In 1514 the warship Great Harry - the pride of Henry VIII's fleet - was constructed at Woolwich Dockyard which went on to be the site of shipbuilding and repairing for nearly 350 years with huge store houses, dry docks and a ropery which was one of the largest in the world. In 1869 the dockyard closed but you can still find traces of it and this Guided Walk will reveal its remaining features and tell the stories of the ships built there and the people who worked there. We will also explore the industrial area that replaced the dockyard and has its own story to tell.
Guide: Rob Smith
Meet at Woolwich Dockyard Station, Belson Road, London SE18 5JY
See the architectural treasures of Barking and Dagenham in this Virtual Walk, part of a series by Rob Smith on the best buildings in London Boroughs. Barking was home to one of the most powerful medieval religious houses in the country, of which you can still see the ruins. Another medieval survivor is Valence House, home to the borough museum. There are the beautiful Eastbury Manor House - one of London's best Elizabethan buildings - and the buildings associated with Barking's huge fishing fleet by the River Roding. Rob will also explain how the area became industrialised in the 20th century with the building of the huge Ford works, Barking Power Station and the Becontree Estate - built for Ford workers - and will discuss the buildings being built in the borough today.
Virtual Guide: Rob Smith
Online Event
This Virtual Walk will look at the industrial history of the area between Stratford and Canning Town. You will be sent a link to a Zoom meeting, where Rob will talk with slides showing the story, and you will be able to ask questions during and after the presentation. Much has been written about the history of London, but the industrial history has been overlooked. London, and in particular the Lea Valley, was home to many innovative industrial developments. This walk celebrates just a few of those achievements, in the fields of textiles, shipbuilding, ceramics, chemical manufacture, printing and even a rocket factory.
Virtual Guide: Rob Smith
Online Event
Dagenham is instantly associated with the huge Ford factory that opened in 1931. However, the Dagenham Dock has an industrial history going back to the early 1800's. This Guided Walk will look at a complex history that includes explosives manufacturing, shipbuilding and power generation. You'll get to see the site where the last battleship built on the Thames was completed, London's other flood relief barrier, oil storage depots, scrapyards and a fantastic stretch of the Thames which is an empty white patch on the A-Z. This is a longer walk - around 5 miles - but fans of Patrick Keiller's Robinson films, and Iain Sinclair's books will enjoy being in this extremely off the beaten track part of London.
Guide: Rob Smith
Meet at Dagenham Dock Station, Chequers Lane, London RM9 6PR