Charles Dickens London - Charles Dickens Ghost and his London

St Katharine Docks

I live near here and am very conscious of the historical

importance of the area. Just upstream is the Tower of London,

the City of London is close by to the North, while eastwards,

St Katharine's Way leads to Wapping and Limehouse, where

Charles Dickens spent some of his early childhood.

The dock lies in the shadow of Tower Bridge. This part of the

Thames has witnessed the arrival of the Romans, the monarchs

travelling between Greenwich and Hampton Court, the

Great Fire of London, the rise (and decline) of London as the

greatest port in the world, right up to today's magnificent

Thames Festivals.

Phoenicia, on board exhibition at St Katharine Docks

charlesdickenslondon: Posted on Friday, June 15, 2012 6:32 PM

The Phoenicia is a fascinating replica of sailing vessels dating

back to 600 BC, when the Phoenicians were the World's first

great maritime traders. St Katharine Docks witnessed the heights

of GB as the latest great sea power, so how splendid for us to

see so far back into maritime history. Captain Philip Beale is totally     dedicated and immersed in this project, and an early visit may be shrewd idea, because it is

          obviously going to be a

          great attraction open until

          September; children will love

          it as well.  His website,

     http://www.phoenicia.org.uk

          is very informative,

          with all kinds of important

          historical information.
          Do visit, you'll love it!

St Katharine Docks celebrating Queen Elizabeth's 60 years on the throne

Wonderfully unique Thames Pageant, with the Queen and Prince Phillip enjoying every minute of this great spectacle..

St Katharine Docks celebrates Queen's Diamond Jubilee

Posted on Monday, June 04, 2012 8:46 AM

What a fabulous event.

The Queen and Prince Phillip

obviously enjoyed themselves

enormously, and so did the

people, probably more than

ever before).The atmosphere here

was full of joy, pride, fun and thrills;

absolutely splendid and unique.

Thanks and praise to

a most wonderful Monarch.

                                                                                          

Posted on Tuesday, June 05, 2012 12:55 PM

Settling down now, towards the end of this triumphant celebration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. A lovely surprise for me, was to see Gloriana moored here in the docks. The million pound row barge, painstakingly hand built, which took more than four years by 60 craftsmen, was certainly one of the main attractions in the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant

this weekend, leading more than 1,000 boats to honour the occasion. The first royal barge to be built in 100 years, Gloriana was powered on the day by 18 oarsmen, led by

Britain's greatest Olympian, Steve Redgrave. The organisation

here seems to have been a great success; with bigger crowds

than ever before.

Beating The Bounds: Allhallows Church By The Tower

This church is one of the most historically important ones

of it kind, and so very worthwhile to visit. Beating the Bounds

is an ancient custom still observed in many English parishes.

Its roots go back to mediaeval times when parishes reaffirmed

their boundaries by  processing round them at Rogationtide,

stopping to beat each boundary mark with wands and to pray

for protection and blessings for the land.

At All Hallows we beat the bounds of our parish every year on

Ascension Day. Plenty more interesting detail on

http://www.ahbtt.org.uk/history/beating-the-bo

Nightingale Lane was, for hundreds of years, renowned for being home to villains of all kinds; it separated St Katharine Docks from London Dock and it has now been renamed Thomas More Street. Times Newspapers transferred here from Fleet Street some time ago, and press people were here again today, hoping to get sight of Rupert Murdoch, talking to staff at the Sun. Carrying on an old tradition or an unfortunate coincidence?