| 1 |
| Dreadnought | One of several houseboats in the Battersea Reach |
| | Richard |
Blake | Ex-Navy man, serves as leader of the Battersea household community |
| | Lord |
Jim | Converted minesweeper owned by Richard |
| | Sam |
Willis | Elderly, retired marine painter; owner of Dreadnought |
| | Maurice |
| Friendly, amiable young man living in a houseboat named Maurice |
| | Laura |
Blake | Former Naval officer, Richard's wife. Aka: Lollie |
| | Harry |
| Sinister criminal |
| | Woodrow |
| Character who lives in a boat with his wife. Aka: Woodie |
| | Rochester |
| Name of the boat in which Woodie lives |
| | Nenna |
James | Musician and the protagonist of the story |
| | Grace |
| Decommissioned Thames sailing barge |
| | Matilda |
James | Nenna's younger daughter. Aka: Tilda |
| | Father |
Watson | Old priest |
| | Martha |
James | Nenna's twelve-year-old daughter. Aka: Mattie |
| | Louise |
Swanson | Nenna's sister. Aka: Lou |
| | Joel |
Swanson | Louise's husband |
| 2 | Stripey |
Stripey | Ship's cat |
| 3 | Edward |
James | Nenna's husband. Aka: Ed, Eddie |
| | Sister |
Paul | Nun who wrote the special prayer |
| 5 | Fortuna |
| Boat name |
| | Pinkie |
| Richard's friend |
| | Miss |
Barker | Pinkie's acquaintance |
| 6 | Elvis |
Presley | American singer and actor |
| | Cliff |
Richard | British singer and author |
| | Walter |
Raleigh | English explorer. Title: Sir |
| | Wilhelmina |
Stirling | Prolific writer |
| | William |
de Morgan | Prominent figure in English literature and art |
| | Janet |
| Woodie's wife |
| 6 | Abraham |
Lincoln | 16th U.S. President |
| | Mr. |
Stephen | Antique shop owner |
| 7 | Heinrich |
von Furstenfeld | 16-year-old German teenager visiting the houseboat community |
| 8 | Gordon |
Hodge | Marine engineer officer, both nuclear and conventional submarines |
| | Mrs. |
Hodge | Gordon's mother |
| 9 | Gustav |
Mahler | Austro-Bohemian Romantic composer |
| | Anton |
Bruckner | Austrian composer and organist |
| | Heine |
| German poet |
| | Dandy |
| Refers to a man overly concerned with appearance and dress |
