Isle of Dogs' industrial rise shaped by 400-year-old ferry and canal links
Regent’s Canal and Thames crossings drove 19th-century trade, records show, with wharves built along Millwall’s riverside
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The Isle of Dogs’ industrial expansion in the 18th and 19th centuries was built on its waterways. The Thames and the Regent’s Canal formed a transport network that outpaced the era’s poorly maintained roads, according to historical records. Wharves stretched from Limehouse to Blackwall, accommodating barges and lighters as trade grew.
Ferry services linked Millwall to Greenwich for centuries
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A ferry crossing between Millwall and Greenwich has operated since at least the 1600s. The service originally ran from Potter’s Ferry slipway, close to the present-day Ferry House pub on the Isle of Dogs. Greenwich watermen held exclusive rights to carry foot passengers, a privilege they retained even after changes in 1812.
That year, a new ferry company was established with the authority to transport goods, animals and vehicles. The arrangement split responsibilities: the company handled freight, while the watermen continued to ferry people. The service connected industrial sites along Millwall’s riverside, including Regent Wharf, Torrington Arms and Tindall’s Dock.
Wharves expanded as trade demanded more space
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By 1850, firms were reinforcing the island’s shoreline to support heavier traffic. Pontifex and Wood, a lead manufacturer, built a 550-foot embankment at their West Ferry Road factory. The Thames Conservancy Board later permitted further improvements in the 1860s to make the shore safer for barges. Similar projects ringed the island, creating a network of wharves.
Historian Benjamin H Cowper documented the ferry routes in his 1853 account of Millwall. He listed stops at the Kings Arms, Ferry Street and a now-obsolete crossing near Ferguson’s Works. Cowper suggested this may have been the Deptford Ferry, once used by diarist Samuel Pepys. If so, its closure marked the end of a link that had served shipbuilders and naval yards for generations.
There was a Ferry called Willow Bridge Ferry, near Messrs Ferguson’s Works, but this was obsolete.
Benjamin H Cowper, historian, in *A Descriptive Historical and Statistical Account of Millwall* (1853)
What the records reveal about the island’s growth
Debbie Levett, officer trustee for the Friends of Island History Trust, said the waterways were central to the Isle of Dogs’ development. The trust, which maintains local archives, has documented how industries relied on the Thames and its ferries. No formal plans exist to mark the historical sites, but the trust continues to record oral histories from residents who remember the area’s industrial past.
The Regent’s Canal, completed in 1820, connected Limehouse to the national canal network. This allowed goods to move inland more efficiently than by road, which was often muddy and unreliable. The canal’s role in the island’s growth is noted in contemporary accounts, though no single body currently oversees its historical interpretation.
No formal steps to preserve the sites
There are no scheduled council actions to protect or commemorate the ferry routes and wharves. Tower Hamlets Council has not announced any heritage projects related to the Isle of Dogs’ industrial waterways. The Friends of Island History Trust remains the primary organisation documenting the area’s transport history, but it operates without public funding for preservation.
Questions this report answers
+How long did the Millwall-Greenwich ferry operate?
The ferry between Millwall and Greenwich ran for at least 400 years, starting from Potter’s Ferry slipway. Records show it was still active in the 19th century, though some routes, like Willow Bridge Ferry, had closed by then.
+What did the 1812 ferry company do differently?
The 1812 ferry company was granted rights to carry goods, animals and vehicles across the Thames. Greenwich watermen kept their exclusive right to transport foot passengers, splitting the service between freight and people.
+Why was the Regent’s Canal important for the Isle of Dogs?
The Regent’s Canal, opened in 1820, provided faster inland transport than 18th-century roads. It connected Limehouse to the national canal network, allowing industries on the Isle of Dogs to move goods more efficiently.
+Are there plans to preserve these historical sites?
No formal plans exist. Tower Hamlets Council has not announced any heritage projects for the ferry routes or wharves. The Friends of Island History Trust documents the area’s history but lacks public funding for preservation.
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