Gravesend was granted, allowing the men of the town to operate boats between London and the town; these became known as the "Long Ferry". It became the preferred form of passage, because of the perils of road travel (see below). On Gravesend's river front are the remains of a Tudor fort built by command of King Henry VIII in 1543. On 21 March 1617, John Rolfe and Rebecca (aka Princess Pocahontas) with their two-year-old son, Thomas, boarded a ship in London bound for the Commonwealth of Virginia; the ship had only sailed as far as Gravesend before Rebecca fell fatally ill,
Rebecca Emes Edward Barnard, the foreman, and Henry Chawner. The firm, which operated under the name Rebecca Emes & Edward Barnard, grew considerably during their tenure. Emes withdrew from the business in 1829. Rebecca Emes Rebecca Emes (died 1830) was an English silversmith, known for her household silverware. Little is known of her life. She married the engraver and watercolour painter John Emes. In 1796 John Emes became partner in the London silversmith company of Thomas Chawner and his son Henry Chawner. The firm specialized in silver tea and coffee services. When the elder Chawner retired, Emes became sole owner and presumably