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{{short description|Collision between two ships in London in 1989}}
{{use British English|date=August 2019}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Marchioness'' disaster}}
[[File:Marchioness, damaged and beached.png|thumb|upright=1.4|alt=''Marchioness'' after the collision, showing the upper saloon completely missing|''Marchioness'', beached on the north bank of the [[River Thames]] after she was raised from the river bed]]
The '''''Marchioness'' disaster''' was a collision between two vessels on the [[River Thames]] in London in the early hours of 20 August 1989, which resulted in the deaths of 51 people. The pleasure boat ''Marchioness'' sank after being hit twice by the [[dredger]] {{MV|Bowbelle|1964|2}} at about 1:46&nbsp;am, between [[Cannon Street station|Cannon Street railway bridge]] and [[Southwark Bridge]].

''Marchioness'' had been hired for the evening for a birthday party and had about 130 people on board, four of whom were crew and bar staff. Both vessels were heading downstream, against the tide, ''Bowbelle'' travelling faster than the smaller vessel. Although the exact paths taken by the ships, and the precise series of events and their locations, are unknown, the subsequent inquiry considered it likely that ''Bowbelle'' struck ''Marchioness'' from the rear, causing the latter to turn to port, where she was hit again, then pushed along, turning over and being pushed under ''Bowbelle''{{'}}s bow. It took thirty&nbsp;seconds for ''Marchioness'' to sink; 24 bodies were found within the ship when it was raised.

An investigation by the [[Marine Accident Investigation Branch]] (MAIB) blamed a lack of lookouts, but their report was criticised by the families of the victims, as the MAIB had not interviewed anyone on ''Marchioness'' or ''Bowbelle'', but relied on police interviews. The government refused to hold an inquiry, despite pressure from the families. Douglas Henderson, the captain of ''Bowbelle'', was charged with failing to have an effective lookout on the vessel, but two cases against him ended with a [[hung jury]]. A private prosecution for [[manslaughter]] against four directors of South Coast Shipping Company, the owners of ''Bowbelle'', and corporate manslaughter against the company was dismissed because of lack of evidence.

A formal inquiry in 2000 concluded that "The basic cause of the collision is clear. It was poor lookout on both vessels. Neither vessel saw the other in time to take action to avoid the collision."{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|p=367}} Criticism was also aimed at the owners of both ships, as well as the [[Department for Transport|Department of Transport]] and the [[Port of London Authority]]. The collision and the subsequent reports led to increased safety measures on the Thames, and four new [[Lifeboat (rescue)|lifeboat]] stations were installed on the river.
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==Background==
===''Marchioness''===
The pleasure boat ''Marchioness'' was built in 1923 by the [[Salter Brothers]] of Oxford for [[Joseph Mears]], a businessman whose interests included running pleasure [[Launch (boat)|launches]] on the [[River Thames]].{{sfn|Plummer|1989|p=7}} She was {{convert|85.5|ft|m|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|14.5|ft|m|abbr=on}} at the [[Beam (nautical)|beam]], and measured 46.19 [[gross ton]]s. She spent most of her life on the Thames, including when she was requisitioned during the Second World War by the Thames Hospital Emergency Service, when she was stationed in [[Dagenham]]. Her service included being one of the [[Little Ships of Dunkirk|little ships]] that aided in the 1940 [[Dunkirk evacuation]].{{sfn|Plummer|1989|p=7}}{{sfn|MAIB Report 1989; Part 2|p=8}}{{sfn|Plummer|1990|p=119}} ''Marchioness'' was sold to Thames Launches in 1945, when Mears's company was wound up. She was purchased by Tidal Cruises Ltd in 1978 and the upper works were rebuilt to form an upper and lower saloon. The new upper saloon obstructed the vision from the [[Bridge (nautical)|wheelhouse]],{{sfn|Plummer|1989|p=7}}{{sfn|MAIB Report 1989; Part 2|p=8}} and there was, the later inquiry established, a lack of easily accessible emergency exits, particularly from the lower decks.{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|p=257}} ''Marchioness'' had seven life rafts—each of which could support twenty people—and seven [[lifebuoy]]s—each of which could support two people.{{sfn|MAIB Report 1989; Part 3|pp=24–25}} Registered in London, she was licensed to carry 165 passengers.{{sfn|Clarke|2001b|loc=Annex E, p. 1}} From the early 1970s there was an increase in the number of boats for evening or night-time parties and discos, and ''Marchioness'' was part of this market.{{sfn|MAIB Report 1989; Part 1|pp=135, 204}}

''Marchioness'' carried a crew of two: her [[Sea captain|captain]] was Stephen Faldo; the [[Chief mate|mate]] was Andrew McGowan. On the night of her sinking, she also carried two members of bar staff.{{sfn|MAIB Report 1989; Part 1|pp=13, 18}}{{sfn|Walker|Mallett|2011|p=128}} Faldo and McGowan had a business partnership, Top Bar Enterprises, which provided the bar staff and drink for the party.{{sfn|MAIB Report 1989; Part 1|p=127}} Faldo was 29 at the time of the sinking. He had begun working on the Thames at the age of 17 and had earned his full [[Waterman (occupation)|waterman's]] river licence in June 1984. He began work at Tidal Cruises in 1986 and became the permanent captain of ''Marchioness'' in 1987.{{sfn|Clarke|2001b|loc=Annex E, p. 13}}{{sfn|Parry|1989b|p=1}} He had forgotten to renew his riverman's licence in the run-up to the night of the collision, and was technically not entitled to skipper the vessel that night. A later inquiry considered the lack of licence was "a minor point because he was undoubtedly qualified to do so and could have renewed his licence by paying 50 pence".{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|p=13}} McGowan, age 21, became an apprentice to a waterman in June 1986. By February 1988 he had completed courses at the [[Port of London Authority]] for chartwork and seamanship, and obtained his apprentice licence in May 1988; he joined ''Marchioness'' as a crew member around the same time.{{sfn|Parry|1989b|p=1}}{{sfn|Clarke|2001b|loc=Annex E, pp. 13–14}}

===''Bowbelle''===
[[File:Aggregate dredger Bowbelle.png|thumb|The [[Construction aggregate|aggregate]] [[dredger]] ''Bowbelle'']]
The [[Construction aggregate|aggregate]] [[dredger]] {{MV|Bowbelle|1964|2}} was launched in 1964 by the [[Ailsa Shipbuilding Company]] of [[Troon]], Scotland. She was {{convert|79.9|m|ft|abbr=on|order=flip}} long and {{convert|13.8|m|ft|abbr=on|order=flip}} at the beam; her [[deadweight tonnage]] was {{convert|1850|LT|t|0}}{{sfn|''Bowbelle'', ship 6413235}} and she measured 1,474.72 gross tons. ''Bowbelle'' was one of six "Bow" ships owned by East Coast Aggregates Limited; they were managed by South Coast Shipping Company Limited.{{efn|Of the five other vessels, ''Bowbelle'' and ''Bowtrader'' regularly travelled along the upper Thames; a third vessel, ''Bowsprite'', had previously navigated the same waters, but sank in July 1988.{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|p=9}}}} East Coast Aggregates Limited (ECA) was part of the larger [[RMC Group]], a [[concrete]] products company.{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|pp=9–10}} ''Bowbelle'' had a crew of nine: a master, two mates, three engineers, two [[able seamen]] and a cook. The ship's captain, Douglas Henderson, aged 31,{{sfn|Chaudhary|1991|p=3}} undertook a Deep Sea apprenticeship until 1978 and joined ECA in November 1987, when he became second mate on ''Bowsprite''. In May 1989 he became the master of ''Bowbelle''.{{sfn|Clarke|2001b|loc=Annex D, p. 10}}

Vessels from ECA, including ''Bowbelle'', had previously been involved in accidents on the Thames.{{sfn|Donovan|1990|p=8}} In July 1981 there was a collision between ''Bowtrader'' and the passenger launch ''Pride of Greenwich''; three months later ''Bowtrader'' was involved in a collision with ''Hurlingham'', another pleasure cruiser owned by Tidal Cruises.{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|pp=141–142}} ''Bowbelle'' collided with [[Cannon Street station|Cannon Street railway bridge]] in May 1982{{sfn|Donovan|1990|p=8}} and, the following month, was nearly in a collision with a passenger boat.{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|p=148}}

At the time of the collision with ''Marchioness'', ''Bowbelle'' was carrying aggregate and was trimmed down at the stern;{{efn|A vessel's trim is the difference between the draughts fore and aft. ''Bowbelle'' was trimmed down at the stern, which meant the bow was higher, thus reducing the forward visibility.{{sfn|Cooper|1995|p=4}}}} this, along with the dredging equipment, limited the forward vision from the [[Bridge (nautical)|bridge]].{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|p=9}} On 19 August 1989 Henderson visited several public houses over a period of three and a half hours and drank six [[imperial pint|pints]] (3.4 L; 120 imp fl oz) of lager. He returned to the ship at 6:00&nbsp;pm for food and a short sleep;{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|p=108}} one of the ship's company, Terence Blayney, who acted as the forward lookout that night, was with Henderson, and drank seven pints over the same period.{{sfn|Hartley|2001|p=257}}

===Jonathan Phang and Antonio de Vasconcellos===
''Marchioness'' was hired for a party for the night of 19–20 August 1989. It was organised by [[Jonathan Phang]], a photographic agent, to celebrate the 26th birthday of Antonio de Vasconcellos, who worked in a [[merchant bank]]. The pair were good friends and business partners in a photographic agency. Phang paid £695 to hire the boat from 1:00&nbsp;am to 6:00&nbsp;am, with extra for the hire of the disco, food and drinks. Many of those at the party were also in their twenties; some were former students and others worked in fashion, journalism, modelling and finance.{{sfn|Leathley|1989|p=2}}{{sfn|Stacey|King|1989|p=2}}{{efn|£695 in 1989 equates to approximately {{Inflation|UK|695|1989|fmt=eq|r=-2|cursign=£}}, according to calculations based on [[Consumer Price Index (United Kingdom)|Consumer Price Index]] measure of inflation.{{sfn|Clark|2020}}}} The plan was for ''Marchioness'' to go downriver from the [[Embankment Pier]] near [[Charing Cross railway station]] to [[Tower Bridge]], then back to Charing Cross to land some of the passengers. ''Marchioness'' would then travel down to [[Greenwich]] before returning again to Charing Cross, arriving back at 5:45&nbsp;am.{{sfn|Hartley|2001|p=222}}

==20 August 1989==
===0:00&nbsp;am – 7:00&nbsp;am===
[[File:Marchioness overview.png|thumb|upright=1.5|alt=Map of the Thames, showing where Marchioness and Bowbelle departed their respective berths, and the point of collision|Map of routes and points]]
The night of 19–20 August 1989 was a clear one; it was three days after the full moon and there was good visibility.{{sfn|Hartley|2001|p=221}} There was a negligible wind.{{sfn|Walker|Mallett|2011|p=129}} It was a [[Tide#Range variation: springs and neaps|spring tide]], recorded as one of the highest of the year and the river was at half-tide at the time of the collision; it was running upriver at a rate of three [[Knot (unit)|knots]].{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|p=14}}{{sfn|MAIB Report 1989; Part 2|p=9}} There are several versions of the paths taken by the vessels in the approach to [[Southwark Bridge]] and beyond, and no agreement on the point when the two ships collided.{{efn|Positions given by eye-witnesses vary from west of Southwark Bridge to near Cannon Street Bridge, although the weight of reports put the collision between the two bridges, in the middle of the river.{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|pp=41–42}}}} Much of the evidence gathered in later investigations was inconsistent and any descriptions of the actions of the ships are based on average speeds and likely positions.{{sfn|Hartley|2001|p=222}}{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|pp=22–23}}

At 1:12&nbsp;am ''Bowbelle'' left her berth at the [[Nine Elms]] pier near [[Battersea Power Station]] and radioed her move by [[Marine VHF radio|VHF radio]] to Thames Navigation Service (TNS), based in [[Woolwich]]. She reported passing [[Vauxhall Bridge]] at 1:20&nbsp;am and [[Waterloo Bridge]] at 1:35&nbsp;am. In accordance with the usual procedure, TNS radioed all river traffic at 1:15&nbsp;am and 1:45&nbsp;am, advising them of ''Bowbelle''{{'}}s downstream passage.{{sfn|Hartley|2001|p=222}}{{sfn|MAIB Report 1989; Part 1|p=3}} ''Bowbelle''{{'}}s average speed was about {{convert|5.5|kn|mph km/h}} over the ground.{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|p=23}}{{efn|5.5 knots over the ground, against a tide of {{convert|3|kn|mph km/h}}, equates to a speed of {{convert|8.5|kn|mph km/h}} through the water.{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|p=23}}}}

''Marchioness'' was supposed to leave Embankment Pier at 1:00&nbsp;am, but was delayed until 1:25&nbsp;am. No count was made of the number of passengers, but the accepted number on board is either 130{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|p=278}} or 131.{{sfn|Hartley|2001|p=222}} Faldo was in the wheelhouse, where he stayed until the collision. Heading downriver, just before [[Blackfriars Bridge]], ''Marchioness'' passed her sister pleasure cruiser ''Hurlingham''—which was also hosting a disco that night, and was also heading in the same direction. ''Marchioness''{{'}}s average speed was about {{convert|3.2|kn|mph km/h}} over the ground.{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|pp=18, 24, 46}}{{efn|3.2 knots over the ground, against a tide of {{convert|3|kn|mph km/h}}, equates to a speed of {{convert|6.5|kn|mph km/h}} through the water.{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|p=23}}}} She passed through the central arch of Blackfriars Bridge; at this point she was about {{convert|1/2|mi|km}} in front of ''Bowbelle''.{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|pp=24–25}} At some point after Blackfriars Bridge, ''Bowbelle'' overtook ''Hurlingham'' and steered for the central arch of Southwark Bridge. ''Marchioness'' also went through the central arch, but probably towards the southern side.{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|p=25}}

[[File:Damage to the pleasure cruiser Marchioness.jpg|thumb|The port side of ''Marchioness'', showing the point of the second impact from ''Bowbelle''. The wooden planking on top was the floor of the upper saloon, which was ripped off by ''Bowbelle''{{'}}s anchor.]]
When ''Bowbelle'' was within {{convert|50|m|ft|order=flip}} of ''Marchioness'', the smaller vessel was affected by the forces of interaction—the water being [[Bow wave|pushed ahead]] of the large ship.{{sfn|Molland|2008|p=591}} At about 1:46&nbsp;am, just after ''Marchioness'' passed under Southwark Bridge, she was hit twice by ''Bowbelle''{{'}}s bow. The first impact was {{convert|20|ft|m}} from ''Marchioness''{{'}}s stern, which had the effect of turning the smaller vessel to port. The second impact was {{convert|33|ft|m}} from the stern, and caused the pleasure boat to pivot round the bow of ''Bowbelle'', and turn it on its side, probably to an angle of 120°.{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|pp=33–34, 58, 254}} The upper superstructure of ''Marchioness'' was ripped off by ''Bowbelle''{{'}}s anchor.{{sfn|MAIB Report 1989; Part 1|pp=4–5}} The lower saloon was quickly flooded and the lights went out. The weight and momentum of ''Bowbelle'' pushed ''Marchioness'' underwater and she sank, stern first, within 30 seconds of being hit.{{sfn|Hartley|2001|p=222}}{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|p=254}} McGowan had been thrown from the boat into the water, but climbed back on board to tie open the port side door, which led to the dance floor, to allow several people to escape.{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|p=290}} One eyewitness to the crash, Keith Fawkes-Underwood, who viewed the incident from the [[South Bank|south bank of the Thames]], reported:

<blockquote>The barge collided with the pleasure boat hitting it in about its centre then mounted it, pushing it under the water like a toy boat. Within a matter of about 20 seconds the pleasure boat had totally disappeared underneath the water.<ref>Fawkes-Underwood, statement to police, quoted in {{harvnb|Clarke|2001a|p=256}}</ref></blockquote>

Of the 130 people on board ''Marchioness'', 79 survived and 51 died. The dead included de Vasconcellos and Faldo.{{efn|The youngest victim was 19-year-old ballerina Francesca Dallaglio, the sister of the former England rugby captain [[Lawrence Dallaglio|Lawrence]].{{sfn|Nikkhah|2011}} Faldo's son, [[Jeff Brazier]], appeared in reality television programmes, and was married to the ''[[Big Brother (franchise)|Big Brother]]'' contestant [[Jade Goody]].{{sfn|Gilbert|2011}}}} No-one on ''Bowbelle'' was injured.{{sfn|Walker|Mallett|2011|p=128}}{{sfn|Parry|1989a|p=1}} ''Marchioness'' sank so quickly that most people were unable to locate or use the life rafts, buoys or jackets.{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|p=51}} Survival of those on ''Marchioness'' depended partly on their location within the vessel. There were 41 people known to have been on the forward deck and wheelhouse, of whom 9 died and 32 survived, a survival rate of 78%. Of the 13 people known to have been in the lower saloon, 9 died and 4 survived (a 31% survival rate).{{sfn|Clarke|2001b|loc=Annex S, p. 4}} One of those from the lower saloon who survived was Iain Philpott, who said in his statement to the police:

<blockquote>I remember turning around to head towards the windows to escape the boat, the water started coming in the boat through the window, I knew at this point the boat was going to go down. Within a matter of seconds the general lights went out, everything was in darkness&nbsp;... I was then thrown forward by a wall of water, the whole boat filled with water instantly&nbsp;... When I surfaced I was some distance away from the Marchioness which was partly submerged.<ref>Iain Philpott, statement to police, quoted in {{harvnb|Clarke|2001a|p=255}}</ref></blockquote>

''Hurlingham'' was between {{convert|45|and(-)|60|m|-1}} away from the collision,{{sfn|Walker|Mallett|2011|p=129}} and those on board were in the best position to be eyewitnesses.{{sfn|Ryan|1996|p=114}} George Williams, the vessel's captain, put out a call on VHF radio to the [[Thames Division]] of the [[Metropolitan Police Service]], based in [[Wapping]]: "Woolwich Police, Wapping Police, Wapping Police, Emergency, pleasure boat is sunk, Cannon Street Railway Bridge, all emergency aid please".{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|p=280}} The call was also picked up by the TNS, who misheard the location as Battersea Bridge; Thames Division only heard part of the call, so TNS informed them that the police should be in attendance at Battersea Bridge.{{sfn|Walker|Mallett|2011|p=129}}{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|p=280}}{{sfn|MAIB Report 1989; Part 3|p=24}}

[[File:Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Southwark Bridge - panoramio.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Aerial view, from the south bank, of Cannon Street Railway Bridge (nearest to the camera) and Southwark Bridge. The [[Millennium Bridge, London|Millennium Bridge]], visible at the top of the picture, was not standing at the time of the crash.]]
After colliding with ''Marchioness'', ''Bowbelle'' hit one of the piers of Cannon Street Bridge, and radioed TNS at 1:48&nbsp;am to correct the inaccurate reference to Battersea Bridge; at 1:49&nbsp;am Henderson reported to TNS:

<blockquote>I have to get underway now and proceed out through bridges. I believe I have struck a pleasure craft. It has sunk. I am getting clear of the bridges now. I was distracted by flashing lights from another pleasure craft. My vessel was proceeding outward bound just approaching Cannon Street bridge and, well, I just lost steerage, um and I don't know after that, I can't really say anything else sir. Over.<ref>Transcript of radio transmission from ''Bowbelle'', 1:49&nbsp;am, quoted in {{harvnb|Clarke|2001b|loc=Annex G, pp. 16–17}}</ref></blockquote>

After the radio transmission, ''Bowbelle'' travelled downstream to [[Gallions Reach]], where she dropped anchor. Her crew did not deploy the ship's lifebuoys, flotation devices or lifeboat and she did not take part in the attempts to rescue survivors.{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|pp=269–270}}{{sfn|MAIB Report 1989; Part 4|p=38}} All ships in the area were instructed to go to the area to assist with the rescue.{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|p=281}} ''Hurlingham'' was already on the scene, and the passengers and crew threw lifebuoys and buoyancy aids to those in the water. Many of those from ''Marchioness'' were swept into [[Trash interceptor#River Thames Passive Debris Collector|driftwood collection cages]], and ''Hurlingham'' picked up several survivors—the passengers climbing out onto the cages to help people out of the water. The vessel then dropped all passengers and 28 survivors at the nearby [[Tower Lifeboat Station|Waterloo Police Pier]] (now Tower Lifeboat Station) before it took members of the [[emergency service]]s back out to the collision site.{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|p=289}}{{sfn|"Marchioness Victims Remembered 25 Years on at Service". ''BBC News''}} Waterloo Police Pier was used as the landing point for all casualties and the [[first responder]]s from the emergency services set up a treatment and processing point there.{{sfn|Walker|Mallett|2011|p=130}} Police launches rescued more than half the survivors from the river; some reached the river bank themselves.{{sfn|Walker|Mallett|2011|p=130}}

Less than half an hour after ''Marchioness'' was hit, a major incident was declared with an incident room at [[New Scotland Yard]]. The police's body recovery team were also deployed, and the first body arrived at Wapping Police Station—where the Thames Division were based—at 6:50&nbsp;am.{{sfn|Walker|Mallett|2011|p=130}} The station acted as a holding area for bodies before they were taken to the mortuary in [[Westminster]].{{sfn|Walker|Mallett|2011|p=131}}

===7:00&nbsp;am – 0:00&nbsp;am===
[[Margaret Thatcher]], the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]], returned home early from her holiday in Austria to be briefed by [[Michael Portillo]], the [[Minister of State]] for [[Department for Transport|Transport]]. His senior in the department, the [[Secretary of State for Transport]] [[Cecil Parkinson]], also returned home early in response.{{sfn|Perera|1989|p=3}} Portillo announced that an investigation would be made by the [[Marine Accident Investigation Branch]] (MAIB), but that no decision had yet been made as to whether to hold a public inquiry.{{sfn|Parry|1989b|p=1}} Within 24 hours of the collision, the decision was made that there would be no public inquiry, and that the MAIB investigation would be sufficient.{{sfn|Hartley|2002|p=33}}

A [[Port of London]] (PLA) [[hydrographic survey]]or located the wreckage of ''Marchioness'' and, during the late afternoon of 20 August, work began on [[Marine salvage|lifting the vessel]]. The bodies of 24 party-goers were found on board, 12 of them in the lower saloon.{{sfn|Clarke|2001b|loc=Annex S, p. 4}}{{sfn|Walker|Mallett|2011|p=130}}{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|p=45}} The wreckage was moored against the north bank of the Thames.{{sfn|King|1989|p=2}}

While the lifting operation was progressing, police arrested and interviewed Henderson and Kenneth Noble, ''Bowbelle''{{'}}s second mate who was at the wheel for the collision. Both men were [[breathalysed]];{{sfn|Parry|1989b|p=1}} the police announced soon afterwards that alcohol was not a cause of the collision.{{sfn|Parry|1989c|p=1}}

==Inquests and inquiries==
[[File:cannon street railway bridge 2.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Looking upstream to Cannon Street railway bridge, scene of the disaster]]
===1989 to 1997===
On the day following the collision [[Paul Knapman]], the [[Coroner#England and Wales|coroner]] for the [[City of Westminster]], opened and adjourned the [[Inquests in England and Wales|inquest]] into the deaths.{{sfn|Parry|1989b|p=1}} In the days after the collision, bodies were still being found and recovered from the water.{{efn|Most bodies were recovered between 20 and 23 August. The last body to be recovered was that of de Vasconcellos, which was located on 1 September.{{sfn|Non-statutory Inquiry: Chronology 2000|p=25}}{{sfn|Foley|2011|p=152}}}} To help with the [[Body identification|identification]] process, Knapman opted to use several methods, including dental records, identification of personal items and clothing descriptions from descriptions provided by the families, and fingerprints. As part of their approach, Knapman decided that:

<blockquote>With those bodies which were not recovered from the ''Marchioness'' and which would be likely to surface only when putrification and bloating meant that they would float, the following would apply:
{{Block indent|
a. Visual identification would be unreliable, perhaps impossible, and cause distress for relatives so that it should not be used: and<br/>
b. In circumstances where it was impossible to take adequate fingerprints from the bodies without removing the hands of those bodies to the Fingerprint Laboratory, those hands should be removed.{{sfn|Non-statutory Inquiry: Chronology 2000|p=2}}}}</blockquote>

During the [[post-mortem examination]]s, 25 pairs of hands were removed; no written records were kept of the removal.{{sfn|Hartley|2001|pp=249, 349}}{{sfn|Clarke|2000|p=76}} No guidelines were issued over which hands should be removed and no individual was given responsibility for making the decision. The majority were identified through other means—visual identification of the face, or through identification of clothing or personal items, and only four of the victims were identified through their fingerprints.{{sfn|Walker|Mallett|2011|p=133}} Families of the victims later complained that they were not told in a timely fashion that bodies had been recovered, that some were denied access to view the bodies of their relatives,{{efn|Margaret Lockwood-Croft, the mother of one of the victims, was later shown police photographs of some of the victims: in her opinion the bodies were still acceptable to be viewed and had not decomposed too far to make recognition difficult.{{sfn|Hartley|2001|p=349}}}} and were not told of the processes that would be used—including that the hands would be removed. One family was shown the body of the wrong person, then given the right body, but without the hands; these were sent on later with apologies, and a request not to tell other parents about the need to remove them as this was a 'one-off' mistake.{{sfn|Hartley|2001|pp=245–246}}{{sfn|Davis|2013|p=516}}{{efn|The hands of one of the victims were lost by the coroner's office, and only found four years later, wrapped in plastic at the back of a fridge.{{sfn|"Marchioness Hands 'Lost for Years'". ''BBC News''}}}}

On 24 August ''Marchioness'' was taken from her mooring near Southwark Bridge, and towed downstream to Greenwich, where she was broken up.{{sfn|Parry|1989d|p=3}}

The MAIB issued an interim report towards the end of August, with recommendations as to increasing safety on the Thames. These included a requirement that vessels over {{convert|40|m|ft|abbr=on|order=flip}} had to have a forward lookout in contact with the bridge by radio, and tighter controls on the passage of vessels along the upper Thames.{{sfn|"Report calls for Thames Lookouts". ''The Guardian''}} Their investigation continued with a reconstruction of the events on the night of 16–17 September; ''Bowbelle'' took part, and a PLA launch was used as a stand-in for ''Marchioness''. This was later criticised by Brian Toft, a disaster and risk-management expert commissioned by the Marchioness Action Group (MAG), as being unsatisfactory. Toft identified that there were several problems, including no second pleasure cruiser, no fare-paying passengers and no disco lights or music included in the re-enactment.{{sfn|Hartley|2001|p=232}}

In October 1989 the companies behind ''Bowbelle'' and ''Marchioness'' agreed to pay up to £6&nbsp;million in compensation to the families of the victims, without either company admitting any liability for the crash.{{sfn|Sapstead|1989|p=1}} The sum offered was under a [[Prejudice (legal term)#Settlement negotiations|calderbank condition]] that the offer stood to be withdrawn if a judge awarded a lower amount.{{sfn|Wallis|1999}} A week later a report was compiled for [[Allan Green (barrister)|Allan Green]], the [[Director of Public Prosecutions (England and Wales)|Director of Public Prosecutions]] (DPP), which recommended that criminal charges should not be brought against Henderson.{{sfn|Sapstead|1989|p=1}}

That December, Knapman met the DPP to discuss the progress of the inquests. Green agreed that the first part of the inquest should go ahead—dealing with the causes of death—irrespective of the other investigations of the police and the possibility of later criminal charges. A second part of the inquest—establishing the responsibility of the crash and making safety recommendations—would be discussed at a later stage.{{sfn|Sapstead|1990|p=5}} When Knapman re-opened the inquest on 23 April 1990, he was critical of the DPP for taking eight months to decide on whether to bring criminal charges against anyone, which meant that a full inquest could not take place in case it prejudiced any future trial.{{sfn|Souster|1990a|p=3}} The inquest was, in effect, a series of what the legal scholar Hazel Hartley calls "mini inquests", one each for each of the 51 bodies.{{sfn|Hartley|2001|p=251}}

On 26 April the DPP stepped in to stop the inquest, stating that charges would now be brought against Henderson.{{sfn|Souster|1990b|p=5}} Because of his decision to stop the inquest, the information on how the collision occurred, who was to blame or what could be done to ensure it could not be repeated, was not considered.{{sfn|Hartley|2001|pp=251–252}} Henderson was charged under the [[Merchant Shipping Act 1988]] for failing to have an effective lookout on the vessel.{{sfn|Souster|1990b|p=5}} The case against him opened on 4 April 1991 at the [[Old Bailey]]{{sfn|Jenkins|1991a|p=2}} and ran to 14 April. The jury [[hung jury|failed to reach a decision]];{{sfn|Clancy|1991|p=2}} the DPP decided that a retrial would be in the public interest.{{sfn|Jenkins|1991b|p=3}} This took place between 17 and 31 July the same year; it again ended with a hung jury.{{sfn|"Captain 'Failed'". ''The Times''}}{{sfn|Jenkins|1991c|p=3}}

At the end of July 1991 Ivor {{not a typo|Glogg}}, the husband of one of the victims, began a private prosecution for [[manslaughter]] against four directors of South Coast Shipping Company, the owners of ''Bowbelle'', and [[corporate manslaughter]] against the South Coast Shipping Company.{{sfn|Hartley|2001|p=242}}{{sfn|Daniel|Myers|1991|p=2}} Two weeks later the Transport Secretary, [[Malcolm Rifkind]], took the decision to publish the MAIB Report, repeating that because an appropriate body had undertaken an investigation, there was no requirement to have a public inquiry. Families of the victims were angry with the move, pointing out that Rifkind had delayed publication of the report on the basis that publication could prejudice the case against Henderson, but that the publication could now jeopardise {{not a typo|Glogg's}} private prosecution.{{sfn|Katz|1991|p=5}} The DPP demanded that {{not a typo|Glogg}} hand over the papers for the case, stating he would take it over, then drop it; {{not a typo|Glogg}} refused to comply, stating that it was out of the remit of the DPP, and that it was for a magistrates' court to decide if the case was adequate. The DPP withdrew and allowed {{not a typo|Glogg's}} case to proceed.{{sfn|"DPP Refused Private Evidence in Boat Manslaughter Case" ''The Guardian''}}{{sfn|Campbell|1991|p=3}} The case was dismissed after the magistrate stated that there was insufficient evidence.{{sfn|Dyer|1992|p=3}}

[[File:Plotted course of the Marchioness disaster.jpg|thumb|upright=1.25|alt=Diagram showing the possible paths taken by the two boats in the lead up to the collision|Simplified version of the incident, according to the [[Marine Accident Investigation Branch]] investigation. (Not to scale){{sfn|MAIB Report 1989; Annexes|p=54}}]]

The MAIB report considered that ''Marchioness'' had altered her course to port, which put her in line with ''Bowbelle''{{'}}s path.{{sfn|MAIB Report 1989; Part 5|p=46}} The report concluded that:

<blockquote>18.3&nbsp; ... no one in either vessel was aware of the other's presence until very shortly before the collision. No one on the bridge of BOWBELLE was aware of MARCHIONESS until the collision occurred.
{{Block indent|The immediate cause of the casualty was therefore failure of look-out in each vessel.}}

18.4&nbsp; The principal contributory factors were that:
{{Block indent|visibility from the wheelhouse of each vessel was seriously restricted;<br/>
both vessels were using the middle part of the fairway and the centre arches of the bridges across the river;<br/>
clear instructions were not given to the forward look-out in BOWBELLE.{{sfn|MAIB Report 1989; Part 5|pp=45–46}}}}
</blockquote>

The families of the victims criticised the MAIB report. They pointed out that the investigation had not directly interviewed anyone on ''Marchioness'' or ''Bowbelle'', but relied on the police interviews; they stated that there were errors in methodology, approach and fact within the report. Toft provided a critique of the MAIB's work and concluded that:

<blockquote>The inconsistencies, contradictions, confusions, conjecture, erroneous conclusions, missing and inappropriate recommendations as well as epistemological, ontological and methodological problems, created by the then current maritime safety culture&nbsp;... raises serious doubts as to the objectivity of the investigation, the validity of the findings, the judgement of the Department of Transport in holding an inquiry of this type, and as a result whether or not all the appropriate lessons were uncovered during the MAIB's inquiry into this tragedy.{{sfn|Hartley|2001|p=231}}</blockquote>

The report was handed to Rifkind, who again declined to open a public inquiry, but commissioned a private one—the Hayes Report, published in July 1992—that looked at health and safety on the Thames, rather than the sinking of ''Marchioness''.{{sfn|Hartley|2002|p=35}}{{sfn|Butcher|2010}}{{efn|The Hayes Report was written by John Hayes, the secretary general of the [[Law Society of England and Wales|Law Society]].{{sfn|Butcher|2010}}}}

In 1992 the families of the victims became aware that the hands had been removed from many of the bodies.{{sfn|Hartley|2001|p=252}} In March that year an account in ''[[The Mail on Sunday]]'', "Cover up!", was published;{{efn|The article was Wigmore, Bill; Allen, Denna (22 March 1992). "Cover Up! An Awful Truth Brings New Grief to the Mother of a Marchioness Victim". ''The Mail on Sunday''. p. 8.}} when Knapman met the two journalists to deny the accusation of a cover-up, he advised them not to base reports on what Margaret Lockwood-Croft, the mother of one of the victims, said: he described her as "unhinged". He also showed them photographs of the victims, without discussing the matter with the families.{{sfn|Hartley|2001|pp=252–253}} In July, Knapman informed the families that the inquests—suspended since April 1990 because of the case against Henderson—would not be recommenced. The families tried to apply for a [[judicial review]] on the basis that "the use of the word 'unhinged' and reference to a number of 'mentally unwell' relatives betrayed an attitude of hostility, however unconscious, towards&nbsp;... members of the Marchioness Action Group".{{sfn|Hartley|2001|p=253}} Initially turned down by High Court, the [[Court of Appeal (England and Wales)|Court of Appeal]] then found in favour of the group to allow an appeal. In June 1994 Knapman and his assistant were stood down and replaced by another coroner, John Burton. He was initially dismissive of the concerns of the MAG, accused their solicitor of trying to mislead the Court of Appeal and indicated that he was inclined not to grant any further inquests. Burton was told that another judicial review would be applied for if he refused to hold the inquests, and he subsequently announced that they would go ahead.{{sfn|Hartley|2001|p=255}}

The resumed inquest took place in March and April 1995.{{sfn|Johnson|1995|p=7}} When questioned about the MAIB report, Captain James de Coverley—one of the report's authors—withdrew the suggestion that ''Marchioness'' had steered to port in the last moments before the crash, saying it had never been his intention that the text could be understood that way. In summing up, Burton instructed the coroner's jury that a verdict of [[unlawful killing]] could not be applied to anyone who had already been cleared by a court. The jury retired for four hours and returned a verdict of unlawful killing. Burton asked them "Did you understand my Direction?", but the decision stood.{{sfn|Johnson|1995|p=7}}

===1997 to 2001===
Following the [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997 election]], which brought the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] to power, the MAG petitioned [[John Prescott]], the [[Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions]] and [[Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Deputy Prime Minister]], to open an inquest. In August 1999 he instructed [[Tony Clarke, Baron Clarke of Stone-cum-Ebony|Lord Justice Clarke]] to undertake a non-statutory inquiry into safety on the Thames.{{sfn|Taylor|2001|p=3}} Clarke reported in February 2000, concluding:

<blockquote>
I was asked to advise
{{block indent|whether there is a case for a further investigation or inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the MARCHIONESS disaster and its causes on 20th August 1989.}}
My answer to that question is yes.{{sfn|Clarke|2000|p=94}}</blockquote>

[[File:Plotted course of the Marchioness disaster 2.jpg|thumb|upright=1.25|alt=Diagram showing the possible paths taken by the two boats in the lead up to the collision|Simplified version of the incident, according to the Clarke Inquiry (not to scale){{sfn|Clarke|2001b|loc=Annex I, p. 6}}]]
Prescott accepted the recommendation and the public inquest took place in October and November 2000, with Clarke chairing proceedings; the report was published in March 2001.{{sfn|Taylor|2001|p=3}} Clarke concluded that "The basic cause of the collision is clear. It was poor lookout on both vessels. Neither vessel saw the other in time to take action to avoid the collision."{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|p=367}} The underlying causes on why neither vessel saw the other were that Henderson did not ensure a proper lookout on ''Bowbelle''; that Blayney the lookout was not equipped with suitable radio equipment to inform his captain; that Faldo had not set up a lookout system on ''Marchioness'', nor did he keep a lookout aft himself.{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|pp=373–376}} Focusing on Henderson, Clarke wrote "We cannot stress too strongly how much we deprecate Captain Henderson's conduct in drinking so much alcohol before returning to his vessel as master";{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|p=109}} Clarke added "but we do not think that it is shown on the balance of probabilities that Captain Henderson would have acted differently if he had not consumed the alcohol or had the amount of sleep which he had".{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|p=110}} The captain was also criticised for his actions after the collision, when he did not broadcast a [[mayday]] call and did not deploy either the lifebuoys or life raft, in contravention of section 422 of the [[Merchant Shipping Act 1894]].{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|p=384}} Clarke also found that the owners and managers of the vessels held some blame. For ''Bowbelle'', the owners "must bear their share of responsibility for the collision for failing properly to instruct their masters and crews and for failing thereafter to monitor them";{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|p=378}} the owners of ''Marchioness'' gave no instructions about all-round lookouts; and failed to adequately instruct, supervise or monitor their boats' captains.{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|pp=378–380}}

Clarke also allotted blame to the Department of Transport, who, he said, were "well aware of the problems posed by the limited visibility from the steering positions on both types of vessel" yet failed to deal with the problem. The PLA also failed to act in this regard, and should have issued instructions for the placement of lookouts on such vessels.{{sfn|Clarke|2001a|pp=380–382}} Clarke found that because no individual's actions could be ascertained as the single cause of the collision, a manslaughter charge would be bound to fail.{{sfn|Gibson|2011|p=77}}

===Compensation===
[[File:Memorial Plaque for the Marchioness - geograph.org.uk - 1257839.jpg|thumb|alt=Brass plaque that reads: "Near this spot on Sunday 20th August 1989 The Pleasure Boat Marchioness was in collision with another vessel and sank with the loss of 51 lives"|Memorial plaque on the [[South Bank|south bank of the Thames]]]]
English law provides no compensation for fatal accidents, other than for funeral expenses, unless financial dependency at the time of death can be proved. In most cases, the families of the ''Marchioness'' victims received little more than the cost of the funeral. [[Louise Christian]], the human rights solicitor who acted for the families of the victims, wrote that "When young unmarried people die in circumstances of gross negligence as here, death comes cheap and the boat owners and their insurance companies suffer little in the way of financial penalties".{{sfn|Christian|1995}}

Civil claims for [[damages|compensation]] were brought on behalf of the victims' families; the amounts received ranged between £3,000 and £190,000. Eileen Dallaglio, the mother of Francesca Dallaglio, one of the victims, reported that she had been awarded £45,000. After the costs of having to go to the Court of Appeal to obtain damages, and the bills for the memorial and funeral service, she was left with £312.14.{{sfn|Herbert|2001|p=9}} According to [[Irwin Mitchell]], the solicitors who represented the families, the amounts were "modest" because many of those killed were young, without dependants and had no established careers.{{sfn|"Marchioness Riverboat Disaster: 20 August 1989". Irwin Mitchell}} Under the [[Fatal Accidents Act 1976]], damages were only paid to certain categories of people, and were based on the [[pure economic loss|economic loss]] to the victim.{{sfn|Harpwood|2005|p=440}} The saxophonist Josephine Wells, who had toured with [[Tears for Fears]] and [[the Communards]], who was aboard the ''Marchioness'' and had a cousin die in the disaster, subsequently suffered a nervous breakdown and was unable to work. She sued the owners of ''Bowbelle'' and ''Marchioness'' for loss of earnings and in 1997 she received £150,000 in damages.{{sfn|Jury|1997}}

==Aftermath==
[[File:Tower Lifeboat Station, London.jpg|thumb|left|alt=Floating lifeboat station on the Thames|[[Tower Lifeboat Station]], London]]
After recommendations made in the Clarke report relating to the improvement of river safety, the government asked the [[Maritime and Coastguard Agency]] (MCA), the PLA and the [[Royal National Lifeboat Institution]] (RNLI) to work together to set up a dedicated [[search and rescue]] service for the Thames. In January 2001 the RNLI agreed to set up four lifeboat stations—at [[Gravesend Lifeboat Station|Gravesend]], [[Tower Lifeboat Station|Tower]], [[Chiswick Lifeboat Station|Chiswick]] and [[Teddington Lifeboat Station|Teddington]]—which were opened in January the following year.{{sfn|Fresco|2001|p=9}}{{sfn|Lister|2002|p=9}}

Following the report, Prescott ordered the MCA to conduct a competency review into the actions and behaviour of Henderson. This took place in December 2001. The MCA picked up on something that had been raised during the Clarke inquiry: that Henderson had forged certificates and testimonials of his service from 1985–1986. They stated that they "deplored" the forgeries, which Henderson had used to gain his Master's Licence.{{sfn|"Bowbelle Skipper Keeps his Licence". ''BBC News''}} The MCA concluded that he should be allowed to keep his master's certificate as he met all the service and medical fitness requirements; they stated that the agency "accepted that events which occurred in 1986 have no practical relevance on his current fitness".{{sfn|"Bowbelle Skipper Keeps his Licence". ''BBC News''}}

[[File:Marchioness disaster memorial in Southwark Cathedral September 2022.jpg|thumb|upright|alt=Black marble memorial set into the floor that reads: "In remembrance of all those who drowned when the motor vessel Marchioness was struck near Southwark Bridge on Sunday 20 August 1989. Many waters cannot quench love"|Memorial in [[Southwark Cathedral]]]]
In 2001 the [[Royal Humane Society]] made nineteen bravery awards to people involved in rescuing the victims of the collision, many of whom were passengers on ''Hurlingham''. Eight policemen on duty that night were given the Metropolitan Police Commissioner's High Commendation.{{sfn|France|2001|p=23}}

Following the Clarke report and a subsequent review of emergency planning procedures, the government introduced the [[Civil Contingencies Act 2004]] that provided a coherent framework and guidance for emergency planning and response.{{sfn|Davis|2013|p=516}} Clarke's recommendations to examine the coroner system were a major factor in the overhaul of the system that resulted in the [[Coroners and Justice Act 2009]].{{sfn|Eyre|Dix|2014|p=162}}

The events surrounding the sinking of ''Marchioness'' have been examined or depicted on television several times, including a documentary on [[Channel 4]]'s ''[[Dispatches (TV programme)|Dispatches]]'' in December 1994,{{sfn|Hartley|2001|p=245}} a drama-documentary in the [[BBC Two]] series ''Disaster'' in March 1999{{sfn|"Disaster". ''BBC Genome''}} and a 2009 documentary focusing on Jonathan Phang.{{sfn|"The Marchioness: a Survivor's Story". ''BBC Genome''}} A drama about the events surrounding the disaster was scheduled for broadcast on [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] in late 2007. Some of the victims' families requested that the programme should not be broadcast, although some thought it positive that it was going to be shown. Speaking at the [[Edinburgh International Television Festival]] that August, the former ITV Director of Drama Nick Elliot confirmed that the drama would not be shown "in its present form"; it has since been released on DVD.{{sfn|Martin|2007}}{{sfn|Billson|2008}}

In September 1989 a black granite memorial stone was uncovered in the [[nave]] of [[Southwark Cathedral]], about {{convert|400|ft|m|abbr=on}} from the site of the collision. The stone lists the names and ages of those who died.{{sfn|Ezard|1989|p=3}} Memorial services have been held at the cathedral on anniversaries of the sinking.{{sfn|"Marchioness Victims Remembered 25 Years on at Service". ''BBC News''}}{{sfn|"Marchioness Boat Disaster Marked". ''BBC News''}}

''Bowbelle'' was sold in 1992 to Sealsands Maritime, operating out of [[Kingstown]], [[Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]]; she was renamed ''Billo''. Four years later she was sold to Antonio Pereira & Filhos of [[Funchal]], [[Madeira]], who named the vessel ''Bom Rei''. She broke in two and sank off Madeira the same year with the loss of one crew member.{{sfn|''Bowbelle'', ship 6413235}}{{sfn|"Bowbelle Sinks". ''The Times''}}{{sfn|Ecott|2009}}

==See also==
* [[List of disasters in Great Britain and Ireland by death toll]]
* [[Sinking of SS Princess Alice|Sinking of SS ''Princess Alice'']]

==Notes and references==
===Notes===
{{notes}}

===References===
{{reflist|colwidth=25em|refs=}}

===Sources===

====Books====
* {{cite book|last1=Eyre|first1=Anne|last2=Dix|first2=Pam|title=Collective Conviction: The Story of Disaster Action|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UI8LDgAAQBAJ&pg=PP1|year=2014|publisher=Liverpool University Press|location=Liverpool|isbn=978-1-78138-123-6}}
* {{cite book|last1=Foley|first1=Michael|title=Disasters on the Thames|date=2011|publisher=The History Press|location=Stroud, Gloucestershire|isbn=978-0-7524-5843-4|pages=151–155|chapter=The Marchioness}}
* {{cite book|last=Harpwood|first=Vivienne|title=Modern Tort Law|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KwtpCC7U-U8C&pg=PP1|year=2005|publisher=Cavendish Publishing|location=London|isbn=978-1-85941-976-2}}
* {{cite book|last=Hartley|first=Hazel|title=Exploring Sport & Leisure Disasters: A Socio-Legal Perspective|url=https://archive.org/details/exploringsportle0000hart|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/exploringsportle0000hart/page/1 1]|year=2001|publisher=Cavendish Publishing|location=London|isbn=978-1-85941-650-1}}
* {{cite book|last=Molland|first=Anthony F.|title=The Maritime Engineering Reference Book: A Guide to Ship Design, Construction and Operation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=59XvXKbyvZIC&pg=PP1|year=2008|publisher=Elsevier|location=Oxford|isbn=978-0-7506-8987-8}}
* {{cite book|last1=Plummer|first1=Russell|title=The Ships That Saved an Army: A Comprehensive Record of the 1,300 'Little Ships' of Dunkirk|date=1990|publisher=Patrick Stephens|location=Wellingborough, Northamptonshire|isbn=978-1-8526-0210-9}}
* {{cite book|last=Ryan|first=Mick|title=Lobbying From Below: Inquest in Defence of Civil Liberties|year=1996|publisher=Taylor & Francis Group|location=London|isbn=978-1-85728-256-6}}
* {{cite book|last1=Walker|first1=Graham|last2=Mallett|first2=Xanthé|author-link2=Xanthé Mallett|chapter=The Marchioness Riverboat Disaster, August 20, 1989|pages=127–142|editor-last1=Black|editor-first1=Sue|editor-link1=Sue Black (anthropologist)|editor-last2=Sunderland|editor-first2=Graham|editor-last3=Hackman|editor-first3=S. Lucinda|editor-last4=Mallett|editor-first4=Xanthé|title=Disaster Victim Identification: Experience and Practice|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7HAymQf1tUIC&pg=PP1|year=2011|publisher=CRC Press|location=Boca Raton, FL|isbn=978-1-4200-9412-1}}

====Reports====
* {{cite book|last1=Clarke|first1=Lord Justice|author-link=Tony Clarke, Baron Clarke of Stone-cum-Ebony|title=Thames Safety Inquiry. Final Report by Lord Justice Clarke|date=2000|publisher=Her Majesty's Stationery Office|location=London|url=https://www.jesip.org.uk/uploads/media/incident_reports_and_inquiries/Marchionness-Bowbelle%20Incident%20-%20Thames%20Safety%20Inquiry.pdf|isbn=978-0-1014-5582-4}}
* {{cite book|last1=Clarke|first1=Lord Justice|title=Non-statutory Inquiry: Chronology|date=2000|publisher=Her Majesty's Stationery Office|location=London|url=https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20141008142108uo_/http://assets.dft.gov.uk/marchioness-nsi.org.uk/NSI%20PART%201%20Chronology.pdf|ref={{sfnRef|Non-statutory Inquiry: Chronology 2000}} }}
* {{cite book|last1=Clarke|first1=Lord Justice|title=Marchioness / Bowbelle: Formal Investigation under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995. Volume 1 – Report|date=2001a|publisher=Her Majesty's Stationery Office|location=London|url=https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20141008142557uo_/http://assets.dft.gov.uk/marchioness-bowbelle.org.uk/report/fi_report.pdf|isbn=978-0-1170-2550-9}}
* {{cite book|last1=Clarke|first1=Lord Justice|title=Marchioness / Bowbelle: Formal Investigation under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995. Volume 2 – Appendices|date=2001b|publisher=Her Majesty's Stationery Office|location=London|url=https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20141008142606uo_/http://assets.dft.gov.uk/marchioness-bowbelle.org.uk/report/fi_annexes.pdf|isbn=978-0-1170-2550-9}}
* {{cite book|author=Marine Accident Investigation Branch|author-link=Marine Accident Investigation Branch|title=Report of the Investigation into the Collision Between the Passenger Launch Marchioness and MV Bowbelle with the Loss of Life on the River Thames on 20 August 1989, Part 1|date=1991|publisher=Her Majesty's Stationery Office|location=London|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/54c14423e5274a15b3000019/MAIBReport_Marchioness-Bowbelle-1989-Pt1.pdf|oclc=988045019|ref={{sfnRef|MAIB Report 1989; Part 1}}}}
* {{cite book|author=Marine Accident Investigation Branch|title=Report of the Investigation into the Collision Between the Passenger Launch Marchioness and MV Bowbelle with the Loss of Life on the River Thames on 20 August 1989, Part 2|date=1991|publisher=Her Majesty's Stationery Office|location=London|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/555dc1ba40f0b666a200000a/MAIBReport_Marchioness-Bowbelle-1989-Pt2.pdf|oclc=988045019|ref={{sfnRef|MAIB Report 1989; Part 2}}}}
* {{cite book|author=Marine Accident Investigation Branch|title=Report of the Investigation into the Collision Between the Passenger Launch Marchioness and MV Bowbelle with the Loss of Life on the River Thames on 20 August 1989, Part 3|date=1991|publisher=Her Majesty's Stationery Office|location=London|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/54c1445be5274a15b600001d/MAIBReport_Marchioness-Bowbelle-1989-Pt3.pdf|oclc=988045019|ref={{sfnRef|MAIB Report 1989; Part 3}}}}
* {{cite book|author=Marine Accident Investigation Branch|title=Report of the Investigation into the Collision Between the Passenger Launch Marchioness and MV Bowbelle with the Loss of Life on the River Thames on 20 August 1989, Part 4|date=1991|publisher=Her Majesty's Stationery Office|location=London|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/54c1447c40f0b6158a000017/MAIBReport_Marchioness-Bowbelle-1989-Pt4.pdf|oclc=988045019|ref={{sfnRef|MAIB Report 1989; Part 4}}}}
* {{cite book|author=Marine Accident Investigation Branch|title=Report of the Investigation into the Collision Between the Passenger Launch Marchioness and MV Bowbelle with the Loss of Life on the River Thames on 20 August 1989, Part 5|date=1991|publisher=Her Majesty's Stationery Office|location=London|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/555dc21340f0b666a200000c/MAIBReport_Marchioness-Bowbelle-1989-Pt5.pdf|oclc=988045019|ref={{sfnRef|MAIB Report 1989; Part 5}}}}
* {{cite book|author=Marine Accident Investigation Branch|title=Report of the Investigation into the Collision Between the Passenger Launch Marchioness and MV Bowbelle with the Loss of Life on the River Thames on August 1989, Annexes |date=1991|publisher=Her Majesty's Stationery Office|location=London|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/54c1470bed915d1597000020/MAIBReport_Marchioness-Bowbelle-1989-Annexes.pdf|oclc=988045019|ref={{sfnRef|MAIB Report 1989; Annexes}}}}

====Journals====
* {{cite journal|last1=Davis|first1=Howard|title=Contextual Challenges for Crisis Support in the Immediate Aftermath of Major Incidents in the UK|journal=The British Journal of Social Work|date=April 2013|volume=43|issue=3|pages=504–521|doi=10.1093/bjsw/bcr197}}
* {{cite journal|last1=Gibson|first1=Kevin|title=Toward an Intermediate Position on Corporate Moral Personhood|journal=Journal of Business Ethics|date=2011|volume=101|issue=S1|pages=71–81|doi=10.1007/s10551-011-1174-5}}
* {{cite journal|last1=Hartley|first1=Hazel J.|title=A Party on the River: The 1989 Marchioness Disaster—Regulation of Safety on the River Thames and the 'Political Economy' of Risk|journal=World Leisure Journal|date=2002|volume=44|issue=4|pages=30–43|doi=10.1080/04419057.2002.9674289}}
* {{cite journal|last1=Plummer|first1=Russell|title=Thames Pleasure Boat Disaster|journal=Ships Monthly|date=October 1989|volume=24|issue=10|page=7|oclc=537997776}}
* {{cite journal|last1=Taylor|first1=Tim|title="Marchioness"/"Bowbelle": A Legal Odyssey|journal=Shipping and Trade Law|date=May 2001|volume=1|issue=5|pages=1–5|issn=2329-3179}}

====News articles====
* {{cite news|last1=Billson|first1=Anne|title=History of a Sleeve Shocker|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2008/nov/21/tasteless-dvd-cover|work=The Guardian|date=21 November 2008}}
* {{cite news|title=Bowbelle Sinks|work=The Times|date=23 May 1996|page=2|ref={{sfnRef|"Bowbelle Sinks". ''The Times''}}}}
* {{cite news|title=Bowbelle Skipper Keeps his Licence|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/1689026.stm|work=BBC News|date=3 December 2001|ref={{sfnRef|"Bowbelle Skipper Keeps his Licence". ''BBC News''}}}}
* {{cite news|last1=Campbell|first1=Duncan|author-link=Duncan Campbell (journalist, born 1944)|title=DPP will let Marchioness case proceed|work=The Guardian|date=13 August 1991|page=3}}
* {{cite news|title=Captain 'Failed'|work=The Times|date=18 July 1991|page=2|ref={{sfnRef|"Captain 'Failed'". ''The Times''}}}}
* {{cite news|last1=Chaudhary|first1=Vivek|title=Captain 'At Fault' Before Fatal Sinking|work=The Guardian|date=4 April 1991|page=3}}
* {{cite news|last1=Clancy|first1=Ray|title=Crown Seeks Bowbelle Case Retrial|work=The Times|date=15 April 1991|page=2}}
* {{cite news|last1=Cooper|first1=Glenda|title=Pleasure boat disaster on River Thames was 'A birthday voyage from celebration to tragedy'|date=8 April 1995|page=4|work=The Independent}}
* {{cite news|last1=Daniel|first1=John|last2=Myers|first2=Paul|title=Bowbelle Firm Faces Private Prosecution|work=The Guardian|date=1 August 1991|page=2}}
* {{cite news|last1=Donovan|first1=Patrick|title=Bowbelle 'Had a History of Accidents'|work=The Guardian|date=17 August 1990|page=8}}
* {{cite news|title=DPP Refused Private Evidence in Boat Manslaughter Case|work=The Guardian|date=7 August 1991|page=3|ref={{sfnRef|"DPP Refused Private Evidence in Boat Manslaughter Case" ''The Guardian''}}}}
* {{cite news|last1=Dyer|first1=Clare|title=Bereaved Husband Loses Private Case Over Marchioness Disaster|work=The Guardian|date=22 June 1992|page=3}}
* {{cite news|last1=Ecott|first1=Tim|title=Interview: 'I felt like it was time to let go. I couldn't be bothered fighting any more'|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2009/aug/09/marchioness-pleasure-boat-survivor|work=The Guardian|date=9 August 2009}}
* {{cite news|last1=Ezard|first1=John|title=Marchioness Service Reflects Life's Ebb and Flow|work=The Guardian|date=19 September 1989|page=3}}
* {{cite news|last1=France|first1=Anthony|title=Honours for Marchioness Heroes at Last|work=The Evening Standard|date=4 May 2001|page=23}}
* {{cite news|last1=Fresco|first1=Adam|title=Life Boats to Rescue on Thames|work=The Times|date=23 January 2001|page=9}}
* {{cite news|last1=Gilbert|first1=Gerard|title=The boy done good: Jade Goody's ex Jeff Brazier on surviving reality TV|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/the-boy-done-good-jade-goodys-ex-jeff-brazier-on-surviving-reality-tv-2362668.html|work=The Independent|date=1 October 2011}}
* {{cite news|last1=Herbert|first1=Ian|title='Marchioness' Victims Insulted Over Bigger Pay-Out for Captain's Family|work=The Independent|date=18 August 2001|page=9}}
* {{cite news|last1=Jenkins|first1=Lin|title=Bowbelle Master 'Failed to Instruct Look-Out Properly'|work=The Times|date=4 April 1991a|page=2}}
* {{cite news|last1=Jenkins|first1=Lin|title=Bowbelle Master Disputes Decision to Seek a Retrial|work=The Times|date=20 April 1991b|page=3}}
* {{cite news|last1=Jenkins|first1=Lin|title=Bowbelle's Captain Cleared After Second Hung Jury|work=The Times|date=1 August 1991c|page=3}}
* {{cite news|last1=Johnson|first1=Angella<!-- Spelled with a double L -->|title=Quest That Led Marchioness Relatives to New Start|work=The Guardian|date=8 April 1995|page=7}}
* {{cite news|last1=Jury|first1=Louise|title=Damages for musician whose career perished in disaster|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/damages-for-musician-whose-career-perished-in-disaster-1266181.html|work=The Independent|date=9 April 1997}}
* {{cite news|last1=Katz|first1=Ian|title=Fury at Rifkind on Disaster Report|work=The Guardian|date=15 August 1991|page=5}}
* {{cite news|last1=King|first1=Geoff|title=Police Say Cruiser Carried Too Many|work=The Times|date=22 August 1989|page=2}}
* {{cite news|last1=Leathley|first1=Arthur|title=Invitation-only Party Organized by Friends|work=The Times|date=21 August 1989|page=2}}
* {{cite news|last1=Lister|first1=Sam|title=First Thames Lifeboats Launched|work=The Times|date=3 January 2002|page=9}}
* {{cite news|title=Marchioness Boat Disaster Marked|work=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8211068.stm|date=20 August 2009|ref={{sfnRef|"Marchioness Boat Disaster Marked". ''BBC News''}}}}
* {{cite news|title=Marchioness Hands 'Lost for Years'|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1061472.stm|work=BBC News|date=8 December 2000|ref={{sfnRef|"Marchioness Hands 'Lost for Years'". ''BBC News''}}}}
* {{cite news|title=Marchioness Victims Remembered 25 Years on at Service|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-28864128|date= 20 August 2014|work= BBC News|ref={{sfnRef|"Marchioness Victims Remembered 25 Years on at Service". ''BBC News''}}}}
* {{cite news|last1=Martin|first1=Nicole|title=Marchioness Families Ask ITV to Drop Drama|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1561179/Marchioness-families-ask-ITV-to-drop-drama.html|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=24 August 2007}}
* {{cite news|last1=Nikkhah|first1=Roya|title=Lawrence Dallaglio's guilt at using sister's death to improve his game|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/8335552/Lawrence-Dallaglios-guilt-at-using-sisters-death-to-improve-his-game.html|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=20 February 2011}}
* {{cite news|last1=Parry|first1=Gareth|title=60 Feared Drowned in Thames: Captain and Second Mate of Dredger are Arrested|work=The Guardian|date=21 August 1989a|page=1}}
* {{cite news|last1=Parry|first1=Gareth|title=Minister Orders River Shake-Up|work=The Guardian|date=22 August 1989b|page=1}}
* {{cite news|last1=Parry|first1=Gareth|title=Bowbelle Crew was Sober, Marchioness Inquest Told|work=The Guardian|date=23 August 1989c|page=1}}
* {{cite news|last1=Parry|first1=Gareth|title=Another 13 Marchioness Victims Found|work=The Guardian|date=24 August 1989d|page=2}}
* {{cite news|last1=Perera|first1=Shyama|title=Thatcher Flies Back to Scene of Tragedy|work=The Guardian|date=21 August 1989|page=3}}
* {{cite news|title=Report calls for Thames Lookouts|work=The Guardian|date=1 September 1989|page=25|ref={{sfnRef|"Report calls for Thames Lookouts". ''The Guardian''}}}}
* {{cite news|last1=Sapstead|first1=David|title=Report Clears Dredger Crew|work=The Times|date=23 October 1989|page=1}}
* {{cite news|last1=Sapstead|first1=David|title=Captain of Thames Dredger to Face Charge|work=The Times|date=27 April 1990|page=5}}
* {{cite news|last1=Souster|first1=Mark|title=Thames Disaster Inquest Reopens Amid Criticism|work=The Times|date=24 April 1990a|page=3}}
* {{cite news|last1=Souster|first1=Mark|title=Captain of Thames Dredger to Face Charge|work=The Times|date=27 April 1990b|page=5}}
* {{cite news|last1=Stacey|first1=Robin|last2=King|first2=Geoff|title=Fashion Industry Mourns Deaths on Party Cruiser|work=The Times|date=22 August 1989|page=2}}
* {{cite news|last1=Wallis|first1=Lynne|title=You can't always get what you want|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/you-cant-always-get-what-you-want-1088431.html|work=The Independent|date=20 April 1999}}

====Internet====
* {{cite ship register|register=MSI|id=6413235|shipname=Bowbelle|access-date=1 February 2019|ref={{sfnRef|''Bowbelle'', ship 6413235}}}}
* {{cite web|last1=Butcher|first1=Louise|title=Shipping: Safety on the River Thames and the Marchioness Disaster|url=http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN00769/SN00769.pdf|publisher=House of Commons Library|access-date=15 February 2019|date=15 June 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190215215944/http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN00769/SN00769.pdf|archive-date=15 February 2019}}
* {{cite news|last1=Christian|first1=Louise|author-link1=Louise Christian|title=Letter: Compensation for Loss of Young Lives|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/letter-compensation-for-loss-of-young-lives-1615298.html|work=The Independent|date=12 April 1995|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190202212449/https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/letter-compensation-for-loss-of-young-lives-1615298.html|archive-date=2 February 2019}}
* {{cite web|last1=Clark|first1=Gregory|title=The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)|url=https://www.measuringworth.com/ukearncpi/|access-date=31 January 2020|publisher=MeasuringWorth|date=2020}}
* {{cite web|title=Disaster|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/c2444541bbf941caa6575ee0c1ebc893|website=BBC Genome|access-date=16 February 2019|ref={{sfnRef|"Disaster". ''BBC Genome''}}}}
* {{cite web|title=The Marchioness: a Survivor's Story|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/549e0d32eecd411782db4f99670b2180|website=BBC Genome|access-date=16 February 2019|ref={{sfnRef|"The Marchioness: a Survivor's Story". ''BBC Genome''}}}}
* {{cite web|title=Marchioness Riverboat Disaster: 20 August 1989|url=http://www.irwinmitchell.com/RecentWork/Marchioness-Riverboat-Disaster.htm|publisher=Irwin Mitchell|access-date=6 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720133943/http://www.irwinmitchell.com/RecentWork/Marchioness-Riverboat-Disaster.htm|archive-date=20 July 2008|ref={{sfnRef|"Marchioness Riverboat Disaster: 20 August 1989". Irwin Mitchell}}|url-status=dead}}

==External links==
* [http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nobanner/20141008142043/http://assets.dft.gov.uk/marchioness-bowbelle.org.uk/index.htm Marchioness-Bowbelle Formal Investigation Website] In the UK Government Web Archive
* {{cite web|url=http://assets.dft.gov.uk/marchioness-nsi.org.uk/index.htm |title=Marchioness/Bowbelle Non-Statutory Inquiry into identification of victims following major transport accidents |work=dft.gov.uk |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nobanner/20141104114956/http://assets.dft.gov.uk/marchioness-nsi.org.uk/index.htm |archive-date=4 November 2014|url-status=dead}}{{cbignore}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050907204104/http://www.southwark.anglican.org/cathedral/tour/arcade.htm Details of the memorial in Southwark Cathedral]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20091027020115/http://geocities.com/jndenio/ Marchioness Action Group]

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{{1989 shipwrecks}}
{{featured article}}
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[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1989]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in England]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks of the River Thames]]
[[Category:History of the River Thames]]
[[Category:History of the City of London]]
[[Category:Port of London]]
[[Category:1989 disasters in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:20th century in the London Borough of Southwark]]
[[Category:Transport disasters in London]]
[[Category:1989 in London]]
[[Category:August 1989 events in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Little Ships of Dunkirk]]