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4.
On the Waterfront
The Riverside
When the docks first opened for business, it was thought that they
would take trade away from the riverside wharves and clear the river
of shipping.
But
this did not prove to be the case. Although the docks received the
larger ships involved in the overseas trade, the riverside continued
to receive the growing coastal trade - the ships which carried goods
up and down the British coast.
Much
of this trade supplied the London market which drew in food and
other goods for its large population.
Moreover,
after the dock companies had lost their import monopolies in the
1820s, an increasing number of ships in the docks did not unload
their cargoes on to the quays but overside into lighters and barges,
which then carried them to the riverside wharves and warehouses.
The
reason for this was the 'free-water clause' which was included in
the early dock acts. This allowed lighters to enter the docks freely
to take goods off ships without paying dock charges.
In
this way the owners of the cargoes could avoid the more expensive
quayside and warehouse charges in the docks and go to the cheaper
riverside wharves.
It
has been estimated that by the end of the nineteenth century up
to 80% of the cargoes of ships in the docks were unloaded into lighters
and taken to the wharves.
B:
'Ship's bakers, marine-store dealers, instrument makers and boat
builders lived and worked in the streets by the river.
Laundresses of Wapping and Shadwell lived by taking in the sailors'
washing...
Carpenters and smiths were numerous along the waterfront and their
services were often needed, for in the congested river collisions
and other accidents happened very frequently...
Along
with the more reputable riverside occupations, and often combined
with them, were others: lodging-houses that were also brothels,
dolly-shops (unlicensed pawnshops).
The
riverside abounded with public houses, whose landladies were as
a class, notoriously grasping and dishonest - though there were
honourable exceptions.'
Millicent
Rose, 'The East End of London' 1951.
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