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O
ut goes the cry ‘All Up!’ and a
flotilla of traditional rowing skiffs
close in on a family of mute swans.
Teams of boatmen dressed in red
and blue shirts herd them in.
It’s the third week in July and the Swan Uppers
have arrived up the Thames.
Royal Swan Upping is a centuries-old,
once-a-year tradition on the River Thames
and for years we have joined the crowds to
welcome the arrival of the Swan Uppers at
Goring Lock, one of the observation points
on their five-day journey up river from Sunbury
to Abingdon.
The ceremony goes back to the 12th century,
but hasn’t always passed by Goring.
One figure stands out among the rest;
resplendent in yellow-braided scarlet jacket
with a white quill in his cap is David Barber,
the Queen’s Swan Marker, who explains
that the monarch has the right to own any
unmarked mute swan in open waters by royal
prerogative, but this right is mainly only
exercised on certain stretches of the Thames.
“Only three other groups have this right: the
Vintners and Dyers livery companies have
owned swans on the River Thames since the
15th century, but only on the Thames.
“The third is the Ilchesters of Abbotsbury, on
the south coast. The family have owned swans
since the 13th century. All three have a royal
charter to do that.
“Many years ago the marking of swans at
Swan Upping was all about food; swans were
highly-valued, a very important food source.
Cygnets were served up at banquets and
feasts.
“But they were only for the really wealthy.
“Of course, a lot were caught by poachers,
but the fines and punishment were severe –
certain imprisonment.”
Swans are a protected species and no longer
eaten, so today it’s all about conservation
and education, collecting data, assessing the
health of young cygnets and examining them
for injuries.
Cygnets are extremely vulnerable at this early
stage in their development and Swan Upping
affords an opportunity to help both adults and
cygnets that might otherwise go untreated.
Twenty-two boatmen are involved in the cer-
emony, all highly-experienced.
“The Vintners and Dyers Livery companies
both come up. I’ve got the Queen’s swan
uppers on my team, plus zoologist Prof
Christopher Perrins – The Emeritus Fellow of
the Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology
at the University of Oxford, Emeritus Fellow
at Wolfson College, Oxford and Her Majesty’s
Warden of the Swans since 1993.
“He’s the top ornithologist in the country. He’s
not in uniform as his role isn’t ceremonial.
“So there’s 16 swan uppers, three swan mark-
ers – for the Vintners, Dyers and the Queen –
plus the Swan Warden with his two helpers.”
Contrary to popular opinion, the swans aren’t
aggressive.
“We circle the family of swans with six
traditional rowing skiffs, working closer and
closer together until we can lift the swans and
cygnets by hand. We get them ashore and
measure, weigh, and check them for injuries.
“We do find many injuries in the young swans
due to fishing tackle and we either de-tackle
them or, if they are seriously injured, we take
them to one of the Thames-side rescue
organisations for a vet to look at.
“Adult swans are pretty streetwise, but not the
young, who swim straight into the fishing lines.”
Swans caught by the Queen’s swan uppers
under the direction of the Swan Marker are left
unmarked, except for a ring linked to the
British Trust for Ornithology database.
Those caught by the Dyers and Vintners are
identified as theirs by means of a further ring
on the other leg. Originally, rather than being
ringed, the swans would be marked on the bill.
What does it take to be the Queen’s Swan
Marker? David Barber is a ‘qualified’
waterman.
“Swan jobs take up much of my time, but my
‘day job’ is running a Thames boatyard at
Cookham.
“I’ve worked on the river all my life – since
I was 15 years old – as a Thames boatman I
know the river backwards. I worked with swans
with my predecessor as a Royal Swan Upper
for many years, but Professor Perrins taught
me all about the scientific side.
“It’s hard work at this time of year, with lots
of fishing tackle injuries and dog attacks.
The mute swan population has gone down
Once all about food for the banquet, now it’s conservation and education. As the annual
Swan Upping approaches, TRISH LEE speaks to the Queen’s Swan Marker David Barber
SwanUpping
by Royal approval
Pictures: Geoff Fletcher
The Queen’s Swan Marker David Barber