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St Katharine Docks took their name from the former hospital of St Katharine's by the Tower, built in the 12th century, which stood on the site. An intensely built-up 23 acre (9.5 hectares) site was earmarked for redevelopment by an Act of Parliament in 1825, with construction commencing in May 1827. Some 1250 houses were demolished, together with the medieval hospital of St. Katharine. Around 11,300 inhabitants, mostly port workers crammed into unsanitary slums, lost their homes; only the property owners received compensation. The scheme was designed by engineer Thomas Telford and was his only major project in London. To create as much quayside as possible, the docks were designed in the form of two linked basins (East and West), both accessed via an entrance lock from the Thames. Steam engines designed by James Watt and Matthew Boulton kept the water level in the basins about four feet above that of the tidal river.
Telford aimed to minimise the amount of quayside activity and specified that the docks' warehouses (designed by the architect Philip Hardwick) be built right on the quayside so that goods could be unloaded directly into them.
The docks were officially opened on 25 October 1828. Although well used, they were not a great commercial success and were unable to accommodate large ships. They were amalgamated in 1864 with the neighbouring London Docks. In 1909, the Port of London Authority took over the management of almost all of the Thames docks, including the St Katharine.
The St Katharine Docks were badly damaged by German bombing during the Second World War. All the warehouses around the eastern basin were destroyed, and the site they had occupied remained derelict until the 1990s.
This is a dock at the edge of Lake Atitlan. I took this picture just before sunset in April 2004. This photo was taken using my Fujifilm S5000 digital camera.
The North Carr Lightship seems to have found its last resting place here in Victoria Dock, Dundee.
I recall visiting this ship many years ago when it was moored in (I think) Anstruther in the East Neuk of Fife. At that time it was a tourist attraction and was worth a visit. Sadly it is little more than a rusting wreck now.
Preston Dock - 21/10/2007
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Finally made time to take a wee excursion to Preston. Got a thing for harbours and moored boats so can't understand why I haven't made more of an effort earlier.