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East India Docks
(1806-1967)
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The Tea and Spice Docks |
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- Ralph Walker was appointed as engineer for the project. John Rennie was retained as special consultant.
- Joseph and William Trimmer were contracted to make 18 million bricks for the project.
- The dock system consisted of two parallel docks, the 18 acre Import Dock and the 9 acre Export Dock. Both docks were 7.9 metres deep.
- The East India Dock Basin connected the dock system to the river, via the East India Dock Entrance, which had two locks.
- The docks could berth up to 250 vessels at any time.
- Each dock had four quays, named North, South, East and West Quay. Each quay was 73 metres long.
- East India Dock had no warehouses on the quays. 15 acres of warehouse space was available at Cutler Street.
- The whole dock system was surrounded by a boundary wall 6.4 metres high.
- The Export Dock housed the Brunswick Wharf Power Station.
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1803 |
Construction of the East India Dock begins |
4 August 1806 |
The East India Dock opens at Blackwall |
1838 |
The East India and the West India Dock Company amalgamate |
1930 |
The Brunswick Hotel, built by the East India Company for wealthy merchants, is demolished |
1943 |
The Import Dock is pumped dry to be used in the construction of Phoenix breakwaters used for the 'Mulberry' artificial harbours. |
February 1944 |
Winston Churchill visits the dock to inspect construction |
1946 |
Cargo handling using forklift trucks is adopted |
1967 |
The East India Dock is the first to close in London | |
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