Rotherhithe then and now history walk by stuart rankin. Much of the land between the river and the street was used for ship repair, building and breaking. Mary, rotherhithe in the county of surrey and in the administrative county of london. Rotherhithe is a saxon name, meaning mariners landing place and docks have existed here since the 17th century. South dock is one of two surviving docks in the former surrey commercial docks in rotherhithe, london, england. Surrey docks peninsula lies in the historic village of rotherhithe, a name which probably comes from the saxon redhra sailor hyth haven rotherhithe. It has for a considerable period been celebrated for its docks, and the great howland dockthe first wet dock made in englandhas been in existence for two centuries, having been opened in 1696. History can be read in books but for something more meander as a mudlark on rotherhithes shore, a museum of history from days of yore. The most important of the present docks are those belonging to the surrey commercial dock company. About this project this project aims to explore the dockland hidden history in rotherhithe.
A view of the commercial docks at rotherhithe british library. A payment of 5p per order is made to help the heroes. The surrey commercial docks were a large group of docks in rotherhithe, south east london. A history of southeast london suburbs, in images and words, brought to you by the areas local studies and archives collections. Exploring the old surrey commercial docks on the rotherhithe peninsula. The area was originally marsh land although its first mention is in ad868 and the land is listed in the doomsday book. The word rotherhithe is anglo saxon in origin and means landing place for cattle or sailor haven.
The docks at rotherhithe existed from the beginning of the 16th century. Rotherhithe has been for a considerable period celebrated for its docks. The docks have their origin in the howland great wet dock of the late 17th century which, when enlarged, became the greenland dock. As an internationallyrecognised cultural destination, renowned for its vibrant performing and visual arts, history and heritage, southwark council is working with businesses, cultural and community partners to introduce a programme of events and activities building up to 2020. But this book is not about political, commercial or industrial history. It opened when the wider rotherhithe area was growing fast and the new church was commissioned in the time of post second world war optimism. An explorers guide to the sights and the history of londons docklands about the author. A major factor for its success being the inclusion of twenty illustrations providing. Visit the historic cobbled streets of old rotherhithe, a city farm, the beautiful eco park and get a 360 degree view of london. Between the mayflower, tea clippers, the fighting temeraire, bellepheron, the first steam warship to operate in the pacific, the sea cadets, emigration ships to canada, coal barges and cunard liners, rotherhithe s maritime history is a rich one and we. The mayflower pub rotherhithe 117 rotherhithe street. Comment the buses used for this route were equipped with specially reinforced tyres because of the constant rubbing of the kerb in the narrow rotherhithe tunnel. Rotherhithe street ran in a great arc in the strip of land between the docks and the river thames.
The mayflower is a 2minute walk from rotherhithe station turn left and left again towards the river, or a 10minute walk from canada water station via swan road. A framed photograph of central granary, millwall docks c. In the 1980s, the area along the river was redeveloped as housing through a mix of warehouse conversions and newbuild developments. But in the 19 th century, with the rise of the docks here, the area was changing fast and becoming more populated. Shipbuilding in rotherhithe bull head dock to the pageants. The green party candidate for surrey docks ward in the southwark council elections on thursday 3rd may 2018 is sandra lane. This booklet outlines the history of the surrey commercial docks system from 1699, through the private company era, ownership by the port of london authority, devastation in wartime, rebuilding, closure in 1970, and the start of redevelopment under the much maligned london docklands development. History of rotherhithe village society of genealogists. I came across this book by accident when researching my family history. 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. He was writing a history of industrial relations in the docks when he died. Rotherhithe tunnel was flooded, after which, according to the rotherhithe and bermondsey local history website a floodgate was built to constructed in 1939, together with a floodwall in order to protect both the rotherhithe tunnel and the nearby east london railway, which uses brunels thames tunnel.
Shipbuilding in rotherhithe bull head dock to the pageants parts 1 and 2, the nelson dockyard, greenland dock and barnards wharf ebooks. Lost pubs of southwark southwark notes whose regeneration. Stunning pilots aerologic boeing 777f ultimate cockpit movie to lej airclips full flight series duration. A view of the commercial docks at rotherhithe british. These are followed by some reflection son the dockers tanner strike by jack jones. The dockland memory in rotherhithe by shintaro kurihara. In the 1980s the area along the river was redeveloped as upmarket housing, through a mix of warehouse conversions and newbuild developments.
Profusely illustrated with historic then pictures and now photographs by the. A rail terminal for the channel tunnel, a trade mart, a venue for the 1988 olympics and an airport for vertical takeoff aircraft under council leader john ogrady, however, southwark council decided to retain south dock and greenland. Surrey docks farm is a working city farm in the heart of london. The docks had closed finally in 1970, but redevelopment had been slow and interrupted by political change. Sandra is an artist and has lived in southwark for many years, engaging in community campaigns to preserve local heritage. History of rotherhithe london borough of southwark. His papers and draft book down by the riverside are now stored at the tuc library. Canary wharf history explore east london docklands. The second world war reshaped the landscape and now regeneration is forming a new one. Maritime rotherhithe history walk transport, industry and the docks, by stuart rankin, southwark council 2005. Rotherhithe has a long history as a port, with many shipyards from elizabethan times until the early 20th century and with working docks until the 1970s. Mary, rotherhithe in the county of surrey and in the administrative county of london edward josselyn beck university press, 1907 rotherhithe london, england 270 pages. This is a book of contrasts and surprises, with around fifty pictures that have rarely seen the light of day. Rotherhithe was a place more devoted to industry and commerce than residence.
Local history books by stuart rankin at the canada water library putting my overall dissatisfaction with the library as a functional beast on one side, i thought it might be worth bringing attention to a series of books about rotherhithe, if anyone is interested in the local history of the area. Mar 12, 2008 surrey docks peninsula lies in the historic village of rotherhithe, a name which probably comes from the saxon redhra sailor hyth haven rotherhithe was also known as redriffe and is in the. Rotherhithe had been a river crossing point and a centre of shipbuilding from the middle ages. Greenland dock is the oldest of londons riverside wet docks, located in rotherhithe in the area of the city now known as docklands. We are directly opposite sands films and picture research library, adjacent to the brunel museum and a 20minute walk from local city farm. Rotherhithes history has always been associated with the sea. Rotherhithe is an urban village in south east london. Rotherhithe then and now history walk by stuart rankin, southwark council 2005. It is social history, because this is a book of stories by people who lived on the river, worked in the docks and lived the lives that the river provided for them. In the 19th and 20th centuries the parish was dominated by huge areas of cut docks, the surrey commercial docks. Last day of operation the rotherhithe tunnel section left unserved rotherhithe street section covered by new flat fare route p2. Greenland dock is now used purely for recreational purposes. I was born in rotherhithe and my ancestors have worked on the river and docks there for hundreds of years. Rotherhithe is in the london borough of southwark, on the southbank of the river thames.
Greenland dock is the oldest of london s riverside wet docks, located in rotherhithe in the area of the city now known as docklands. History church interior the original church on the site was built between 1837 and 1838, as the expansion of the surrey commercial docks drove a growth of population that exhausted the capacity of the original parish of st marys church, rotherhithe. It was rotherhithe where the first underwater tunnel, built by the brunels, was dug out. Surrey commercial docks news newspapers books scholar jstor february 2010 learn how and when to remove this template. The peninsula of land known as rotherhithe is created by a bend by of the river thames as it loops south creating the isle of dogs on the north bank and the rotherhithe peninsula on the south. Rotherhithe photographs by geoff howard blurb books. The dublin port archive covers the history of the port from 1707 to the present day and consists of a paper collection of 700 acid free boxes, 60 charts, 18,000 photographs, 600 historical registers and 20,000 engineering drawings along with a large reference library. Other titles can be found by entering rotherhithe into the british transport treasures search engine. Creative commons attributionnoncommercialsharealike cc byncsa licence. The commercial dock company which would become the surrey commercial docks in 1865 following a. Rotherhithe, or, as it is occasionally called, redriff, is worthy of note as the first place where docks were constructed for the convenience of london.
Rotherhithe children waldo mcgillycuddy eagar cbe circa 1933 placed by the national maritime museum in flickr commons. Reprinted by local history reprints, 1996, with an introduction by john w. Seafaring, shipbuilding and repairing were all important even before the docks came. Even though the village is linked by two victorian tunnels to the north bank of the thames, it has always maintained its unique atmosphere.
It is social history, because this is a book of stories by people who lived on the river, worked in the docks and lived the lives that the river. But the history of holy trinity speaks for much more than the church as both an institution and a building. Heavily bombed during world war ii, the docks never recovered their former importance and this historic area is struggling to rebuild a sense of community. Ian greeves in his book london docks 18001980 says that of the various plans for rotherhithe after the docks closed, there had been four serious contenders.
It used to be part of the surrey commercial docks, most of which have by now been filled in. Adam dants map of stories from the history of rotherhithe. Images from rotherhithe photographs were first published in the legendary creative camera magazine in 1975, when the project ran as a cover and major portfolio, described as a report from someone who is unquestionably one of the major talents among british photographers. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. This aquatint, produced by the english landscape artist william daniell 17691837, depicts the newly built commercial or surrey docks. Memorials to serve for a history of the parish of st. The surrey commercial docks employed thousands, but mainly on a casual basis. Jul 01, 2011 stunning pilots aerologic boeing 777f ultimate cockpit movie to lej airclips full flight series duration. Shipbuilding died after 1870 as the docks consumed more and more space. Rotherhithe s docks were heavily bombed in the blitz but carried on until the late 1960s when tilbury took over timber packaging. Surrey commercial docks, rotherhithe, southwark, 1926. Area history 3 rotherhithe old road, surrey quays, london a five bedroom rental property sept june contracts links greenland dock east london line rotherhithe thames tunnel london underground london exert from dickenss dictionary of the thames, 1881.
The view is one of a series of seven in the kings topographical collection representing a set of new docks on the thames. 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. Rotherhithe then and now history walk by stuart rankin, southwark council 2005 ebook rotherhithe tunnel sketches 1829 historical notice commercial docks rotherhithe by nathaniel gould, 1844 ebook shipbuilding on the thames and thames built ships ebook edited by stuart rankin. Find rotherhithe photographs by geoff howard at blurb books. A narrative of its history, its people and its places. Historical notice commercial docks rotherhithe by nathaniel gould, 1844 ebook shipbuilding on the thames and thames built ships ebook edited by stuart rankin. Rotherhithe, surrey genealogy heraldry and history. If you were born, grew up or have relatives from the area, you will love this book. Between the mayflower, tea clippers, the fighting temeraire, bellepheron, the first steam warship to operate in the pacific, the sea cadets, emigration ships to canada, coal barges and cunard liners, rotherhithes maritime history is a rich one and we.
Pla350 on display in museum of london docklands castle, i. The docks attracted workers from all over the country and, indeed, all over the world, making the east end a densely populated area, full of different nationalities and cultures. History of rotherhithe london borough of southwark ideal. The pilgrim ship, mayflower began its voyage to america from rotherhithe in 1620, but the areas maritime history is even older than this. Framed photographs of surrey docks 1843, planks being unloaded 1930 and heinkel bomber over surrey docks 7 th september 1940.
The parish adjoins bermondsey on the east, and extends along the southern shore of the thames as far as deptford. The area has always been used for ship building and docks owing to its natural geography and it is from here that the great fleet for the invasion of france was fitted out by edward the black prince, here the first gunpowder factory in england was built in 1554. A view of the commercial docks at rotherhithe, by william daniell 18. A short history of the surrey commercial docks, stuart. Maritime rotherhithe history walk transport, industry and the. Rotherhithe, we may remark, was chiefly inhabited a hundred years ago, as now, by seafaring persons and tradesmen whose business depended on seamen and shipping. Bermondsey and rotherhithe remembered archive photographs. Nov 14, 2016 rotherhithes docks were heavily bombed in the blitz but carried on until the late 1960s when tilbury took over timber packaging. Oct 03, 20 between bridgers rotherhithe street and downtown by f.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Buy bermondsey and rotherhithe remembered archive photographs uk ed. Profusely illustrated with historic then pictures and now photographs by the author. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. Between bridgers rotherhithe street and downtown by f. Our aim is to share the history of rotherhithe, bermondsey and the surrounding area through regular speakerled meetings open to all guests and twiceyearly historical walks members only. Nov 30, 2016 worshippers would have needed to travel some distance, to st marys in old rotherhithe village, to attend services before it opened. A framed photograph of the entrance to the tunnel, rotherhithe c. This location worked so well that further docks were built close by, including west india dock and st katherine dock. He specialises in uk travel, history and heritageand is also an articlewriting tutor for a correspondence course. In the seventeenth century it became the first place to have docks to serve london. The development of the surrey commercial dock system 1699. His papers and draft book down by the riverside are now stored at the tuc library archive at the. After posting about the history of south dock a couple of days ago, and having posted several pieces about greenland dock, i thought i had better write something admittedly after the fact.
The great dry dock here has existed for nearly two centuries, having been opened in 1696. I have now bought 4 copies of it for various family members. Exploring the old surrey commercial docks on the rotherhithe. Here we explore the nature of social action through a walk in bermondsey and rotherhithe in london. Come along and join me paul on a walk around the old surrey commercial docks. There is a onepage introduction, but unlike the port of london book in the same series, this. It was built in 18071811 just south of the larger greenland dock, to which it is connected by a channel now known as greenland cut. The name is saxon, meaning mariners landing place, which demonstrates the long history of habitation in the area. This is a revised edition of the book originally published in 2008, with additional images.
1414 986 367 1202 1394 1105 892 867 129 522 808 132 1467 1019 1506 986 434 616 902 387 683 986 574 133 1248 283 1219 904 1498 1296 1001 1146 1476 406 1466 975 137 676 137 1365 1007 622