“We alighted in an eastern district of the great grey city, not far north of the river. Narrow terraced streets clustered in the shadow of the dockland cranes.”
Lucy, The Screaming Staircase – Chapter 8
Background
During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, London’s original docks spanned an area of the Thames between London Bridge and The Tower. By the 1750’s, an area meant for 600 ships would regularly handle almost double that number. The excessive demand and the lack of security meant many goods were pilfered or would rot while waiting to unload.
Consequently, in the early 19th Century, the area along the Thames known as The Isle of Dogs was developed as London’s Port area. The massive docks area built here allowed an increase in the capacity for unloading ships and the goods they carried.
The London Docklands (also formerly known as the Port of London), now spans almost 9 square miles (22 square km) of Thames waterfront. It includes Canary Wharf.
The Docklands do not feature heavily in Lockwood and Co, but are mentioned a couple of times, most notably in The Screaming Staircase, when George, Lockwood and Lucy deal with the Ghost in the Garage. Other dock adventures include the events at Execution Dock, the Sebright agent in the lift at Canary Wharf and the couple of scenes from the show at Crowley Wharf and Deptford (which are both on the south bank of the Thames). The docklands portrayed in the books (and to a certain extent on the show), assume there has been no real development since the 1980s. For a flavour of what the dockland areas was like then, you should watch any London-based police drama from the 1970s / 80s, as the area was the scene of many a car chase. (Particularly “The Professionals” and “Dempsey and Makepeace”).
Did You Know?
- The West India Docks were opened in 1802 at the northern end of the Isle of Dogs. In 1805 the London Docks opened in Wapping (in Tower Hamlets), and the East India Docks in 1806. Over the next century the area would remain integral to London’s trade.
- Due to its importance to London, The Docklands were an early and easy target for the Germans during The Blitz. Most of the area suffered extensive damage during the war which it struggled to recover from.
- With the onset of large container ships, much of the Dockland’s use was replaced by deepwater ports such as Tilbury.
- Since the 1980’s The Docklands area has been subject to extensive redevelopment seeing the rise of sought after business and residential areas.
- Crime at the docks
Crime and the Docks
- To stop potential stealing of goods, Docks workers wore pocketless garments.
- In the 1840s, the London docks had their own armed police force. At the time of the 1848 Chartist riots in London, swords and guns were issued to the police to defend the docks.
- Human powered treadmill cranes were used at the docks to haul cargoes. Given its nature, this was one of the most tiring and dangerous jobs.
More on Mudlarking
- Parallel to Flo’s fossicking on the banks of the river, much of the Thames is subject to Mudlarking- the name given to the practice of sifting through the foreshore looking for goods of value.
- Originally, Mudlarks in the 18th and 19th centuries were the most impoverished Londoners and would try and make a living from selling the scraps they found on the foreshore. These ranged from lumps of coal to rope to bones, anything they could sell. Considering how polluted the river would have been with sewage dumped straight into it, their life existence would have been shortened considerably.
- Today’s Mudlarkers are looking for more historical finds, shedding light on the use of the river over its history. A permit is needed and any potential archaeological finds must be reported.
- Over 250 human skeletal remains have been found, meaning that the river itself is the site of multiple sources. No wonder Flo is never happier than when she is on the foreshore.
- Many of the bones come from unearthed burials, washed from graves and into the river.
- It is interesting to think that many cultures view rivers as the separation between the physical and spiritual worlds. Obviously Jonathan Stroud was aware of this connection when he made flowing water such a feature of the Lockwood and Co world ⚔👻
Further Reading Links:
Getting Here
Mainline Trains
Whilst there is not really a mainline station in the vicinity, the Docklands area is well-serviced by public transport. Well-connected mainline hubs include London Bridge Station (Jubilee line), and Lewisham (DLR)
Tube Trains (See Practical Notes as well!)
The following lines serve the general docklands area:
- Jubilee
- Elizabeth
- DLR
The Jubilee line also connects with the Overground at Canada Water.
Uber Boat/Thames Clipper
One of the best ways to reach the area is via boat.
Practical Notes / Nearby
Museum of London Docklands
Today the Museum of London is housed in No 1 warehouse of the West India Docks. Permanent displays reveal the importance of the area to London. It is free to visit and open 7 days, 10am to 5pm.
