The Beckwiths are pioneers of the British travel and tourism industry, and a name firmly etched into the history of the river Thames. When they sold City Cruises in 2019, it was the UK's largest tour boat company, transporting four million passengers a year with a fleet of over forty vessels and a group turnover of 24 million pounds. How they got there was the journey of a lifetime.
Gary Beckwith grew up on a deprived East London estate in the 1950s and '60s under the shadow of an absent father. He spent his teenage years wheeling and dealing and harnessing his way with words. By the time he got to the river Thames in his early twenties, he was ready to chip away at an archaic industry that refused to evolve.
From his humble beginnings to his conversations with the Queen, from the unrelenting tragedy of the Marchioness to the joys of building a legacy, Gary shares every business lesson he learned along the way.
This book is not just about how he made his millions or the visionary mindset that got him there. It's about family, purpose, legacy, and the three generations of Beckwiths that shaped the future of the river Thames.