This film is part of Free
Tower Bridge Boats on Thames
Rare early glimpses of the Edwardian Thames at its busiest.
Overview
This precious film shows busy wharves and shipping in the Upper Pool of London, most of it probably shot from St. Olave's Church, Bermondsey, which was demolished in 1928. It opens by panning northwards along London Bridge - busy with horse-drawn traffic - looking to Cannon Street Station and Fishmongers' Hall beyond. Panning to the east, we glimpse Billingsgate Fish Market, Custom House and Brewers’ Quay.
The second section of the film was shot looking down from the City end of London Bridge. It pans around from Hay's Wharf to Tower Bridge, and then to the City waterfront. The main focus, however, is on the nearby jetty at Fresh Wharf, where two hydraulic cranes are busy discharging vessels.
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