8. South Dock Information & History
South Dock was built in 1807–1811 just south of Greenland Dock, to which it is connected by a channel now known as Greenland Cut. It also has a lock giving access to the River Thames. Originally named the East Country Dock, it was renamed in 1850 when the Surrey Commercial Dock Company purchased and enlarged it. During World War II, the dock was seriously damaged by German attacks. Due to bomb damage in Greenland Dock, South Dock became the only exit from that dock. It was emptied of shipping in 1944, drained and used for the construction of concrete sections for the Mulberry Harbours used on D-Day. After the war, it was repaired and the surrounding warehouses rebuilt. The revival of the Surrey Docks was short, the new container ships were much too big for the river, most of the river trade moved downriver to more modern ports. Surrey Docks closed in December 1970 and were sold to the London Borough of Southwark in 1977. More at wikipedia | Southwark History Walk PDF >
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