The Industrial and Community Heritage of Silvertown and North Woolwich Introduction
The industrial and community heritage of Silvertown and North Woolwich Introduction The Islanders is a project that aims to preserve the industrial and community heritage of Silvertown and North Woolwich. It is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Royal Docks Team. Volunteers and local participants have contributed significantly to the project. Thames Festival Trust thanks Newham Archives (The Islanders’ Heritage Partner), London Metropolitan Archives and Eastside Community Heritage. In the nineteenth century, London’s eastern boundary was at Bow Creek, where its noxious industries began to congregate. From shipbuilding, to silver, iron, oils, soap, rubber and manure, London’s industry was developing on the fringes of the city. By the completion of the Albert Dock in 1880, Silvertown and North Woolwich had effectively become an ‘island’. It was bordered by the Thames to the south, and by the Royal Docks and its lock entrances to the north, east and west, the only way in or out was by bridge, ferry or tunnel. Learn more: To find out more, scan the QR codes on your smart phone to follow the growth and hear the stories of this ‘island’ community through the generations. September 2021 Left: Goad Fire Insurance Plan, May 1900 (The British Library) 3 The origins Prior to the nineteenth century, Silvertown and North Woolwich was an uninhabited marshland called Plaistow Level used for grazing cattle, and frequented by smugglers, prize fighters, and high tide flooding, sat between Bow Creek and Gallions Reach. In the 1840s, the area was sold cheaply at an ‘agricultural price’ to a consortium of developers.
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