i once lived in The Ship in Mortlake before the barrier was built, in 1953 the bar was about a metre deep , and if the locals wanted a pint, they had to wear waders if they were bothered about getting wet, shorts if they weren't .i remember seeing people swimming up to the bar . the rowing club in the garden could float their shells out the gate, across the road and onto the Thames ,which they had a lot of fun doing . considering the pub was up some steps , the road sloped down to the river and the retaining wall was about 5 foot high, it must have been pretty deep . locals knew they'd be flooded and all furniture and carpets were taken upstairs at the first sign of the river rising. as a 4 year old ,i was of course allowed to go out and play in the water. 2 of my sisters were rescued from the river ,one by a copper who saw her in the water from Chiswick Bridge,and got a medal ,and i went under once and was lucky enough to bump into some stone steps and save myself . the people who lived on the islands moved out lock stock and barrel every season
rivers can be a bit dodgy