The Works at St Katharine Dock 1825

This print shows the building of St Katharine Dock. The view looks towards the City of London. The building of the docks provided work for thousands of labourers, many of whom were Irish. The image vividly captures the reality of early dock building. At the time over a thousand labourers, masons, bricklayers, carters and engineers were busy at work. The dock was excavated entirely by hand, using pick-axes and shovels. Earth was removed by wheelbarrows and in horse-drawn wagons on iron railways. The print dated January 1828 appears to show the dock in the early stages of its construction but, amazingly, by October that year the dock was completed.