Buildings in Garth Street
Buildings in Garth Street
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Buildings in Garth Street
SC_PHL_01_390_A355 (Collage 121232)
London Metropolitan Archives: LCC Photograph Library
A view of houses in Garth Street, Shadwell, shortly before demolition to facilitate the laying out of the King Edward Memorial Park. A dilapidated fence surrounds most of the buildings, and a larger building to the right has a sign for Dining Rooms. The geography of the area, sloping towards the Thames, is clearly seen in the gradient of Garth Street and Gould's Hill to the left. The King Edward Memorial Park (Shadwell Park to locals) was officially opened on 24 June 1922 by King George V and Queen Mary with the dedication "In grateful memory of King Edward VII. This park is dedicated to the use and enjoyment of the people of East London for ever". The East London Observer gave a report of a committee meeting about the setting up of the 3.3 hectares park as early as December 1911. The completed park included a bandstand, waterfront benches, children's playing area, bowling green, all weather football pitch and tennis courts. As well as Garth Street, the following streets and the properties on them were also demolished to make way for the park: Market Hill, Popes Hill, Broad Bridge, Gould Hill, Bell Wharf Hill, Monmouth Street, Middle Shadwell, Shadwell Green, Leading Street, Lower Shadwell, New Road, and Labour In Vain Street. In addition to numerous terraced houses the park also replaced an oil works, Kent & Essex Wharf, Victoria Wharf, The Linde British Refrigeration Works, and Shadwell Fish Market. Located within the park is the Grade II listed Rotherhithe Tunnel Shaft number 3. The Rotherhithe Tunnel itself passes underneath the park, almost directly under the spot from which this photograph was taken. A plaque erected in 1922 by the LCC commemorates Sir Hugh Willoughby, who in May 1533 set off near here with three ships in search of the Northeast Passage to India. The Thames Path passes through the park. In 2014, after much local opposition, Thames Water received permission to use part of the park for construction of sewer works for the Tideway Construction Project.
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