London Photo Gallery - Rotherhithe's Greenland Dock

Located on the southern side of the Thames as it sweeps downstream from The City, Rotherhithe was home to many dockyards since the 17th century. The Howland Great Dock is the city's oldest wet dock, initially used to repair East India Company ships, then becoming a base for whaling ships to unload whales and walruses caught near Greenland from about 1720, giving it the name Greenland Dock in 1763.

Whales were hunted for blubber to produce oil for lamps, lubricant for machine, and soaps. Their bones were used in umbrellas and corsets.

Greenland Dock merged with its neighbour in 1806 to form the Surrey Commercial Docks. After whaling ended, the docks were used to import mainly timber and grains. They were extensively damaged during World War II bombing. Coupled with the arrival of container shipping that in the 1960s and the shipping trade moving further downstream, the docks closed in 1969 and many were filled in during the 1980s as redevelopment began.

Greenland Dock escaped reclamation and is now surrounded by residential buildings with boats moored in the waters. The community extends all the way to the Thames riverfront, which has a long promenade and offers a good view of Canary Wharf's skyline.