Trade Expansion: 1600–1800

This gallery tells the story of how London’s trade business grew, with ships from all over the world bringing back spices, tea and silk.

Britain was protected by an increasingly powerful navy, which helped challenge its rivals for trade and territory. This international expansion was mirrored in the growth of London’s population and port.

London was trading with the world: the East and West Indies, North America, Europe and the Baltic. Between 1600 and 1798, the number of boats using London’s ports rose from 3,000 to 14,600.

Port business was also booming onshore. Trade deals were being made across the city in coffee houses, the Royal Exchange and merchants’ counting houses.

More and more ships were coming into the city, but this meant traffic jams on the river were common. Smaller wharves were introduced in Bermondsey and St Katharine Docks to help cope with demand. Only small ships could load or unload at these, so congestion remained a big problem.