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The dockland memory in Rotherhithe

Shintaro Kurihara

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This project aims to explore the dockland hidden history in Rother-hithe. Rotherhithe, the South East Lon-don, was the old commercial dock area from 17C. So, the representativeness of the economic activity and resident’s life are focused in this photo project. One old picture of the cafe where I of-ten visit inspired me to explore Rother-hithe. The café was called Watch House cafe. It was used as the watch house to observe for preventing body snatchers from digging a grave since 1821. Before knowing the fact, it was just a unique

building café for me. The place, howev-er, more attracted me when I saw one archive picture in the local library. The experience was the starting point. This book is the output of my research and fieldwork from April to July in 2013.

“Pick up the map, go out into the city, and walk the circle, keeping as close as you can to the curve. Re-cord the experience as you go, in whatever medium you favour: film, photograph, manuscript, tape”. by Guy Debort, Psychogeographer

About this project

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INDEX

Map 4-5Rotherhithe Street 6-7Hope Wharf 8-9The Angle Pub 10-11Grice’s Granary/Sands Film 12-15Watch House 16-17St. Marychurch 18-19St. Mary Rotherhithe 20-21Brunel Tunnel Pump House 22-23Thames Tunnel Mills 24-27The Mayflower Pub 28-29Elephant Lane 30-31The Rolling Lift Bridge 32-33River Thames riverscape 34-35

East India Wharf 36-37Rotherhithe riverscape 38-39Church Stairs 40-41The Crane in Finland Berth 42-43Entrance of Surrey Dock 44-45The visible dockland memories 46-47Surrey Commercial Dock 48-51Filled Surrey Commercial Dock 52-55Dock Office 56-57Reference 58

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Rotherhithe It was derived from the Anglo-Saxon “Sailors’ Haven”.

Rotherhithe was renowned the shipbuilding and dockland

since 17C.

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1894

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Rotherhithe Street 1981The entrance of Rotherhithe Village

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Hope Wharf 1979“The site of this late nineteenth-century warehouse was occupied by J Goddard’s open coal wharf and depot in the 1850s.”

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Hope Wharf was converted into a flat after the dockland closure in 1980s.

10The Angle Pub 1980s

11In 1620 “ Christopher Jones, captain of the Mayflower, have hired crew here”.The sailors used to access this pub from their ship directly.

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Grice’s Granary

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Sands Film StudioThis old warehouse has been in use since 1780. A film adaptation of “Little Dorrit”, a story based on the book by the famous Charles Dickens, was produced here.

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Grice’s Granary

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Sands Film Studio Rotherhithe Picture Research Library inSands Film Studio

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Watch House 1976This small building called ‘Watch House’ in front of St. Marychurch. It was used for observing to prevent grave robbers from digging up bodies since 1821.

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Watch House CafeIt reopened as a cafe in 2012.

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St. Marychurch 1901

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Christopher Jones, captain of the Mayflower, was buried in this cemetery.

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St. Mary Rotherhithe(Charity school) 1981

1925

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“Free school founded by Peter Hill and Robert Bell in1613. Charity school instituted removed here supported by voluntary contributions.”

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Brunel Tunnel Pump House 1981

23The oldest tunnel under the river was completed in 1843 for connecting Rotherhithe and Wapping.

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Thames Tunnel Mills on Rotherhithe Street

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Thames Tunnel Mills 1981

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“This is a listed mid 19th century former mill building and warehouse. It is one of the earliest warehouse residential conversions in Docklands.”

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The Mayflower Pub 1972

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The Myflower set sail to America from here in 1620.

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Elephant Lane 1937 Elephant Lane 1981

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After WW2, the landscape of Elephant Lane was changed dynamically.

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The Rolling Lift Bridge over the entrance of the old Surrey Docks 1977

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Many ships passed under the bridge until 1980s. It seems to work, but it’s already no function.

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River Thames riverscape

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East India Wharf 1963

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There is no ship any more without leisure boats. The atmosphere of the dockland, however, is still existing.

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Rotherhithe riverscape 1937

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There are many historical buildings that were used as the warehouse. After the reno-vation, these are used as luxury flats now.

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Church Stairs

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The Crane in Finland Berth 1957

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The monument without the function.

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Entrance of Surrey Commercial Dock 1976

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No ship is waiting to enter the dock any more.

46The visible dockland memories

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Surrey Commercial Dock 1919

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The half of Canada dock was filled and redeveloped as the shopping centre.

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Surrey Commercial Dock 1976

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The dockland is used as a marina.

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Filled Surrey Commercial Dock 1978

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According to the old map, above 50% dock pools and canals were filled.

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Surrey Commercial Dock 1976

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A lot of houses were built in the filled-up land.

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Dock Office Former dock managers office

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It is used for a college of further education.

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Reference

•Archive picture

Ellmers, C., Werner, A. (1988) London’s Lost Riverscape. London: Viking. (p.38 of this

book)

John Harvard Library (p8, p38 of this book)

Rotherhithe Picture Research Library (Every B/W pictures except p8, p38 of this book)

•Reference

Coverley, M. (2008) Psychogeography. Harpenden: POCKET ESSENTIALS.

Roberts, M., Farley P. (2011) Edgelands. London: Randam House.

Rankin Stuart. (2005) Maritime Rotherhithe. London: Southwark Council. [Map.5]

•Movie version

DOCKLAND MEMORY IN ROTHERHITHE (http://youtu.be/mZ65wAhUt4A)

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Last updated. 1 August 2013