EPW046151 ENGLAND (1934). The Royal Albert and King George V Docks, North Woolwich, from the west, 1934

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Nearby Images (6)

EPW046151
  0° 0m
EPW005307
  82° 113m
EPW044118
  127° 204m
EPW046152
  136° 226m
EAW182493
  288° 262m
EPW032946
  64° 262m

Details

Title [EPW046151] The Royal Albert and King George V Docks, North Woolwich, from the west, 1934
Reference EPW046151
Date September-1934
Link
Place name NORTH WOOLWICH
Parish
District
Country ENGLAND
Easting / Northing 541821, 180549
Longitude / Latitude 0.043697694853782, 51.505570766269
National Grid Reference TQ418805

Pins

The track for the steam powered cranes seems to be a wide gauge.

John Wass
Friday 5th of June 2020 08:06:01 PM

John Swain
Wednesday 14th of August 2013 03:18:13 PM
Huge warehouses and storage sheds lining both sides of King George V Dock

John Swain
Wednesday 14th of August 2013 03:17:04 PM

John Swain
Wednesday 14th of August 2013 03:15:28 PM
Connaught Road

John Swain
Wednesday 14th of August 2013 03:14:49 PM
Large ocean-going vessel in Dry Dock

John Swain
Wednesday 14th of August 2013 03:13:40 PM

John Swain
Wednesday 14th of August 2013 03:12:47 PM
Cannot determine the ships name but the company is Blue Star Line. Known for their prominent red funnel with a single large blue star.

Grollo
Thursday 6th of March 2014 05:38:58 PM
North Woolwich

John Swain
Wednesday 14th of August 2013 03:12:03 PM
King George V Dock

John Swain
Wednesday 14th of August 2013 03:10:34 PM
Beckton Gas and Coke Works

John Swain
Wednesday 14th of August 2013 03:08:57 PM
In the Stanley Kubrick film Full Metal Jacket, the scenes set in Huey with the sniper were shot here before the site was demolished.

Gone2Kent
Monday 6th of January 2014 09:51:46 PM
East Ham Level

John Swain
Wednesday 14th of August 2013 03:07:55 PM

John Swain
Wednesday 14th of August 2013 03:07:05 PM
Cold Storage facilities for imported beef and mutton

John Swain
Wednesday 14th of August 2013 03:00:07 PM
Royal Albert Dock

John Swain
Wednesday 14th of August 2013 02:58:13 PM
Connaught Bridge

John Swain
Wednesday 14th of August 2013 02:56:59 PM
Eastern end of Royal Victoria Dock

John Swain
Wednesday 14th of August 2013 02:54:32 PM

User Comment Contributions

A good, clear image of two of the Royal Docks taken during a busy working day in 1934. Just over three decades later, these docks would be in decline and destined for closure in 1981, to be followed by extensive programmes of urban regeneration, which are still in progress at the present time.

John Swain
Wednesday 14th of August 2013 03:50:42 PM
The Royal Docks were once the largest stretch of enclosed water in the world (235 acres and ten miles of quayside), following the construction of the King George V Dock in 1921. The Royal Victoria Dock was completed as early as 1855 and this was followed, in 1880, by the Royal Albert Dock. The so-called Royals may be seen in their heyday as one huge dock system divided into three sections. Apart from bulk imports of grain and meat, mostly from the Commonwealth and Argentina, the new King George V Dock was able to handle the biggest liners of the Interwar period, so passenger cargoes were big business. The busiest and most prosperous times for the Royals were from 1910 until the 1960s, with the exception of the war years 1940-45.



With the changing technologies of the postwar years, the docks' trade and employment declined after the mid-Sixties. Substantial losses resulted eventually in closure of the docks for general cargoes at the end of 1981 and reports at the time mentioned the problems of economic and social deprivation in this part of East London (North Woolwich and Silvertown).



The London Docklands Development Corporation was set up in 1981 to regenerate this area along with other zones alongside the Thames. The flagship project was the opening of London City Airport six years later, built between the Royal Albert and King George V Docks. Although some of the impressive warehouses have been preserved, the Royals have seen the development of several industrial estates, a university campus, new roads and rail links, riverside parks and gardens, in addition to increased facilities for tourists and visitors.

John Swain
Wednesday 14th of August 2013 03:43:57 PM