This ancient quay, upstream from london bridge, was considered to be one of the most important dockingplaces in london in the middle ages. The east india dock is the first to close in london. The museum of london is seeking to collect both objects and firsthand experiences to reflect londoners lives during the covid19 pandemic from speciallydesigned interactive childrens galleries, free activity bags and stimulating online games. The docks consisted of parallel import and export docks with a basin and locks connecting to the river. In its heyday the busy london docks specialised in luxury commodities such as silk, spices and tobacco. A pictorial history of londons docks, 18602000 2nd revised edition by ellmers, chris, werner, alex, warner, alex isbn. The main elements of the west india docks that were constructed between 1800 and 1806 were the import and export docks, and the blackwall and limehouse basins, linked to each other and to the thames by six locks.
London docks in the 1960s and millions of other books are available for amazon. After the docks closed, the area had become derelict and poverty. Timber ships arrive in london docks 1937 timber arrives to london docks. It was not, however, till the year 1793, that a plan was first projected for making wet docks for the port of london in wapping, the isle of dogs, and at rotherhithe. The surrey commercial docks were a large group of docks in rotherhithe, south east london, england, located on the south bank the surrey side of the river thames the docks operated in one form or another from 1696 to 1969. The docks were located to the north east of the west india docks. Workers strike at london boat docks 1945 protesters gather on ship dock while british troops unload. The original docks consisted of an import dock of 18 acres 73,000 m 2 of water, to the north of the site, and an export dock of 15 acres 61,000 m 2, to the south of the site.
The company was rapidly profitable, with commodities such as tea, spices, indigo, silk and persian carpets. The west india docks looking west towards london, 1802, by the artist william daniell. Traditionally ships had docked at wharves on the river thames, but by the late 1700s more capacity was needed. Londons docks continued to develop throughout the 19 th and the first half of the 20 th centuries. The london docks occupied a total area of about 30 acres 120,000 m. Trade on the river thames before the docks were built this picture of the pool of london shows how overcrowded the port had become by the beginning of the 19 th century. How is the legacy of the slave trade hidden in londons landscape. This ancient quay, upstream from london bridge, was considered to be one of the most. A monopoly granted to the london dock company meant that for 21 years, all vessels entering the port of london with cargoes of tobacco, rice, wine and brandy except vessels from the east and west indies had to unload at london docks. The final plans for the dock were settled by william jessop with walker in early 1800. Slightly further down the river thames are the site of the west india docks, a collection of three docks, the northern most of which was the import dock, the middle which was the export dock and the lower south dock. Londons streets are filled with history and mystery, with stories and facts to delight and fascinate visitors. The l ondon docks occupied a total area of about 30 acres 120,000 m.
The docks were formerly part of the port of london, at one time the worlds largest port. Dec 27, 20 in its heyday the busy london docks specialised in luxury commodities such as silk, spices and tobacco. They were constructed in wapping, downstream from the city of london between 1799 and 1815, at a cost exceeding. This book will appeal to those interested in londons history, maritime and industrial heritage, the docklands and east end of london, and the. The docks were a success and over the next couple of decades expanded further east with the shadwell basin and eastern entry into the river being the completion of the london docks complex. A history of east london first edition by marriott, john isbn. Taking us on ten different tours, geoff shows us the best and most interesting sights to see within london s docklands. For a great insight into the history of london and its trade with the world, we highly recommend the museum of london docklands. Jan 31, 2017 for a great insight into the history of london and its trade with the world, we highly recommend the museum of london docklands. Late in the afternoon of saturday 7 september 1940, the luftwaffe launched a massive daylight raid on london. Ships could still be seen in the pool, upstream of tower bridge.
The east india docks were initially designed to handle large east indiamen of up to tons. They consisted of the western and eastern docks which were linked by the short tobacco dock. He poured money into his personal collection of books and artworks. East india docks london s docks and shipping port cities. I joined my first ship in king george v dock in 1970, and returned there or to tilbury after every deep sea trip for the next 3 years. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The author of london docks of the 1960s, mark lee inman, was a student at queen marys college in the second half of the 1960s. The western dock was connected to the thames by hermitage basin to the.
Katherine docks, limehouse basin, greenland dock, west india dock, millwall docks, east india dock, royal victoria dock, royal albert dock and king george v dock. Lloyd shepherd is a writer whose first novel, the english monster, is set in regencyera wapping and based on the ratcliffe highway murders. The longestablished east india company opened their own docks at blackwall, to the east of the west india docks, in 1806. The new london docks of the early 19th century the. In common with the rest of the enclosed docks, the london docks were taken over by the port of london authority in 1909. London docks londons docks and shipping port cities. A rare survivor of londons historic docks will be celebrated by a major new gallery opening at the museum of london docklands on 25 march. Aug 01, 2017 a must to have, if you want to recall memories of the london docks before their demise upstream. A walk around the royal docks in east london from prince regent dlr station past the excel centre and around the royal victoria dock with a look at millennium mills. In turn, the western dock was linked to the river thames by hermitage basin in the south west and by wapping basin to the south. Port of london authority took over all enclosed docks in london and tilbury.
William daniells prints of the new docks represented london s modernisation in particularly exultant terms. Learn how the port survived and aided the war effort from dunkirk to dday. In 1864 they were amalgamated with st kathari ne docks physical descr iption. Ralph walkers plans for the west india docks prepared in late 1799 included a great dock for unloading inwards of 2,508ft by 478ft to accommodate up to 300 ships at a time fig. A great variety of valuable wares is shown in the warehouses, the most interesting points being perhaps the ivory floor fine display of tusks, the stores for spices, gums, quicksilver, and indiarubber, and the. The docks drew produce and people from all over the world. O nce the capitals lifeblood, londons docks have long since faded to little more than a garnish of maritime nostalgia on riverside real. Sep 15, 2015 o nce the capitals lifeblood, londons docks have long since faded to little more than a garnish of maritime nostalgia on riverside real estate. Inside the london megaport you didnt know existed art and. This area of east london has changed dramatically across the decades these pictures show times when warehouses were stuffed with ivory, shackletons ship was setting off for chillier climes, and windmills made everything look a little dutch. Why londons docks were built by tony keen the port of. Browse our youtube videos of teaching resources, london history, fashion and more. Museum of london docklands explores history of the largest. From jewish clothing merchants to bangladeshi curry houses, ancient docks to the 2012 olympics, the area east of the city has always played a crucial role in london s history.
The west india docks opened downstream of london on the isle of dogs in 1802. Further down the river, the last docks within the boundaries of london were the royal docks. The london dock company negotiated a 21 year monopoly to manage all vessels carrying rice, tobacco, wine and brandy. In the decades prior to the 17th century london extended only a little beyond the tower of london, and ships sailing upriver along the tidal thames travelled into the pool. Taking us on ten different tours, geoff shows us the best and most interesting sights to see within londons docklands.
To the right is the import dock, with the export dock in the centre. Stretching from roman london all the way through the capitals layered past, enjoy our pick of the best ways to explore london s stomping grounds. On the left is the city canal, which was constructed by the city of london corporation at the same time as the docks. The basin, import and export docks could berth up to 250 sailing ships at a time. The east end, as it has been known, was the home to shakespeares first theater and to the early. Docklands at war free gallery museum of london docklands. Apr, 2014 unused unissued material colour material. The docks of london, constituting, as they do, such grand and truly national works, and forming a sort of era in the history of our commerce, merit some particular notice. Jun 28, 2018 a walk around the royal docks in east london from prince regent dlr station past the excel centre and around the royal victoria dock with a look at millennium mills. After the docks closed, the area had become derelict and povertyridden by the 1980s. Created published between 1800 and 1850 subject headings. Most were subsequently filled in and redeveloped for residential housing, and the area is now known as surrey quays, although the name surrey docks is retained for the. Now this unique area is coming back to life in a spectacular way. Once part of the worlds largest port, the land is now used mainly by businesses and homes.
William daniells prints of the new docks represented londons modernisation in particularly exultant terms. Plans were drawn up for the london dock company, established by a group of merchants, shippers and bankers in january 1796. In 1967 the east india docks were the first of the london docks to close. A fascinating account, of interest to anyone who had any connection with londons royal docks. Londons royal docks history the building of londons royal docks introduced a new world of commerce to the capital. The london dock company was formed in 1800 and work began the following year in building the docks. The east london docks were built, in part, to trade in slaveharvested goods. A history in maps 2012 by peter barber charts the citys. Yet their arrival signaled the beginning of a new competitive era for the docks and lower profits for their owners. From 1800, londons dock system was revolutionised, and many commemorative prints were published to celebrate the transformation. The london docks were one of several sets of docks in the historic port of london. Londons dock railways part 1 the isle of dogs and tilbury by dave marden. The east india docks, which were constructed between 1803 and 1806, were the third set of wet docks built on the thames in the early nineteenth century, after the west india docks 18006 and the london docks 18025.
While much smaller than the west india docks or the later royal docks, the east india docks could still handle east indiamen of tons and up to 250 ships at one time. As trade with the east indies increased, east india. It is located in inner east and southeast london, in the boroughs of southwark, tower hamlets, lewisham, newham, and greenwich. The ending of monopolies in the 1820s, granted to the early 19th century london docks, brought an opportunity to create the st. It was a time when the port, from tilbury up to the pool of london, was still thriving, prior to the introduction of containerization and rollonrolloff ferries. Katharine docks, near tower gateway dlr station, took its name from the former on site hospital of st katharines by the tower. A fascinating account, of interest to anyone who had any connection with london s royal docks. In 1909 the docks were taken over by the port of london authority, along with the other enclosed docks. Over the past fifteen years he has seen the docks change beyond all recognition. Good history of the individual docks, and each picture is supported by details of the vessel, and any subsequent history. Football rattles were used to warn of german gas attacks during the blitz. Dorset street, spitalfields, photographed in 1902 for jack london s book the people of the abyss the east end of london, often referred to within the london area simply as the east end, is the historic core of wider east london, east of the roman and medieval walls of the city of london, and north of the river thames. The 1960s were the last decade of what might be called the traditional london docks scene. Air raid wardens were given these rattles, but fortunately poison gas was never used.
Docks on the isle of dogs, and london docks at wapping. Other general merchants quickly followed suit, opening the london docks at wapping in 1805. The 10 best nonfiction books about london books the guardian. The original part of the london docks, the western docks opened in 1805 and specialised in wine, brandy, tobacco and rice. Ideal book for history students but not for people wanting more social history. From 1800, london s dock system was revolutionised, and many commemorative prints were published to celebrate the transformation. Set in an old warehouse on the isle of dogs, the museum explores the history of the thames from 450,000 bc when it was just an empty valley right up to the cuttingedge business district we know today. Feb 07, 2017 in yesterdays presentation tony talked us through the story of why the london dock networks were built. In yesterdays presentation tony talked us through the story of why the london dock networks were built. Here he takes us on a tour of wapping and the dock. The history of the port of london hardback pen and sword books.
The first of the georgian docks was the west india opened in 1802, followed by the london 1805, the east india also 1805, the surrey 1807, the regents canal dock 1820, st katharine 1828 and the west india south 1829. Top view of modern looking marina development in london docklands area. Thirteen metres deep and 4 kilometres long, they cover an area the size of central london. The millwall docks, which opened in 1868, were set up for the unloading of cheap foreign grain that poured into britain after the repeal of the corn laws. A history of the lost quarter reprint by fiona rule isbn. Mapping the legacy of londons slave trade museum of london. Opened in 1806, the docks originally served the east india companys ships. London docklands is the riverfront and former docks in london. Londons royal docks were built in the mid 19th century a marvel of victorian engineering. These features enclosed a total area of 62 acres of water. The london docks summary barrelcovered dock area with masts in background. However, as the 19th century progressed, steamships also began to use the docks.