Historical Information

History of Greenwich Peninsula and Woolwich

· In the 1300s Woolwich was a fishing village and a ferry ran between Woolwich on the north shore and Warren Lane on the south shore.

· In the 16th century the peninsula was drained by Dutch engineers to be used as pasture land

· 1741 the Regiment of Artillery was formed in the Arsenal and in 1741 the Royal Military Academy.

· In 1800 the river was embanked in the Middle Ages.

· In 1810 the army established its own ferry that ran from Woolwich Arsenal to Duvals Wharf.

· 1857 the first telegraph cable to be laid across the Atlantic (was made at Glass and Elliott's cable factory in East Greenwich.)

· 1880 the East Greenwich Gas Works was built (by the South Metropolitan Gas Company.)

· The free Woolwich ferry was established in the late 1880s.

· 1897 opening of the Blackwall Tunnel.

· The manufacturing industries declined after World War II, all of the housing became empty and was demolished.

· 2000 the Millennium Dome was built to celebrate the Millennium celebrations.

· 2012 The O2 will host some events in the Olympic Games.

c. 1840, Cottage, Greenwich Marsh (now the Peninsula), watercolour by Ralph Willet Lucas

The lane passing the cottage is presumably Marsh lane, now Blackwall Lane.

This semi-derelict, but inhabited, cottage stood to the east of Enderby's Rope Works on the west side of Greenwich Marsh (now the Peninsula).

Alacatel now occupies the site of Enderby's, which burnt down in 1845.

The lane passing the cottage is presumably Marsh lane, now Blackwall Lane.

1857, Telegraph Cable Works

The first telegraph cable to be laid across the Atlantic was made at Glass and Elliott's cable factory in East Greenwich.

The finished cable was loaded on to Brunel's famous ship the "Great Eastern" and successfully laid across the Atlantic in 1866.

Alcatel, the telecommunications company, maintains that tradition at Enderby’s Wharf to this day.

c. 1908 Tunnel Avenue

(A view north along Tunnel Avenue towards the entrance to the Blackwall Tunnel.)

A complete urban community grew up around the industries on Greenwich Peninsula: housing for industrial workers, shops, public houses, restaurants, a church and a school.

The view is dominated by the two enormous gasholders, part of the giant East Greenwich Gasworks.

c. 1950, Blackwall Tunnel

A 58 tram at the entrance to the Blackwall Tunnel shortly before trams were abolished in 1952.

The 58 tram route travelled from the tunnel to Victoria via Catford and Dulwich.

c. 1970 Greenfell Street

Two views of terraced housing in Greenfell Street on the Greenwich Peninsula.

In the background the massive East Greenwich Gas Works.

Greenfell Street and the gas works have both been demolished and the site is now occupied by the Millennium Dome.

c. 1910, Greenwich Wharf

Greenwich Wharf was adjacent to Pelton Road at the southern end of the Peninsula.

Geographically, it is not far from the site of R. W. Lucas's watercolour of the picturesque cottage at the end of Enderby's cable works, but presents a grimy contrast.

The white material is lime from the lime and cement works which had been on this site. Much of this wharf was taken into Lovell's Wharf which (in 2004) is about to be redeveloped.

c. 1925, Woolwich Ferry South Terminal