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The Changing Pace of Change
Slivertown is not the only part of the Thames landscape to have had an explosive transformation. Before TNT, gunpowder was routinely made or stored in the Thames Estuary.
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River Thames at Erith |
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And overall, this marshy Thames-side area had a positive effect on the well being of the population. At nearby Crossness, a large sewage works was constructed.
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Crossness Sewage Works |
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Prince of Wales opening Crossness Sewage works |
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Opened by the Prince of Wales in 1865, it was part of the larger scheme to reduce disease by bringing proper sanitation to London. Networks of underground sewers delivered London's waste here for treatment before disposal into the Thames.
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Thamesmead |
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But come the 1960s and London's expansion brought major change. The town of Thamesmead, was built here.
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Thamesmead mural |
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With its modern architecture and futuristic design, it was heralded as a grand new approach to urban development.
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As with many such plans, its shiny newness eventually tarnished and high rise-housing development was seen as a mistake. Since then, further rebuilding projects continue the process of change.
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Tavy Bridge, Thamesmead |
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Thamesmead Aerial view |
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More development is now proposed along both sides of the Thames estuary as the London conurbation spreads further and further a field. The river Thames, meanwhile, continues its journey to the sea along much the same route as has for ten thousand years, its pace of change far slower than that of the people that endlessly re-shape their lives and the landscape along the banks of the Thames.
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Introduction
Erith
