I grew up in Bexleyheath and used to go skateboarding in Greenwich Park and sailing in Greenland Dock around 1980. I lived in Limehouse from 1990 and saw One Canada Place going up and rode on the DLR into the city on the day it opened.
From 1984-89 I lived in Mellish Street (just about visible on the 1st and 2nd photos, a bit to the left of the bridge over the Millwall Dock) so I watched as the area really began to change, and listened to the soothing daily sounds of the numerous piledrivers as the island became a massive building site! I also used to visit the building which had been, I think, a banana warehouse, and before it was finally demolished it was a TV Studio where I saw several episodes of "Who Dares Wins" being recorded, featuring Tony Robinson, Phil Pope, Julia Hills, Rory McGrath and Jimmy Mulville (among others). Mudchute and Island Gardens were visited regularly, as were some of the pubs still open on the island then....
Fascinating thank you. I wish I'd taken photos of Tottenham Hale before all the tower blocks moved in and took over. BTW there's an interesting typo in your section about Poplar. Tower Hamlets might not like to be referred to as a toy store!
I left the South East in 1980. People talked about the development of Docklands but it wasn't til a ride on the DLR that I actually realised shat had happened. I was absolutely stunned!. Brilliant photos
Fascinating to see the changes. An area of the city that I didn't venture into as I arrived in 1986 in West London. It was the wild East! That soon enough got conquered by developers. Thank you. Really enjoyed it.
Amazing photos. I just about remember the Isle of Dogs before the Canary Wharf development. My dad took us on the DLR when it first opened - it felt very Sci-Fi, riding a driverless train above a landscape still mostly building sites and empty docks. The view of Greenwich hasn't changed that much since I lived there, but the view from Greenwich is almost unrecognisable.
My brother lived on Beccles Street from 1991 to 2024 close to the now West Ferry DLR. The DLR opened in ‘87. Tower Gateway to Island Gardens was one of the 1st two routes. First visit in ‘93 there was open space in that direction and a fun-fair could be viewed from his balcony. Next visit in ‘95 the open space was replaced by flats. We walked around the Docklands one Sunday and recall looking at the commanding Tate & Lyle gate, must have been around the West Silvertown location near Lyle Park. In 2017, our last long walk, we walked down Westferry Rd on the Isle of Dogs to the Island Gardens park opposite Greenwich. He knew the whole area like the back of his hand.
I grew up in Bexleyheath and used to go skateboarding in Greenwich Park and sailing in Greenland Dock around 1980. I lived in Limehouse from 1990 and saw One Canada Place going up and rode on the DLR into the city on the day it opened.
What memories!
From 1984-89 I lived in Mellish Street (just about visible on the 1st and 2nd photos, a bit to the left of the bridge over the Millwall Dock) so I watched as the area really began to change, and listened to the soothing daily sounds of the numerous piledrivers as the island became a massive building site! I also used to visit the building which had been, I think, a banana warehouse, and before it was finally demolished it was a TV Studio where I saw several episodes of "Who Dares Wins" being recorded, featuring Tony Robinson, Phil Pope, Julia Hills, Rory McGrath and Jimmy Mulville (among others). Mudchute and Island Gardens were visited regularly, as were some of the pubs still open on the island then....
Fantastic images! What a loss to film makers the old IoD was. Long Good Friday comes to mind,
Fascinating thank you. I wish I'd taken photos of Tottenham Hale before all the tower blocks moved in and took over. BTW there's an interesting typo in your section about Poplar. Tower Hamlets might not like to be referred to as a toy store!
Haha, thanks for pointing that out! I’ve corrected it.
Wow. Thanks for sharing. What an amazing change in an historically short period of time.
Amazing photos demonstrating what we all know about London - that it'll never be finished! :-)
I left the South East in 1980. People talked about the development of Docklands but it wasn't til a ride on the DLR that I actually realised shat had happened. I was absolutely stunned!. Brilliant photos
Absolutely fascinating, brilliant photos.
Fascinating to see the changes. An area of the city that I didn't venture into as I arrived in 1986 in West London. It was the wild East! That soon enough got conquered by developers. Thank you. Really enjoyed it.
Amazing photos. I just about remember the Isle of Dogs before the Canary Wharf development. My dad took us on the DLR when it first opened - it felt very Sci-Fi, riding a driverless train above a landscape still mostly building sites and empty docks. The view of Greenwich hasn't changed that much since I lived there, but the view from Greenwich is almost unrecognisable.
I *still* think I’m living in the future when I get on a driverless DLR.
My brother lived on Beccles Street from 1991 to 2024 close to the now West Ferry DLR. The DLR opened in ‘87. Tower Gateway to Island Gardens was one of the 1st two routes. First visit in ‘93 there was open space in that direction and a fun-fair could be viewed from his balcony. Next visit in ‘95 the open space was replaced by flats. We walked around the Docklands one Sunday and recall looking at the commanding Tate & Lyle gate, must have been around the West Silvertown location near Lyle Park. In 2017, our last long walk, we walked down Westferry Rd on the Isle of Dogs to the Island Gardens park opposite Greenwich. He knew the whole area like the back of his hand.
Brunswick Wharf Power Station that was a new one for me. Lets have more of the 'Then and Now'.
Your wish is my command… another nine images coming in Friday’s newsletter.
Loved this
This is excellent - thank you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAtw6krxDsA
1981 London Marathon.
Around 18 minutes in the runners enter the Isle of Dogs from Poplar and look along an empty Canary Wharf.
Lots of footage of Jimmy Savile as well !🤣
Aha, great stuff... apart from the Savile.
The films of the 1980s Marathons show the battered London around the river - refurbished fragments remain and are now desirable‘and authentic’.
Fascinating, thank you!