Woolwich Dockyard
The Woolwich Dockyard was a British naval shipyard , which was established in 1512 by Henry VIII together with the naval shipyard Deptford to build the flagship Henry Grace à Dieu .
At the beginning of the 16th century, London was a center of royal and ecclesiastical power. Henry VIII added to London's importance by establishing the Royal Dockyards, Woolwich and Deptford, on the south bank of the Thames so that they could be in close proximity to the Tower of London . This strengthened London's links with the sea and the nascent Royal Navy .
history
The two shipyards quickly developed into a center of economic life, which also strengthened the surrounding communities economically. Elisabeth I received the naval shipyard and expanded it. For example, a rope factory was set up in 1553 . As English maritime activity increased in the 17th and 18th centuries, ships continued to be built in the Woolwich Dockyard.
Technological improvements and the increasing size of the ships made it possible to compensate for some of the shortcomings in the Woolwich Dockyard. In the 18th century, other shipyards in addition to Woolwich and Deptford were set up in Plymouth , Portsmouth , Chatham and later in Sheerness . These shipyards were located directly on the sea and were therefore strategically better, which was a huge advantage for the fleet, especially in times of war.
In addition, it became more and more difficult for larger ships to approach the Woolwich Dockyard due to the insufficient depth of the Thames. Nevertheless, the Woolwich Dockyard with its port facilities, warehouses and reception facilities was still an important part of the Royal Navy. Especially during the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars , many ships called at Woolwich Dockyard.
The end of the Woolwich Dockyard
In 1830 the Royal Navy decided to only build small steam-powered ships in Woolwich. Eventually the construction of the smaller ships was outsourced to Chatham. Some machines from the Woolwich Dockyard were also brought there.
When the Woolwich Dockyard closed in 1869, the local population encountered a series of layoffs. The need of the population was so great that a relief fund for a new life in Canada was set up. However, there were still private shipbuilders, so that shipbuilding on the Thames did not come to a complete standstill.
Well-known ships moored at Woolwich Dockyard
- 1512–1514 Henry Grace à Dieu
- 1756 Royal George
- 1809 Macedonian
- 1820 Beagle
Web links
- History of Woolwich and Deptford Dockyard (in English)
Coordinates: 51 ° 29 ′ 40 ″ N , 0 ° 3 ′ 22 ″ E