Museum of London Docklands: Top 10 things to see

Until the 20th century shipping was Bronze art from west Africa, such The medieval London Bridge was a Public executions were regarded as This Regency library table was owned vital to the existence of an island nation as these Yoruba sculpture casts, unique and imposing landmark, and this important demonstrations of order and by the MP Thomas Fowel Buxton, who like Britain and all foreign goods arrived demonstrates the high level of craft huge model of it commissioned by the social control, but as an event they were led the campaign in parliament for the by sea. This Roman amphora was accomplishment that existed in the museum gives a dramatic impression of soon over. The corpses of executed abolition of slavery. Buxton was closely an efficient early shipping container, region before the instability and how it would have looked in both the pirates and felons would be tarred to connected to important and radically especially for liquids, and examples like disruption created by the European slave 1400s and the 1600s. You can see how preserve them, then hung in gibbet minded Quakers, and also led campaigns this are found in ship wreck sites all over trade. In the later 19th century examples its function changed from being part of cages like this example at crossroads for prison reform and the restriction of the classical world. It was probably used of bronze castings from west Nigeria and London’s defences, to accommodating or on river banks, as a reminder of the the death penalty. to import fish sauce in around AD 100. Benin were often brought back to Britain water mills in its arches to pump water penalty for law breaking. as curiosities and ‘spoils of war’. These into the city. date from around AD 1100-1400. Museum of London Docklands: Top 10 things to see

Whale oil was a valuable and important Because they sailed to the far side of If you were a sailor or passing trader During the war many ships were London’s dock warehouses stored fuel for domestic lighting and London the world, East Indiamen had to be large in the 18th and early 19th centuries, redirected to safer ports in the north- thousands of tons of timber and other needed a lot of it. As a result, London had enough to carry enough cargo to make you would probably be familiar with west of Britain, but the London docks combustible materials during World its own whaling fleet up until the early the voyage profitable. They also had to the hustle and bustle of London’s were still busy with ships delivering food War II and these were a major target for 19th century. At first, ships were sent carry sufficient provisions and equipment, riverside districts such as Wapping and and fuel for London and the surrounding German planes. A combination of high- north to the waters around Spitzbergen, and cannon to defend themselves. Limehouse. Those brave enough to enter area. From September 1940 onwards, the explosive and incendiary bombs were but as it became harder to find whales This cross-section model of the East Sailortown – our recreation of 19th docks became a key target for German dropped with the intention of creating a in the arctic by the late 18th century, the Indiaman Falmouth shows how cargo century Wapping – will find a pub, sailors’ Luftwaffe bombers, and small consol firestorm – the resulting intense heat and ships were redirected to the southern, and stores were packed inside. Ships like lodging house, a wild animal emporium, shelters like this were vital to protect the destruction is seen in this warped cast pacific whaling grounds. These whale this would have made several voyages to and much more... men who continued to work in the docks. iron column. jaw bones were found in the Thames and India and China in the 1760s, returning date from the late 1700s. with tea, china and cotton.

Return this guide at the end of your visit Find out more about the Museum’s objects at www.museumoflondon.org.uk