“Umlambo IThames”—Ilifa Elikhethekileyo LaseNgilani

NGUMBHALI KAVUKANI! EBRITANI

Umlambo iThames—owaziwa ngabantu baseBritani ngokuba yiOld Father Thames—uphuma kwimithombo emine kwiiNduli zaseCotswold ezintle nezisemzantsi wombindi weNgilani. Njengoko uphinyaphinyela usehlela ngasempuma iikhilomitha ezinokuba ngama-350, udibana neminye imilambo de ekugqibeleni uye kutyekeza kwiNorth Sea sele uziikhilomitha ezingama-29 ububanzi. Uya kumangaliswa kukuva ibali lendlela lo mlambo mfutshane awayixonxa ngayo imbali yaseNgilani.

MALUNGA nowama-55 B.C.E., uJulius Ceasar wakhokela amaRoma kwiphulo lawo lokuqala lokuhlasela iNgilani. Ukubuya kwakhe kunyaka olandelayo, akazange akwazi ukungena ngenxa yomlambo awubiza ngokuthi yiTamesis, iThames. NguMlawuli wamaRoma uClaudius owaligqibezela eli phulo kwiminyaka engama-90 kamva.

Ngelo xesha kwakukho umgxobhozo macal’ omabini eThames, kodwa kweyona ndawo inamanzi gqitha, kwiikhilomitha ezingama-50 ukususela emlonyeni wawo lo mlambo, umkhosi wamaRoma kwamva wakha ibhulorho yamaplanga. Kunxweme olungasemantla alo mlambo, akha izibuko alibiza ngokuthi yiLondinium.a

Kwiinkulungwane ezine ezalandelayo, amaRoma arhwebelana namanye amazwe aseYurophu aza athunyelelwa izinto zexabiso ezivela kumazwe aseMeditera—kwanemithi evela eLebhanon. Kwakhona impahla eyayisiya eLondon isuka kwimimandla engaphakathi yayihanjiswa kumlambo iThames, kangangokuba esi sixeko saba liziko eliphambili lezoshishino ngenxa yeendlela zalo ezixananazileyo.

Impembelelo KaWilliam IGorha

Emva kokuwa koBukhosi bamaRoma, imikhosi yaseRoma yashenxa eBritani ngowama-410 C.E., yaye kwakukhal’ ibhungane eLondon, ibe njengokuba kulindelekile, urhwebo lwadodobala ngakwiThames. Iikumkani zamaJamani ezazilawula eNgilani zazithweswa isithsaba eKingston—idolophana eyayigudle umlambo iThames, kwiikhilomitha ezili-19 ngasentla apho kwakulula khona ukuwela lo mlambo—de kwangenkulungwane ye-11 xa uWilliam iGorha owayevela eNormandy wayihlasela. Emva kokubekwa kwakhe esihlalweni eWestminster ngowe-1066, wakha iNqaba yaseLondon phakathi kwesi sixeko samaRoma ukuze akwazi ukuyilawula kakuhle aze andise nabarhwebi negunya lakhe kwizibuko lalapha. Kwakhona izinto zaphinda zahamba kakuhle kwezorhwebo, yaye abemi baseLondon banda baqikelelwa kuma-30 000.

Kwakhona uWilliam iGorha wakha inqaba phezu kwenduli enekalika kumgama onokuba ziikhilomitha ezingama-35 ngasentshona yeLondon, kwindawo namhlanje eyiWindsor. Le nqaba yakhiwa esikhundleni sebhotwe lokumkani wamaJamani yaye ibonakala kakuhle ngaphaya komlambo iThames. Isakhiwo ngoku esiyiWindsor Castle kukwandiswa nokutshintshwa kwale nqaba, yaye sithethanje yeyona ndawo ityelelwa gqitha ziindwendwe eBritani.

Ngonyaka we-1209 wagqitywa umsebenzi owathabatha iminyaka engama-30—ibhulorho yamatye ekumlambo iThames eLondon—ibhulorho yokuqala elolu hlobo eYurophu. Esi sakhiwo sikhethekileyo, esineevenkile, izindlu, kwanecawa encinane, sasineendawo ezimbini apho ibhulorho yayinokuthotywa okanye inyuswe, ivulwe okanye ivalwe kunye nenqaba eSouthwark, ngakumazantsi alo mlambo, ukuze ibe yindawo yokuzikhusela.

UKumkani uJohn waseNgilani (1167-1216) wasityikitya khona isivumelwano esaziwayo saseMagna Carta ngowe-1215 eRunnymede, kwiThames kufuphi neWindsor. Ngesi sivumelwano kwanyanzeleka ukuba aqinisekise kungekuphela nje inkululeko yabantu kodwa ngokukhethekileyo nenkululeko yesixeko saseLondon neyezorhwebo kumazibuko nakubarhwebi balapho.

Umlambo IThames Uza Nendyebo

Kwiinkulungwane ezalandelayo, urhwebo lwahambela phambili kwiThames. Kungekudala, ukwanda korhwebo kwazibangela zaxinana ezo zakhiwo zigudle umlambo. Kwiminyaka engama-200 edluleyo, zazingama-600 kuphela iinqanawa ezazinokungena kwizibuko lomlambo iThames, ukanti ngamanye amaxesha kwakukho iinqanawa ezili-1 775 ezilindele ukuthula umthwalo wazo. Ngenxa yobuninzi beenqanawa, kwanda nobusela. Amasela ayezikhulula iinqanawa kwindawo ezibotshelelwe kuzo ebusuku ukuze ebe, yaye izikhephe ezincinane zazinyuka zisihla kumlambo iThames zithutha impahla ebiwe ngala matutu. Ukuze isingathe le ngxaki, iLondon yaseka umbutho wokuqala wamapolisa asemanzini. Nangoku asekho loo mapolisa.

Noko ke, kwakufuneka kubhinqelwe phezulu ukuze kupheliswe le ngxaki yokuxinana kwamazibuko alapha. Ngoko ke, ebudeni benkulungwane ye-19 iPalamente yaseNgilani yavuma ukuba kwakhiwe awona mazibuko makhulu avalwayo ehlabathini, kwiindawo ezingamathafa kumacala omabini omlambo. Elokuqala ukugqitywa yayilizibuko iSurrey Commercial Docks, iLondon Dock, iWest ne-East India Docks, ekuqaleni kweminyaka yee-1800, emva koko kwalandela iRoyal Victoria Dock ngowe-1855 neqabane layo, iRoyal Albert Dock, ngowe-1880.

Oononjineli ababini—ubawo nonyana—uMarc I. noIsambard K. Brunel, bawadibanisa la mazibuko mabini akumlambo iThames ngokwakha itonela yokuqala ephantsi kwamanzi ngowe-1840. Le tonela iziimitha ezingama-459 ubude yaye isasetyenziswa nanamhlanje njengesiporo esingaphantsi kwamanzi esiya kwiGreater London. Ngowe-1894 yagqitywa ukwakhiwa iTower Bridge ethandwa gqitha ngabakhenkethi namhlanje. Le yibhulorho enamacala amabini evulekayo kangangeemitha ezingama-76 ububanzi ukuze kudlule iinqanawa ezinkulu phakathi kwezakhiwo zayo ezide ezimbini. Yaye ukuba unyuka kwizinyuko ezinokuba ngama-300, uya kufikelela ngaphezu kwesi sakhiwo yaye uya kubona iindawo ezintle ezigudle lo mlambo.

Ngenkulungwane yama-20, izibuko laseLondon lalilikhulu ngokwaneleyo ukuze kungene inani elandayo leenqanawa ezinkulu ezize kuthula impahla yorhwebo lwesi sixeko. Ngexesha lokwakhiwa kwezibuko lokugqibela, nelathiywa ngoKumkani uGeorge V, ngowe-1921, iLondon “yayilelona zibuko likhulu nelifumileyo ehlabathini.”

Lo Mlambo Unezindlu Zabalawuli Neendawo Zemiboniso

Ngoxa iLondon yayikhula, iindlela zalapha azizange ziphuculwe, zazingumhlaba, yaye zazidla ngokungahambeki ebusika. Ngoko ke, eyona ndlela ilula yokuhamba yayikukunqumla kumlambo iThames, nto leyo eyabangela ukuba kwiminyaka emininzi ibe yindlela exakeke gqitha yasemanzini. Ukuba ulapho uya kuva abaqhubi bamaphenyane bekhwaza “Masihambeni!” njengoko benyuka besihla kwezo zinyuko ezikufuphi namanzi befuna abantu abawelayo, abaya ngasentla, okanye ngezantsi komlambo okanye abaya kwamanye amazibukwana emilambo njengeFleet neWalbrook, ngoku eyagqunyelelwa kudala zizitrato zaseLondon ezibizwa ngaloo magama.

Kungekudala, iLondon yaba njengeVenice, indawo eneendledlana eziphumela emilanjeni ezisuka kumabhotwe alapho. Ukuhlala kwizibuko leThames kwaba yinto ephambili kwiindwalutho zalapha, njengoko oku kungqinwa ngamabhotwe njengelaseGreenwich, iWhitehall nelaseWestminster. Ngokufanayo, iHampton Court ibe likhaya lookumkani nookumkanikazi baseNgilani, yaye iWindsor Castle, engasentla kulo mlambo isaqhubeka ilibhotwe.

Ngowe-1717, uGeorge Frideric Handel waqamba umculo okuthiwa yi-“Water Music” esonwabisa uKumkani uGeorge I xa kwakukho ipikiniki yezihandiba eyayingakulo mlambo. Elinye iphephandaba lemihla ngemihla lathi, iphenyane likakumkani laliphelekwa “ngamaPhenyana Amaninzi kangokuba wonke lo Mlambo wawungabonakali.” Iphenyane elalikufuphi nelikakumkani lalineemvumi ezingama-50 ezazidlal’ umculo kaHandel kangangezihlandlo ezithathu njengokuba zonke zazihamba iikhilomitha ezisibhozo zisuka eWestminster zisiya eChelsea.

Umlambo Wolonwabo Nokuphumla

De kwakhiwa iBhulorho yaseWestminster ngeminyaka yee-1740, ekuphela kwendlela yokunqumla iThames ngeenyawo yayikukunqumla kwiBhulorho yaseLondon neyathi kamva yalungiswa kwaza ekugqibeleni kwakhiwa enye ngeminyaka yee-1820. Iintsika ezazixhase amacandelo ali-19 esakhiwo samatye samandulo sale bhulorho zazixabile yaye amanzi ayengahambi kakuhle. Ngenxa yoku, kwiminyaka enokuba ngama-600 ikho le bhulorho, umlambo iThames waba ngumkhenkce ubuncinane kangangezihlandlo ezisibhozo. Xa kwakwenzeke oku, kwakusakhiwa “abantu bomkhenkce,” kwiindawo ezininzi ezazinemidlalo. Apha kwakusojiwa inyama yenkomo yaye izihandiba zalapha zazibonwa zisitya apho. Kwakuthengiswa iincwadi nezinto zokudlala ezibhalwe “ithengwe kwiThames,” nto ezo ezazithengwa ngokukhawuleza. Koomatshini abamiswe phezu komlambo ongumkhenkce, kwakushicilelwa amaphepha eendaba kwanemibhalo yoMthandazo weNkosi!

Kumaxesha amvanje, ukhuphiswano lwaminyaka le ngentwasahlobo lwamaphenyane phakathi kweYunivesithi yaseOxford neyaseCambridge lube yimbalasane. Inginginya yabantu bama kunxweme lomlambo iThames phakathi kwePutney neMortlake beze kukhuthaza ababhexi bamaphenyane abasibhozo abakhuphisanayo ngoxa begubungela umgama ongaphantsi nje kancinane kweekhilomitha ezisixhenxe ngemizuzu engaphantsi kwengama-20. Ugqatso lokuqala lwabakho ngowe-1829 mganyana nje ngentla kwedolophu yaseHenley. Emva kokuba olu gqatso lufuduselwe ngezantsana kulo mlambo, le dolophu yaqalisa olwayo olwabizwa ngokuba yiroyal regatta, olona khuphiswano lwamaphenyane ludala nobalaseleyo eYurophu. Kolu khuphiswano lweemitha ezinokuba li-1 600, kuza amadoda namabhinqa angamachule okubhexa ehlabathini liphela. Kweli hlobo, esi ibe sisihlandlo esibalulekileyo eBritani.

Umkhenkethisi waseBritani uthi kumlambo iThames “zininzi izinto ezonwabisayo njengokuba xa uhamba kuwo ubona amathafa, amahlathi, amadlelo, izindlu zasemaphandleni, iidolophana ezintle zaseNgilani. . . . Kwimimandla emide akukho ndlela inkulu kodwa ngokuqhelekileyo kubakho iindledlana ekunokurhuqwa kuzo iphenyane. Ngenxa yoku, ngoxa umqhubi wemoto esenokuwubuka loo mlambo kwiidolophu adlula kuzo, ubuhle beThames bunokubonwa kakuhle kuphela xa ubani ehamba ngephenyane okanye ngeenyawo.”

Ngaba uceba ukutyelela eNgilani? Ukuba kunjalo, ziphe ixesha lokutyelela umlambo iThames uze uve ngembali yawo. Ukususela kubuhle bommandla osemaphandleni oqala kuwo lo mlambo ukuya kutsho kwimimandla yawo exandileyo, zininzi izinto oya kuzibona, uzenze, uze uzifunde. Akusoze uzisole ngokutyelela uMlambo iThames.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 27]

IINCWADI EZIBHALIWEYO NGETHAMES

Kwincwadi yakhe ethi Three Men in a Boat, uJerome K. Jerome wabhala ngendlela ekumnandi ngayo ukuphumla kumlambo iThames. Kule ncwadi wabhala ngabahlobo abathathu ababehamba ngephenyane nenja yabo benyusa lo mlambo, besuka eHampton Court besiya eOxford. Le ncwadi yabhalwa ngowe-1889 yaza yaguqulelwa kwiilwimi ezininzi, ibe ithandwa gqitha “ngenxa yebali layo elihlekisayo.”

Elinye ibali elaziwayo nelithandwa gqitha ngabantwana nangabantu abakhulu lelithi The Wind in the Willows. Le ncwadi ethetha yophele ngezilwanyana ezazihlala kulo mlambo okanye kufuphi nonxweme lwawo yagqitywa ukubhalwa ngowe-1908 nguKenneth Grahame, owayehlala ePangbourne, idolophu ekumlambo iThames.

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 27]

UKUMKANI NOMLAMBO ITHAMES

UKumkani uJames I, owayelawula ngasekuqaleni kwenkulungwane ye-17 wakhe wafuna imali eziiponti ezingama-20 000 kurhulumente waseLondon. Xa uSodolophu engazange avume, ukumkani wamtyityimbisel’ umnwe esithi: “Ndakukufak’ engxakini wena nesi sixeko sakho. Ndakuzifudusela kwenye indawo zonke iinkundla zam apha, ndifuduse iBhotwe kunye nePalamente ndizise eWinchester okanye eOxford, yaye ndakuyichuba ibe ngumpha iWestminster le; yaye unokuzicingela into eya kwenzeka kuwe!” Usodolophu waphendula: “Inye nje into eya kubathuthuzela abarhwebi baseLondon: umhlekazi akanakukwazi ukuhamba nomlambo iThames.”

[Inkcazelo]

From the book Ridpath’s History of the World (Vol. VI)

[Iimaphu ezikwiphepha 24]

(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

INGILANI

ILondon

UMlambo iThames

[Inkcazelo]

Map: Mountain High Maps® Copyright © 1997 Digital Wisdom, Inc.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24, 25]

IBig Ben nezindlu zasePalamente, eWestminster, eLondon

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]

ILondon Bridge, yenziwe ngamatye, ngowe-1756

[Inkcazelo]

From the book Old and New London: A Narrative of Its History, Its People, and Its Places (Vol. II)

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

Lo mkrolo owenziwa ngowe-1803 ubonisa iinqanawa ezininzi zisezibukweni

[Inkcazelo]

Corporation of London, London Metropolitan Archive

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26, 27]

Umkrolo womnyhadala owawusenziwe emkhenkceni ngowe-1683

[Inkcazelo]

From the book Old and New London: A Narrative of Its History, Its People, and Its Places (Vol. III)