Secret lives of the "low water" panel discussion

Join us for a panel discussion on the secret lives of ships on the Thames.

7pm – 8pm

Tue 2 Sep 2025

from £10.00

Book now

Hear from experts in the Thames Festival Trust's Lost & Found project team as they discuss the secret lives of the "low water".

Join mudlark Alessio Checconi, heritage professional Nadia Hirsi, maritime historian Anna McKay, curator Hannah Stockton and researcher Ben Weddell as they discuss the secret lives of ships and the people who lived in, worked on and interacted with them.

How did ships (and shipbuilding and breaking) on the Thames alter the riverscape? What was life like on board, or in the riverside communities nearby? And what happened to the timbers of ocean-going vessels when they came to the end of their lives?

Discover untold histories from the Thames revealed by archival research, family history and objects salvaged from the foreshore by mudlarks – from the use of prison hulks to hold convicts before deportation, to the lives of east African seamen who settled on the banks of the river.

Together, our panel of historical experts and Thames explorers piece together remnants of London’s maritime past.

Lost & Found is a Thames Festival Trust project made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Book your tickets online in advance for the lowest price

How to attend:

In-person only

Duration:

45 mins

Concessions:

Some concessions are available – read our policy

Booking guidance:

Advanced booking required

Dr Alessio Checconi

A geologist, palaeontologist and licensed Thames mudlark. Known to many as "London Madlark", he explores the foreshore for ancient artefacts, sharing stories of everyday Londoners.

Nadia Hirsi

An East Ender of Somali heritage, Nadia explores Thames history through arts and archives. She’s worked with GDIF, Tower Hamlets Archives and Thames Festival Trust, focusing on African heritage and community engagement.

Dr Anna McKay

Anna researches the lives and experiences of prisoners across the British maritime world and is based at the University of Liverpool. Her PhD on prison hulks was awarded in 2020.

Dr Hannah Stockton

A curator of Maritime London and Merchant Marine at Royal Museums Greenwich, she works with collections including sailor's craftwork, oral histories and Cutty Sark. Her research informs how maritime stories are represented in the museum.

Ben Weddell

Chair

A Collaborative Doctoral Partnership student with Royal Museums Greenwich and the University of Reading. His PhD research focuses on shared identity and nationality in communities connected with seafaring in the late 1700s.

Ticketing

This ticket includes the panel discussion only.

Get the most out of your evening with an exclusive curator tour of Secrets of the Thames before the panel discussion. Visit our page to book the package and get both in one ticket.

Getting here

Our address is London Museum Docklands, No.1 Warehouse, West India Quay, London E14 4AL. We're just a few minutes away from Canary Wharf and West India Quay.

Check our need to know page to get the answers to all the frequently asked questions about visiting, facilities and accessibility.