Mudlarking the River Thames - A diamond in the mud 

Hi Everyone. Thank you for your kind comments. Im going to have a good read through tomorrow morning. They are all much appreciated. Some people have asked about the music at the end. it is music from the site I use to have music which is not copyrighted. The song is "Hymn for the Seekers" and it is here;- ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-4xG13WyoBVQ.html Thanks again. Nicola xx

I lived in Billerica,Massachusetts growing up. It was very rural then and we uncovered an old foundation close. to the house. Turned out it was a blacksmith's shop and home from between the 17 to 1800's (we had a friend that studied the history of the area). When we dug in our yard for like the garden, we dug up many British coins from the middle 16 to the 1700's. Alot of other iron and many old bottles. When I watch what you do,it brings back many great memories. Thank you for the lovely videos and may you make many great and lovely finds.

My husband found that PP represents the Palestine Police and I googled an image of a Palestine Police button and low and behold...identical to the one you found. Always love your videos, and the research you do to fill in the back story of the items you find. Cheers!!

Random comment - I’ve noticed that you worry that the “wind sounds” might be annoying to some people. People that are viewing/listening to your videos. Personally, I appreciate ALL of the sounds. The sounds create an atmosphere, each one adding to the mental imagery. Hearing the wind, the water lapping against and over shore. Hearing the sounds of hundreds of little Thames River fragments jangling against and over each other. The sounds of birds and boats. Your footsteps, each one sounding slightly different depending on the surface. Your metal trowel moving against every material imaginable, makes such a particular tone. The gentle splish splash of the water as you wash mud from a treasure. The increased rhythm of the water upon the shoreline as a boat travels past. And...the wind, the sounds of the wind upon the microphone, adds yet another layer. All of these sounds and many many more are fabulous and appreciated - well, by this subscriber anyway. I love it all. All the sounds. Thank you for sharing your beautiful adventures, wind and all. 🙂🐿❤️🌈

The pottery bird's head was nice and the snake belt fastener took me back a good few years! btw the fishing weight is called an Arlesey bomb, developed by the famous angler Richard Walker, who caught the record (at the time) 44lb carp, which spent the rest of its life in the aquarium at London Zoo.

I am convinced more than ever you have the eyesight of an eagle. To pick out that tiny ring, and the single metal horse leg is remarkable among the jumble of mud, rocks and slimy weeds! It's exciting to wonder what you will find next, I feel I'm along on the treasure hunt.

Nicola, Queen of the "teeny, weeny" mudlark finds! 😉

Dear Nicola, I love the night time mudlarking. We should start a petition to have you on national television to bring to life relics of the past. Thank you for the care you give in making video. Poppet

The sound of the waves so relaxing . What fun treasures hunting!

ha ha, when I was a small lad in the early 50s I was the proud owner of a snake belt bought for me by my mum. I was photographed always wearing it no matter what trousers I had on, always shorts because in those days you didn't get to wear long trousers until you were a 'big boy'. Seeing that snake belt buckle brought back memories of a lttle boy being photographed on my mum's old box camera with my eyes screwed up because I always had to face into the sun. Happy days. Just came back to add, that 'clip' looks to me to be a suspender off a lady's old corset! Don't ask me how I know...

I had no idea this was a thing and now here I am 5 hours later still watching. It’s so fascinating.

Yes ,you rescue treasures.Enjoy watching your videos

Nicola I love your enthusiasm. You are like a little kid in a candy store! I would be the same if I was there! Take care and be safe.

Was holding my breath awaiting a pipe find. Whew thank god. I love the pipes

Really nice video Nicola - The sounds of the summer waves are so relaxing (especially with headphones)

When I was a kid, I never thought that one day, I'd be able to do a virtual tour of many British sites with people who investigate the refuse of the past. Before the satellite era, this would have been a plot line description in a science fiction novel, methinks.

Love all different rocks, bricks, and glass.

I have to say what a pleasure it is to vicariously participate in this kind of recreational archeology. It's along a long populated stretch of river that is sure to have accumulated thousands of intriguing bits. And the minutiae it yields feels intimate to people's lives. I was into this video already, then you really got me at 16:44 with the bowl of a gorgeous clay pipe. I immediately imagined the character of some past riverman or workman with shavings of cheap brick tobacco. What a little beauty! Thank you for the fun.

I learn something new every time I watch your videos, Nicola, thus disproving the old wives' tale that you CAN indeed teach an old dog new tricks! Thanks for taking me along for the hunt.

Great score on that diamond and gold ring, i can't belive that the diamond is still there. Congrats on the rest of your cool finds Nicole. Happy hunting!

A great day for smalls, I love the detail in that little pendant thing. Thanks again Nicola for sharing your world with us.

I love the way you make the tiniest little item sooooooo interesting! Thank you for sharing. I've had a lovely Sunday afternoon watching first Sifinds and then you. My two favourite mudlarkers.xx

As the Thames has been used for centuries as a watery grave for human waste & castoff detritus , the fact that you can pull from its’ shores the little gems that you glean, comes as a constant surprise to me. The horses leg nearly caused me convulsions of admiration.

Exquisite fishes Nicola thanks for sharing I do love your work And the boot 👌

The metal snake is the fastener for a snake belt. The belt was usually worn by children and was all elastic coated with material. The belts were nearly always decorated with a horizontal, colourful stripe(s) design. I wore mine in the 1950s. Also the snake was shiny silver.

Local history and artifacts so unknown to us Yanks on the western edge of the pond, and also in the deserts of the southwest. So many items are so foreign to us. I love it all !

Thanks Nicola. Lovely teeny weeny treasures. Plus I find the wind and water sounds incredibly relaxing. Thanks again.👍💜

That ( 7:08 ) looks like the pulley from a sash window )

Another lovely video, how relaxing to watch.

I think I’m having a slow day - all I could think of when I saw the ‘PP’ was Pretty Polly stockings! Then at another point I thought, ooh, Nicola’s found a lovely trowel. That’ll come in useful!

Yeah I really enjoy your video’s Fore Shore 🙂🥂👍

Imagine in a few weeks time in the same spot you look down and suddenly you see the tiny stone from that ring ! Nothing would surprise me, Supermudwoman !! xxxx

Thanks Nicola wonderful episode

I watch you from NewHampshire USA. Love all your videos. Before I start looking I always say, Let me find something awesome today! It has worked for me. Can’t wait for spring here so I can get back out there.

Snake buckles can be dated back to Roman times. They have been used as military buckles in Britten for over 200 years. In the US the snake buckle was imported around 1860 for use in military kit known as Enfield Snake Buckles. Both the Union and Confederate Arm's used them. You may want to send it to your finds person for better dating. It's a great artifact.

Enjoyed it. I think my fav find was the little bird head on the pottery.

As a child in the early 60s, we had elasticated belts with buckles identical to the one you found. They were always called "Snake belts".They were very cheaply made. I am amazed that yours survived in the mud for so long!

What a charming person....and excellent photography.

Hello. There is one object that looks like a pulley for a small rope. I so enjoy your videos. Thanks, Eileen from Clatskanie, Oregon USA

Nicola, this was a lovely outing! The tiny gold ring is beautiful, so precious! I always love your finds and the history you give for them. And the egg cup with the bird's head is wonderful! Thanks for taking me with you!

love the glass fishes enjoyed your video's

Hi Nicola, your find of that manky ring where you read it as 90t & S11 actually says 9ct & Sil which means, as you probably know, 9ct plated on Silver. I love the boot.

The Palestine Police button is a nice and unusual find, although it was largely officered by the British so many items connected with it turn up in the UK. I collect police insignia and picked up a couple of forks with the Palestine Police badge stamped on the handles at a swap meet a couple of months ago. Excellent day’s hunting, keep up the good work. :)

Another Superb Upload Nicola,.....& The Voice of our own Earthly Angel. Thanks for sharing Nicola. Barrie.

Awesome finds love them detailed buttons 😍

My Dad was a manual worker for London Electricity Board so always wore overalls with a bib and they always fastened with a clip like that. It was on the straps that went over the shoulders and the narrow bit went over a button that was on the bib. The strap could be adjusted. A bit like a suspender for stockings. I remember fixing them back on for him after they were washed.

USA HERE Again another fun and interesting hunt. I think your videos are some of the best I have seen and I really enjoy the information. I hope you are not going out in the dark by yourself I don't know about England but the USA is not safe in the night.

Wow! At 15:45 there was the most interesting looking engraved stone with a triangle and measuring marks. It looked ancient.

Great video as always! Love the little ring!💍

Hi Nicola, thank you for your time and effort and videos. Awesome and amazing. Diane from Southampton UK

Hi Nicola, another great video and your right with the Palestine Police. My Father served with them after his service in WW2 from 1945-48 when the mandate ran out. They had their final parade at Buckingham Palace having marched down the Mall, the then King stopped and spoke to a guy on my Dads right and Queen spoke to one on the left. Our present Queen did not attend as she was unwell but he saw her watching proceedings from a balcony. My Dad did say they carried on with liquid refreshments in Tommy Ducks bar opposite Liverpool Street station which i believe still trades ? So in 1948 the buttons popped off due to excessive celebrations and rolled down onto the shore line. X

Nice as always, thanks Nicola

You have an eye for finding the smallest things. Even the small things are still a unique find.

Thankyou for sharing your lark.

Love all your finds, thanks for sharing Nicola 👍

A great explore Nicola and some wonderful finds! Love watching you find the past.

Like always, the video is wonderful. Regards from Argentina, my Lady Queen of Thames River.

Always enjoy your videos! Thanks for taking us along on your adventures!

As someone who has gone thru much adversity recently, nothing uplifts me so much as your muddy bits and pieces.

Such lovely finds, Thank You Nicola.

Couldn't join you live. As usual, full of historical infornation. Spot on and enjoy the voyage with Angelo and Bon Jovi.

Keen are the eyes of the mudlarks !!

Beautiful Art work. Gorgoues fish Really stunning. Love the mudlarks. X

Those 'other creatures' look like Merlions. Thankyou for sharing your lark.

Nicola your videos are great you just love what your doing can't wait after the lockdown you can get back to the River Thames take care be safe love j t. Chicago originally from Islington.

Great finds. So fun to lark with you!💕

Wow Nicola, loved the video as usual. Looking forward to your next one. x

Wonderful vid as always! 🌸

Love the fabulous earrings!!!

The button is from the Palestine Police 17mm - Domed White Metal Police and the interesting peice of metal I think was a pulley from a sash window. Please keep the videos coming I always enjoy them.

Always a joy to see one of your vlogs xxx My favourite was the little birds head and the horses leg!!!

Educational and relaxing exploring adventures. ♥ Thank you for taking us with you.

Stuck in Seattle after a week in Alaska with my kid. Two hours sleep over 48 and Delta kept pushing back the departure time. I only needed to get to Portland. 30 minute flight tops. Thank the god of seekers your video was there to take some of the sting out of waiting in the airport. So much love to you. Thanks for being there.

Thanks for another great video Nicola. Can't wait to see what you find next.

Hi Nicola, I think your "some kind of buckle" could be the remains of a suspender clip. In the days before pantyhose we used to wear stockings which used to have garters to hold them up, but this was not always successful, then along came suspender belts with two pieces of elastic for each stocking (they were not very comfortable) on the end of each piece of elastic was a thing like you found, it had a soft piece of rubberised material attached that had a sort of buttonlike shape at the end. you put the rubberised buttonlike thing on one side of your stocking and slid it down the "buckle" and hey presto your stockings stayed up. Ask an old lady like me and she will explain it to you. Happy larking, Barbara (down under)

It’s nice watching your little treasure hunts through the mud ! I watch having my morning coffee - such a sweet treat

Some lovely finds , love the buttons , bottle stops and gold with a diamond. Thanks so much for sharing. Be safe

It's away great fun watching your videos. Thank you

The metal thing at around 21:30 ish on your video reminds me of the clips that we used to hold up our nylon stockings back in the 1950's.

Your videos are so relaxing, Nicola. Thank you.

Thanks Nicola another enjoyable mud lark with you🤗👍🙏

Thank you for the video. Wonderful, as always. 😀

The 'little clip' is the metal part of a suspender for stockings, the missing part was cloth with a 'knob' to hold the stocking.. I used them in the 1950s. - before panty hose. Enjoy your adventures

Great set of finds - thanks for sharing!

The object at 22:55 seems to me like one of the holders on the overalls I had as a child, you’d kind of slip them over a button locking the straps in place

Very nice video, Nicola. Thank you for sharing. Happy Hunting.

Good finds. The ring was nice

What a fun morning finding treasure on the Thames, I do enjoy the skyline of the city. I'm just an old country boy I've never been to a very big city! Have you ever wondered what the swan sees on the bottom where you can't go? I find that I'm for every jealous over here in Tennessee I did enjoy the video thanks take care! 😎💨

At last my Sunday sorted been watching si-finds inbeetwe

Gold and Diamond ring nice going Nicola!!, cool fine enjoyed the video!!!; )

A lovely refreshing video with some very interesting finds lost long ago by persons unknown. Thank you for taking the time to show us your discoveries. Hugs from Canada.

Yes awesome little fines sweet I enjoy your videos as usual you stay blessed and I'll see you on your next one take care

Great video Nicola! Your fish are beautiful!

Another awesome video. I'm quite envious of your ability to go mudlarking. I liked the little pottery shard with the bird's head, I'd put that on a shelf and admire him.

It's so fascinating that all these items have passed through the hands of people who came before. I also love that your RU-vid community helps out in identifying those "mystery items". Very wonderful channel and community that you have here.

Very nice, Nicola. Always interesting and calming. I sit in anticipation for the next.

I love your fish display.

Delightful as always x

I think To myself; the piece of ceramic you found is part of a musical toy [ bird-shaped whistle (sifflet à eau oiseau)] that I used to play with as a child. Nice souvenir.😄 .Thanks for sharing.

Nice finds, the duck pottery is cool. Thank you for the video.