London Reference BooksPublished 2011© 2011 Adrian Prockter layout, all

images and text. No copying in anyformat allowed without writtenpermission.

•

Convoy’s Wharf15 June 1999 • View from

Greenwich Park, with Tower Bridgeand the dome of St Paul’s Cathedralin the distance. The two Roll-on Roll-off (Ro-Ro) ships, so-called becausegoods can be ‘rolled’ on or off bydriving trucks into the rear of thevessels, carried large drums ofnewsprint to the wharf at Deptford.The drums were transported forprinting newspapers in London. Theships no longer moor at Deptford.They now work out of Tilbury.

•

Convoy’s Wharf31 March 1999 • View looking

north from Watergate Stairs ofConvoy’s Wharf on a sunny morningwith just one ship moored alongside.The vessel was 14,000 tons, noe ofthe largest ships to regularly visit tispart of the Thames. Vessels like theone seen here were no longer to beseen at Deptford when the wharf wasclosed down around the time of theMillennium.

•

Union Wharf27 July 1999 • The view looks

down-river, along the wharf.Customers of the Cutty Sark pub (onthe right) are enjoying a lunch-timedrink in the sunshine.

The two large cranes behind thetrees served Lovell’s Wharf which, atthe time of the picture, was importinglarge reels of steel for the buildingindustry.

•

Cutty Sark PH, Greenwich27 July 1999 • This Georgian pub

by the river started life under thename of Union Arms, because it wason what is still called Union Wharf.The name was changed in honour ofthe sailing ship when it was broughtto a permanent site in dry dock.

•

Piper’s Wharf24 March 2002 • The beach was in

use by men who repaired lightersuntil the 1980s. The discardedremains of their work still litter theforeshore. The wooden hull seen hereis completely rotten and fills withwater at high tide.

•

Bay Wharf24 March 2002 • The old slipway

in front of the remains of the coveredshed. It was in use for barge repairuntil at least the 1980s. The site lieson the Greenwich Penninsula, not farfrom the south entrance to theBlackwall Tunnel.

•

Enderby’s WharfAugust 1963 • Cable laying ship

'Mercury' moored off Enderby'sWharf. In 1963 cables were made inthe large factory beside the wharf andpayed out on rollers to be stored onthe ship. It was capable of storingenough length to lay a cable acrossthe North Atlantic. The ship was atsea for months at a time while the jobwas completed in all weathers.

•

Enderby’s Wharf24 March 2002 • Revisiting the

wharf nearly 40 years later, we seethat all activity by the Thames hasceased. The whole site has been‘sanitised’ and made to lookrespectable for the casual user of theriverside walkway. The large greysteel structure once had a large wheel,rather like a bicycle wheel, towardsthe top over which the cable travelledas it was conveyed into the hold ofthe cable-laying vessel. The front wallof the factory, used to manufacturethe large cable, can be seen on the farright of the picture.

•

Millennium Dome5 February 1999 • View of the

dome from near the old entrance tothe West India Docks. The structurein front of the camera is an olddolphin, once used to assist shipsentering the entry lock.

Now called the O2 Arena, it is oneof London’s premier entertainmentvenues.

•

Millennium Dome13 July 1999 • A rather surreal

view from the Isle of Dogs of a 19thcentury Thames sailing barge passingby the 21st century MillenniumDome.

•

Millennium Dome2 July 1999 • Five of the twelve

roof supports.•

Millennium Dome28 October 2001 • Some of the

many cables, supporting theenormous roof.

•

Slice of Reality(Public Art)28 October 2001 • The large work

of art is mounted on the riversidewalkway, near the Millenium Dome.

•

Slice of Reality(Public Art)28 October 2001 • The large work

of art is mounted on the riversidewalkway, near the Millenium Dome.

•

Greenwich Yacht Club11 September 1998 • Until the

Millennium Dome was constructed,the club had humble premises lookingtowards the Thames Barrier. Theirexact site was required for landaround the Dome so a grand newclub-house was built for the club ashort distance down-stream.

•

Greenwich Riverfront29 October 2000 • Mud on the

foreshore at low tide reflecting theblue in the sky.

•

Greenwich Yacht Club29 October 2000 • One of the small

vessels on the mud at low water.•

Greenwich Yacht Club29 October 2000 • One of the small

vessels on the mud at low water.•

Greenwich Riverfront29 October 2000 • Mud on the fore-

shore at low tide.•

Charlton Riverfront29 October 2000 • View looking

west, towards Canary Wharf and theMillennium Dome. This part of theriverfront is still part of the workingriver. The large vessel delivers sandand aggregates to large-scale buildingprojects in London.

•

Thames Barrier29 October 2000 • View from the

Anchor and Hope PH, looking eastwith a low tide.

•

Thames Barrier11 April 1999 • Looking north at

the enormous piers from the south(Woolwich) side of the Thames.

•

The End© Adrian Prockter 2011All images in this e-publication are

copyright Adrian Prockter. Nomaterial may be copied or re-distributed to supply a third partywithout the written permission of thecopyright holder.

For any enquiries, use the contactemail address below.

adrianprockter@ntlworld.com•