London Docklands - A changing waterfront 1985-87
The book is in early production at present, but we are hoping to publish in 2025 through Cafe Royal Books. Watch this Space.
The following images were taken during the Winter of 1986/87, for a College project while studying Photo Journalism at the London College of Printing.
The Docklands around Rotherhithe Greenwich and Silvertown were going through a big transformation at that time
With the closure of much of the docklands from the 50s right through to the 70’s, the local population was shrinking and the remaining residents and community groups felt down trodden and uncared for.
To support the interest of the existing community The Docklands Action group was formed, The group won a number of victories in favour of the existing community over many year, but progress was slow. Then in 1986 the GLC was abolished, and JDAG lost its grant funding and closed.
This left to way for London Docklands Development Corporation, set up by the Conservative Government to fully develop the area in their vision.
Looking back, the Development in the area has been astonishingly successful, just take a look at Canary Wharf and Surrey Quay. The following pages contain photographs documenting the area at that time, A land where cranes and light industry still clung on to the Thames, but where for the most part, the community was on it’s last legs, the docks were silent, and Social Housing was left to full into ruin. For me, as a young photographer, nowhere seemed off limits and I was allowed to roam through open gates onto dockyards, scrapyards, Steel and Gravel works, through old communities and new travellers and Squatter sites. It was a cold and brittle but fascinating landscape.
The book is in early production at present, but we are hoping to publish in 2025 through Cafe Royal Books. Watch this Space.
The following images were taken during the Winter of 1986/87, for a College project while studying Photo Journalism at the London College of Printing.
The Docklands around Rotherhithe Greenwich and Silvertown were going through a big transformation at that time
With the closure of much of the docklands from the 50s right through to the 70’s, the local population was shrinking and the remaining residents and community groups felt down trodden and uncared for.
To support the interest of the existing community The Docklands Action group was formed, The group won a number of victories in favour of the existing community over many year, but progress was slow. Then in 1986 the GLC was abolished, and JDAG lost its grant funding and closed.
This left to way for London Docklands Development Corporation, set up by the Conservative Government to fully develop the area in their vision.
Looking back, the Development in the area has been astonishingly successful, just take a look at Canary Wharf and Surrey Quay. The following pages contain photographs documenting the area at that time, A land where cranes and light industry still clung on to the Thames, but where for the most part, the community was on it’s last legs, the docks were silent, and Social Housing was left to full into ruin. For me, as a young photographer, nowhere seemed off limits and I was allowed to roam through open gates onto dockyards, scrapyards, Steel and Gravel works, through old communities and new travellers and Squatter sites. It was a cold and brittle but fascinating landscape.
The book is in early production at present, but we are hoping to publish in 2025 through Cafe Royal Books. Watch this Space.
The following images were taken during the Winter of 1986/87, for a College project while studying Photo Journalism at the London College of Printing.
The Docklands around Rotherhithe Greenwich and Silvertown were going through a big transformation at that time
With the closure of much of the docklands from the 50s right through to the 70’s, the local population was shrinking and the remaining residents and community groups felt down trodden and uncared for.
To support the interest of the existing community The Docklands Action group was formed, The group won a number of victories in favour of the existing community over many year, but progress was slow. Then in 1986 the GLC was abolished, and JDAG lost its grant funding and closed.
This left to way for London Docklands Development Corporation, set up by the Conservative Government to fully develop the area in their vision.
Looking back, the Development in the area has been astonishingly successful, just take a look at Canary Wharf and Surrey Quay. The following pages contain photographs documenting the area at that time, A land where cranes and light industry still clung on to the Thames, but where for the most part, the community was on it’s last legs, the docks were silent, and Social Housing was left to full into ruin. For me, as a young photographer, nowhere seemed off limits and I was allowed to roam through open gates onto dockyards, scrapyards, Steel and Gravel works, through old communities and new travellers and Squatter sites. It was a cold and brittle but fascinating landscape.
The book is in early production at present, but we are hoping to publish in 2025 through Cafe Royal Books. Watch this Space.