Millwall Dock A Brief History and Overview

Millwall Dock has a rich history dating back to the late 19th century. It was constructed between 1865 and 1868 by the Millwall Dock Company, a subsidiary of the Millwall Iron Works.

The dock was designed to provide a safe and accessible harbor for ships, with a 1,000-foot-long (305 meters) dock wall and a 50-foot (15 meters) deep waterway. It was also equipped with a hydraulic crane and a railway system to facilitate the loading and unloading of cargo.

The dock quickly became an important hub for trade and commerce, with ships from all over the world docking there to load and unload goods. By the early 20th century, Millwall Dock was one of the busiest docks in London, handling over 1 million tons of cargo annually.

The Millwall Dock was developed speculatively by a partnership of John Kelk and John Aird & Co. The engineer responsible for designing the scheme was Sir John Fowler.

The construction was undertaken by Kelk and Aird and the dock was officially opened in March 1868. After a slow start to the business and financial difficulties, Kelk and Aird surrendered control of the company to lawyers acting for the investors in December 1868.

The business was renamed the Millwall Dock Company in 1870, in recognition of its settled status. The Millwall Docks railway station served the dock from 1897 to 1921, with goods services continuing to the 1970s.

Magnus Mowat worked as Engineer to the docks from 1905 and was promoted to Director around 1912.

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The Millwall Dock has a rich and fascinating history that spans over a century. The dock was officially opened in March 1868 after a construction period undertaken by Kelk and Aird.

The initial business struggled to get off the ground, and by December 1868, Kelk and Aird had surrendered control of the company to lawyers acting for the investors. In 1870, the business was renamed the Millwall Dock Company in recognition of its settled status.

From 1897 to 1921, the dock was served by the Millwall Docks railway station on the Millwall Extension Railway. Goods services continued to the 1970s.

The Port of London Authority (PLA) took over the Millwall Dock in 1909, along with the other enclosed docks from St Katharines to Tilbury. This marked a significant shift in the management and operation of the dock.

Magnus Mowat worked as Engineer to the docks from 1905 and was promoted to Director around 1912. His contributions to the dock's development are still remembered today.

Here's a brief timeline of the major events in the dock's history:

The dock's decline began in the 1960s as the shipping industry adopted containerisation, leading to a steady decline in traffic.

As we explore the historical development of a particular location, it's fascinating to see which structures have managed to survive the test of time.

The dock walls of 1866-7 are still intact, although they've undergone significant rebuilding and repair over the years, with some twentieth-century additions.

One of the most impressive surviving structures is the entrance lock, which remains largely in its original state, albeit largely filled and landscaped.

The graving dock, a vital part of the location's industrial heritage, has also survived, and it's still water-filled and partially covered.

It's remarkable to think that some of these structures have endured for over a century, a testament to the ingenuity and craftsmanship of the people who built them.

Planning and Construction was a complex process at Millwall Dock. The dock's construction began in 1864 and took nearly five years to complete.

The dock's builders had to contend with the challenge of constructing a dock in a tidal area. This required a deep understanding of the local geology and tidal patterns.

The dock's design included a unique system of locks that allowed ships to navigate the dock's entrance despite the strong tidal currents.

Planning for the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad was a complex and time-consuming process that spanned several years.

In 1859, the Pacific Railroad Acts were passed, authorizing the construction of the railroad and providing funding and land grants to support the project.

The Union Pacific Railroad Company was formed in 1862 to build the railroad from Omaha, Nebraska to Sacramento, California.

The company's first task was to survey the route, which involved mapping out the terrain and identifying the best path for the railroad.

The surveyors faced many challenges, including rugged terrain, extreme weather conditions, and conflicts with Native American tribes.

In 1863, the Union Pacific Railroad Company began construction on the railroad, with a workforce of over 1,000 laborers.

The construction process was slow and arduous, with workers facing harsh conditions and limited resources.

Despite these challenges, the Union Pacific Railroad Company made significant progress, laying over 1,000 miles of track in the first year.

The construction of the railroad was a major undertaking that required careful planning and execution.

The Union Pacific Railroad Company's progress was closely monitored by the government, which provided funding and support to ensure the project's success.

The construction of the railroad was also closely tied to the construction of the Central Pacific Railroad, which was building the eastern portion of the Transcontinental Railroad.

In 1864, the construction of the (project) began in earnest, with a significant portion of the funding coming from private investors.

The project's budget was a staggering $1.2 million, which is approximately $20 million in today's dollars.

A team of skilled engineers and laborers worked tirelessly to bring the project to life, with a workforce of over 200 people at its peak.

The construction process was not without its challenges, including a change in the project's original design due to unforeseen site conditions.

The project's builders had to adapt to these changes, which ultimately added to the project's overall cost.

The construction phase took nearly five years to complete, with the project finally opening to the public in 1869.

The project's opening was a major milestone, marking the culmination of years of hard work and dedication from the construction team.

Graving is a crucial step in the planning and construction process. It involves the removal of unwanted material from a site to create a level surface.

The depth of excavation required depends on the type of project, with residential construction typically requiring a depth of 2-4 feet.

Excavation can be done using a backhoe or a bulldozer, both of which are commonly used on construction sites.

The Millwall Dock is a Grade II* listed dock, which means it has been recognized as a building of special architectural or historical interest.

It has a long and complex history, with the dock being built in several stages between 1864 and 1914. The dock's design is a result of this phased construction, with different sections having distinct features.

The dock's entrance is a notable feature, with a pair of massive gates that are still in operation today. These gates are a reminder of the dock's original purpose as a commercial shipping hub.

The is a crucial part of The Dock's Features, and it's a term you'll likely hear a lot when exploring the system. The Dock is a bar located at the bottom of the screen that provides quick access to frequently used apps, files, and folders.

The Dock is customizable, and you can add or remove items from it as needed. This means you can tailor the Dock to suit your workflow and preferences.

By default, the Dock is set to display a certain number of items, but you can adjust this setting to show more or fewer items. This flexibility makes it easy to use the Dock in a way that feels natural to you.

The Dock's Features are designed to be intuitive and user-friendly, making it easy to access your favorite apps and functions.

The Dock is customizable, allowing you to add or remove apps to suit your needs.

You can add apps to the Dock by dragging them from the Applications folder, or by using the "Add to Dock" option in the app's context menu.

The Dock also has a feature called "Spaces" which allows you to organize your apps into separate groups, making it easier to find what you need.

Each Space can have its own set of apps, and you can switch between them by clicking on the Space's icon in the Dock.

The Dock's "Mission Control" feature provides a bird's eye view of all your apps and Spaces, making it easy to see what's open and switch between them.

To walk around Millwall Dock, start at South Quay Station, where a plaque commemorates the two people killed by an IRA bomb in 1996.

You'll notice the buildings around the dock are more modest, with sheds rather than grand warehouses, leaving little remains of the original estate.

A good place to sit and watch the world go by is the dock itself, which provides an attractive space and peaceful oasis amidst the Island's frantic redevelopment.

A Walk Around Millwall Dock is a great place to start your exploration of the area. The Millwall Dock was opened in 1868 and is L-shaped, with a 'Outer Dock' running east-west, and a 'Inner Dock' running north from the eastern end.

Start at South Quay Station, where a plaque on the wall pays tribute to the two people killed by an IRA bomb in 1996. This is a good place to get a sense of the area's history.

The buildings around Millwall Docks were more modest than those in other dock areas, with sheds rather than grand warehouses. As a result, little remains from the working docks period.

Take a stroll along the docks and look out for the 1960s cranes and a large number of bollards dotted about. These are all that remain of the original dock's infrastructure.

Despite the area's rich history, the docks themselves are still full of water and are an important resource for the Island.

As you walk the Island Boardwalk Trail, you'll reach the final part of the journey, which takes you to the east of the Island and offers stunning views of North Greenwich and the O2 complex.

The trail begins near the George Pub, where you can see a board illustrating the precarious nature of working in the docks. Large numbers of workers would hang around gates waiting for work to become available.

The George Pub was a popular spot for men to congregate and wait for their name to be called out, adding to the uncertainty of their daily lives.

Check this out: King George V Graving Dock

We then move on to the Millwall Dock on the east side, where a board near Glengall Bridge and the floating Chinese restaurant provides a glimpse into the area's rich history.

The view across the water and up to Canary Wharf gives some idea of the large number of developments that have sprung up since the docks closed in the 1980s.

The walk continues up to South Quay and along Marsh Wall to the Blue Bridge and the West India Dock Entrance. If you're lucky, you might catch a ship coming into the dock, which can be a fascinating sight.

Ships coming into the dock are limited, and a ship often comes through the dock within thirty minutes, so timing is everything.

You can download a free leaflet/trail map online or collect one from various locations along the trail, including The Ship pub, The George pub, and the Cubitt Town Library.

To plan your visit and ensure you don't miss the excitement, note the timings for the upcoming race at Millwall Riverside, Westferry Road.

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The Millwall Dock has a rich history that spans over a century. The dock was developed speculatively by a partnership of John Kelk and John Aird & Co. in 1868, with Sir John Fowler designing the scheme.

The construction of the dock was undertaken by Kelk and Aird, and it was officially opened in March 1868. After a slow start to the business and financial difficulties, Kelk and Aird surrendered control of the company to lawyers acting for the investors in December 1868.

In 1870, the business was renamed the Millwall Dock Company in recognition of its settled status. The dock was primarily used for timber and grain trade, which eventually moved downriver to the Port of Tilbury in the 1960s.

Here's a brief timeline of the dock's early years:

The Port of London Authority took over the Millwall Dock in 1909, along with the other enclosed docks from St Katharines to Tilbury. The dock experienced a steady decline from the 1960s onwards, as the shipping industry adopted containerisation and moved traffic downstream to Tilbury.