First Port of Empire: 1840–1880
How London’s docks became the centre of world trade, as British power spread in the 19th century.
-
London benefited enormously from its industry and docks.
As the financial heart of the British empire, London’s docks had the money to expand and bring even more trade into the city – and quickly. Wooden ships became less common, while iron shipbuilding and engine-making expanded rapidly. New docks were opened, so bigger ships with bigger cargoes could to come into London.
Big industry also started appearing on the riverside, which brought more jobs and money into the area: shipyards, engineering works, potteries, gasworks and candleworks.
This gallery also has some original features from when the building was a busy, working warehouse, like winches that were used to hoist heavy cargo.
First Port of Empire is open 10am – 5pm every day at London Museum Docklands.
Please note that we'll start closing up the galleries at around 4.40pm.
There's lots to see, so we recommend you spend at least 15 minutes in the First Port of Empire gallery.
It's the sixth gallery on our recommended route and you'll find it on the Second Floor.
-
-
-
-
Paintings, Prints & Drawings
-
Paintings, Prints & Drawings
Paintings, Prints & DrawingsThe Great Fire at Tooley Street, 1861 (oil on canvas)
British School
1861
-
London Museum DocklandsWarehouse of the World: 1880–1939
London's docks housed everything you could think of, giving them the title: Warehouse of the World
-
London Museum DocklandsDocklands at War: 1939–1945
How London survived and helped the war effort, from Dunkirk to D-Day
-
London Museum DocklandsNew Port, New City: 1945 – present
How Docklands was reinvented for a new century – from rebuilding, dereliction and back to rebuilding
-
London Museum DocklandsNo. 1 Warehouse: Intro gallery
Our building is a rare survivor of the old docks and its story is at the heart of this gallery
-
London Museum DocklandsTrade Expansion: 1600–1800
Meet the merchants, sailors and pirates who transformed London in the 1600s
-
London Museum DocklandsLondon, Sugar & Slavery: 1600 – present
Shining a light on London’s overlooked role in slavery
-
London Museum DocklandsCity and River: 1800–1840
A city transformed by its river with new docks, new bridges and new tunnels
-
London Museum DocklandsSailortown: 1840–1850
Experience the sights, sounds and smells of Victorian London in a recreation of a street in Wapping
