, quite the opposite. The Uppers work in Company teams to “up” (catch) the swans and cygnets, recording and marking them according to traditional ownership. Historically, Vintners’ birds were marked with two nicks on the beak, Dyers’ with one, and Royal birds were left unmarked. Today, the birds are ringed on the leg instead.

There are three teams, each consisting of two boats and six men. The King’s team wears red and is led by HM Swan Marker David Barber; the Vintners’ team wears white, and the Dyers’ team wears blue. Each boat flies either the Royal Standard or the appropriate Company flag. All the Uppers are Thames Watermen, many of whom are sons and grandsons of former Swan Uppers.

Our Dyers’ Company team is superbly captained by our Bargemaster and Beadle, Jerry McCarthy. True to tradition, our Uppers even took a dunking or two while carrying out their duties!

The final count of swan numbers has yet to be presented to the Court, but we are pleased to report that the swan population appears to be recovering after the significant losses of recent years due to avian flu.

Photo credit: Niki Gorik Photography Ltd