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| St Katherine's Dock |
In the heart of London and literally within the shadow of
Tower Bridge is St Katherine’s Dock. The docks were constructed in 1828 on the
site formerly used for executions, with gallows situated here up until the
sixteenth century.
As with all docks it was once a dark, dangerous place
surrounded by high walls to protect the cargo inside. River Police would
regularly visit local schools to warn of the dangers of playing around the docks on the barges
or river banks, using early cloth flip charts (very low tech) to display how dangerous the
river could be.
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| The Dicken's Inn |
Concerns were raised when the dock closed in 1968 when it
became apparent that the area would become a marina along with apartments,
restaurants and a shopping area. Wanting to dispel fears of elitism the
developers promised a school and amenities for the locals but this was soon
forgotten after a hotel was built and the yachts started to arrive. Despite this the area is now open to the
public and a broken, dilapidated and dangerous industrial area is now a new
centre of urban life. If you have not got a boat to moor you can at least have a pint in the Dickens Inn.
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