Barking
Encyclopedia
Barking is a suburban town in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
, in East London, England. A retail and commercial centre situated in the west of the borough, it lies 9.1 miles (14.6 km) east of Charing Cross
. Barking was in the historic county
of Essex
until it was absorbed by Greater London
. The area is identified in the London Plan
as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. Barking is an area of regeneration with two main centres of activity, Barking Town Centre and Barking Riverside.
Berecingas, meaning either "the settlement of the followers or descendants of a man called Bereca" or "the settlement by the birch trees".
"Barking", in English slang, is short for "barking mad
". Barking is sometimes cited as the origin of the phrase. This is attributed to the alleged existence of a medieval insane asylum
attached to Barking Abbey. However, the phrase is not medieval, and first appeared only in the 20th century. A more likely derivation is from comparing an insane person to a mad dog.
hundred of Essex. It was divided into the wards of Chadwell, Ilford, Ripple and Town. A local board was formed for Town ward in 1882 and it was extended to cover Ripple ward in 1885. In 1888 Ilford and Chadwell were split off as a new parish of Ilford
, leaving a residual parish of 3814 acres (15.4 km²). The parish became Barking Town Urban District
in 1894 and the local board became an urban district council. The urban district was incorporated as the Municipal Borough of Barking
in 1931. It was abolished in 1965 and split with the majority merged with the former area of the Municipal Borough of Dagenham
to form the London Borough of Barking
. Barking land that was west of the River Roding
, which included part of Beckton
, became part of the London Borough of Newham
. In 1980 the London Borough of Barking was renamed Barking and Dagenham.
of Barking was the site of Barking Abbey
, a nunnery founded in 666 by Eorcenwald, bishop of London, destroyed by the Danes and reconstructed about a hundred years later in 970 by King Edgar
. At the Dissolution of the Monasteries
in 1536, Barking Abbey was demolished; apart from the parish church
of St Margaret, some walling and foundations are all that otherwise remain on the site. The church is an example of Norman architecture
; Captain James Cook
married Elizabeth Batts of Shadwell there in 1762, and it is the burial place of many members of the Fanshawe family of Parsloes Manor. A charter issued between 1175 and 1179 confirms the ancient market right
. The market declined in the 18th century but has since been revived.
, until the mid-19th. Salt water fishing from Barking began before 1320, when too fine nets were seized by City authorities, but expanded greatly from the 16th century. Fisher Street was named after the fishing community there. From about 1775 welled
and dry smacks
were used, mostly as cod boats, and rigged as gaff
cutters. Fishermen sailed as far as Iceland
in the summer. They served Billingsgate Fish Market
in the City of London
, and moored up at home in Barking Pool. Samuel Hewett, born on 7 December 1797, founded the Short Blue Fleet (England's biggest fishing fleet) based in Barking, and using smacks out of Barking and east coast ports. Around 1870 this fleet changed to gaff ketch
es which stayed out at sea for months, using ice for preservation of fish. This ice was produced by flooding local fields in winter. Fleeting involved fish being ferried from fishing smacks to steamer-carriers by little wooden ferry-boats. The rowers had to stand as the boats were piled high with fish-boxes. Rowers refused to wear their bulky cork lifejackets because it slowed down their rowing. At first the fast fifty-foot gaff cutters with great booms projecting beyond the sterns were employed to race the fish to port to get the best prices.
Until about 1870 the trade was mostly in live fish, using the welled smacks
in which the central section of the hull, between two watertight bulkheads, was pierced to create a 'well' in which seawater could circulate. Cod caught live were lowered into this well, with their swim bladders pierced, and remained alive until the vessel returned to port, when they were transferred to semi-submerged 'chests,' effectively cages, which kept them alive until they were ready for sale. At this point they were pulled out and killed with a blow on the head before being despatched to market, where because of their freshness they commanded a high price. People who practised this method of fishing were known as 'codbangers.' By 1850, there some 220 smacks, employing some 1,370 men and boys. The Barking boats of this period were typically 75 feet (22.9 m) long carrying up to 50 tons. During the wars of the 17th and 18th century they were often used as fleet auxiliaries by the Royal Navy
, based at nearby Chatham Dockyard
. The opening of direct rail links between the North Sea ports and London meant it was quicker to transport fish by train from these ports straight to the capital rather than waiting for ships to take the longer route down the east coast and up the River Thames
to Barking. In addition, by the 1850s the Thames was so severely polluted that fish kept in chests quickly died. Consequently, the Barking fishery slipped into decline in the second half of the nineteenth century. The decline was hastened by a storm in December 1863, off the Dutch coast, which caused the deaths of 60 men, and damage estimated at £6–7000. Many of its leading figures, including Hewett & Co, moved to Great Yarmouth
and to Grimsby
. By 1900, Barking had ceased to exist as a working fishing port, leaving only street and pub names and a large modern steel sculpture entitled "The Catch" as a reminder of its former importance to the town. The sculpture is sited in the roundabout at the end of Fanshawe Avenue. The local fishing heritage is recorded at Valence House Museum
.
. In 1848, 5 shipwrights, 4 rope- and line-makers, 6 sail-makers and 4 mast-, pump-, and block-makers are listed in a local trade directory. Hewett & Co continued in boat building and repair until 1899. Other industries replaced the nautical trades, including jute spinning, paint and chemicals manufacture. By 1878 Daniel de Pass had opened the Barking Guano
Works (later de Pass Fertilisers Ltd, part of Fisons
) at Creekmouth
. Creekmouth was also the site of the major Barking Power Station
from 1925 until the 1970s, burning coal shipped in by river; the current station known as Barking is further east near Dagenham Dock
. In the 20th century new industrial estates were established, and many local residents came to be employed in the car plant at Dagenham
.
. The paddle steamer was returning from the coast, via Sheerness
and Gravesend
with nearly 800 day trippers on board. She broke in two and sank immediately, with the loss of more than 600 lives, the highest ever single loss of civilian lives in UK territorial waters. At this time there was no official body responsible for marine safety in the Thames, the subsequent enquiry resolved that the Marine Police Force
, based at Wapping
be equipped with steam launches, to replace their rowing boats and be better able to perform rescues.
The Barking Town Centre area is being regenerated through a number of schemes. Currently, the town centre is one of the most deprived areas of Barking. The Abbey and Gascoigne wards, located in the town centre, are ranked 823rd and 554th respectively, which places them within the top 10% most deprived wards in the country.
The regeneration intends to achieve a more sustainable economy for Barking town centre by investing in new quality retail outlets and by creating a business centre. The regeneration aims to enable people to widen their employment prospects, mainly through creating new "retail and business accommodation" which will provide employment and increase the income for both existing and new residents. The regeneration also aims to improve people's skills. This is mainly achieved through the Barking Learning Centre
; which aims to improve literacy, numeracy and other basic skills people may be lacking due to a previous lack of educational development. It currently acts as a borough-based learning facility. The Barking Learning Centre
was officially opened on 10 June 2008 by John Denham, the then Secretary of State for Innovation, University and Skills.
The Barking town centre development also intends to improve the quality and range of housing within the area. The regeneration will aim to create 4,000 new homes in the town centre. 25% of these homes will be classed as intermediate housing, and will therefore be affordable for local residents to buy. The will also be 4,000 socially rented homes, making it easier for first time buyers and people with low incomes to rent a property. To help make the development more sustainable, all private sector homes were to meet the Government’s decency standards by 2010.
Plans for the new town square were unveiled in September 2007. The development is part of the Mayor of London
's 100 Public Spaces.
There are also two new places to eat within the Barking Town Centre development. Oishi external link to Oishi website, a Japanese restaurant and Barking Apprentice external link to Barking Apprentice website, a social enterprise restaurant, open during the day.
project, which aims to regenerate the riverside area of East London through providing new homes, jobs, and services. Barking Riverside is a 350 acres (1.4 km²) brownfield land and therefore needs site clearance and the removal of overhead power lines before it can go ahead. Construction began in 2008, and the development is due to be completed around 2025. It will construct 10,000 new homes in the area, which will house around 25,000 people. New transport links will also be provided, including as the East London Transit
and the extension to the Docklands Light Railway
at Barking Riverside DLR station
. The development will also provide new public facilities, creating "a variety of living, working, leisure and cultural amenities". Two new primary schools and one secondary school will also be built. Residents of Barking and Dagenham will also gain access to use of 2 kilometres Thames river front for the first time. Barking Riverside are also developing two new primary schools and a secondary school.
The town is situated north of the A13 road and east of the River Roding
near its confluence with the River Thames
in east London. The South Woodford to Barking Relief Road (part of the A406 North Circular Road) runs through the Roding Valley, and access to the town centre is by its junction with the A124, which until the late 1920s was the main route to and from London. Barking station
is a local transport hub and is served by the London Underground
, London Overground
, National Rail
operator c2c
and many London Bus
routes. The east of Barking is served by Upney tube station
.
at Barking Assembly Hall for Youngs classic album Harvest, which was released in 1972.
Barking F.C.
are a non-league side, and records indicate they were founded as early as 1865. The team merged with East Ham F.C. to form Barking & East Ham United
in 2001. Barking has also produced numerous successful football players, including Bobby Moore
and John Terry
. This club later struggled and went out of business, but Barking F.C. was later reformed once again. Cricket, basketball and hockey are also popular sports in the area.
London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough had a total population of 1,937; and the area was characterised by farming, woodland and the fishing fleet at Barking. This last industry employed 1,370 men and boys by 1850, but by the end of the century had ceased to exist; replaced by...
, in East London, England. A retail and commercial centre situated in the west of the borough, it lies 9.1 miles (14.6 km) east of Charing Cross
Charing Cross
Charing Cross denotes the junction of Strand, Whitehall and Cockspur Street, just south of Trafalgar Square in central London, England. It is named after the now demolished Eleanor cross that stood there, in what was once the hamlet of Charing. The site of the cross is now occupied by an equestrian...
. Barking was in the historic county
Historic counties of England
The historic counties of England are subdivisions of England established for administration by the Normans and in most cases based on earlier Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and shires...
of Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
until it was absorbed by Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
. The area is identified in the London Plan
London Plan
The London Plan is a planning document written by the Mayor of London, England in the United Kingdom and published by the Greater London Authority. The plan was first published in final form on 10 February 2004 and has since been amended. The current version was published in February 2008...
as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. Barking is an area of regeneration with two main centres of activity, Barking Town Centre and Barking Riverside.
History
| 1881 | 16,848 |
|---|---|
| 1891 | 14,301 |
| 1901 | 21,547 |
| 1911 | 31,294 |
| 1921 | 35,523 |
| 1931 | 51,270 |
| 1941 | war # |
| 1951 | 78,170 |
| 1961 | 72,293 |
| # no census was held due to war | |
| source: UK census | |
Toponymy
Its name came from Anglo-SaxonOld English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
Berecingas, meaning either "the settlement of the followers or descendants of a man called Bereca" or "the settlement by the birch trees".
"Barking", in English slang, is short for "barking mad
Insanity
Insanity, craziness or madness is a spectrum of behaviors characterized by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity may manifest as violations of societal norms, including becoming a danger to themselves and others, though not all such acts are considered insanity...
". Barking is sometimes cited as the origin of the phrase. This is attributed to the alleged existence of a medieval insane asylum
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
attached to Barking Abbey. However, the phrase is not medieval, and first appeared only in the 20th century. A more likely derivation is from comparing an insane person to a mad dog.
Local government
Barking was a large ancient parish of 12307 acres (49.8 km²) in the BecontreeBecontree (hundred)
Becontree was an ancient hundred in the south west of the county of Essex, England. Its area has been entirely absorbed by the growth of London; with its name reused in 1921 for the large Becontree estate of the London County Council...
hundred of Essex. It was divided into the wards of Chadwell, Ilford, Ripple and Town. A local board was formed for Town ward in 1882 and it was extended to cover Ripple ward in 1885. In 1888 Ilford and Chadwell were split off as a new parish of Ilford
Municipal Borough of Ilford
Ilford was a civil parish and local government district in south west Essex, England from 1888 to 1965, covering the town Ilford. The district saw a considerable rise in population throughout its life, caused by the expansion of the built-up area of London, and became one of the most populous...
, leaving a residual parish of 3814 acres (15.4 km²). The parish became Barking Town Urban District
Municipal Borough of Barking
Barking was a local government district in south west Essex, England from 1882 to 1965. It included the town of Barking, eastern Beckton and the south western part of the Becontree estate. The district was within the Metropolitan Police District and experienced a steady increase in population...
in 1894 and the local board became an urban district council. The urban district was incorporated as the Municipal Borough of Barking
Municipal Borough of Barking
Barking was a local government district in south west Essex, England from 1882 to 1965. It included the town of Barking, eastern Beckton and the south western part of the Becontree estate. The district was within the Metropolitan Police District and experienced a steady increase in population...
in 1931. It was abolished in 1965 and split with the majority merged with the former area of the Municipal Borough of Dagenham
Municipal Borough of Dagenham
Dagenham was a local government district in south west Essex, England from 1926 to 1965 covering the parish of Dagenham. Initially created as an urban district, it was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1938...
to form the London Borough of Barking
London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough had a total population of 1,937; and the area was characterised by farming, woodland and the fishing fleet at Barking. This last industry employed 1,370 men and boys by 1850, but by the end of the century had ceased to exist; replaced by...
. Barking land that was west of the River Roding
River Roding
The River Roding is a river in England that rises near Dunmow, flows through Essex and forms Barking Creek as it reaches the River Thames in London....
, which included part of Beckton
Beckton
Beckton is part of the London Borough of Newham, England, located east of Charing Cross.Its boundaries are the A13 trunk road to the north, Barking Creek to the east, the Royal Docks to the south, and Prince Regent Lane to the west. The area around Prince Regent Lane is also known as Custom House...
, became part of the London Borough of Newham
London Borough of Newham
The London Borough of Newham is a London borough formed from the towns of West Ham and East Ham, within East London.It is situated east of the City of London, and is north of the River Thames. According to 2006 estimates, Newham has one of the highest ethnic minority populations of all the...
. In 1980 the London Borough of Barking was renamed Barking and Dagenham.
Urban development
The manorManorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
of Barking was the site of Barking Abbey
Barking Abbey
The ruined remains of Barking Abbey are situated in Barking in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham in east London, England, and now form a public open space.- History :...
, a nunnery founded in 666 by Eorcenwald, bishop of London, destroyed by the Danes and reconstructed about a hundred years later in 970 by King Edgar
Edgar of England
Edgar the Peaceful, or Edgar I , also called the Peaceable, was a king of England . Edgar was the younger son of Edmund I of England.-Accession:...
. At the Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
in 1536, Barking Abbey was demolished; apart from the parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
of St Margaret, some walling and foundations are all that otherwise remain on the site. The church is an example of Norman architecture
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
; Captain James Cook
James Cook
Captain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...
married Elizabeth Batts of Shadwell there in 1762, and it is the burial place of many members of the Fanshawe family of Parsloes Manor. A charter issued between 1175 and 1179 confirms the ancient market right
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
. The market declined in the 18th century but has since been revived.
Fishing
Fishing was the most important industry in Barking from the 14th centuryMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, until the mid-19th. Salt water fishing from Barking began before 1320, when too fine nets were seized by City authorities, but expanded greatly from the 16th century. Fisher Street was named after the fishing community there. From about 1775 welled
Well smack
A well smack is a type of traditional fishing boat that has a well amidships. The well was filled with circulated external water, which kept fish alive until delivered to land and sold...
and dry smacks
Smack (ship)
A smack was a traditional fishing boat used off the coast of England and the Atlantic coast of America for most of the 19th century, and even in small numbers up to the Second World War. It was originally a cutter rigged sailing boat until about 1865, when the smacks became so large that cutter...
were used, mostly as cod boats, and rigged as gaff
Gaff rig
Gaff rig is a sailing rig in which the sail is four-cornered, fore-and-aft rigged, controlled at its peak and, usually, its entire head by a spar called the gaff...
cutters. Fishermen sailed as far as Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
in the summer. They served Billingsgate Fish Market
Old Billingsgate Market
Old Billingsgate Market is the name given to what is now a hospitality and events venue in the City of London, England, based in the Victorian building that was formerly Billingsgate Fish Market....
in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, and moored up at home in Barking Pool. Samuel Hewett, born on 7 December 1797, founded the Short Blue Fleet (England's biggest fishing fleet) based in Barking, and using smacks out of Barking and east coast ports. Around 1870 this fleet changed to gaff ketch
Ketch
A ketch is a sailing craft with two masts: a main mast, and a shorter mizzen mast abaft of the main mast, but forward of the rudder post. Both masts are rigged mainly fore-and-aft. From one to three jibs may be carried forward of the main mast when going to windward...
es which stayed out at sea for months, using ice for preservation of fish. This ice was produced by flooding local fields in winter. Fleeting involved fish being ferried from fishing smacks to steamer-carriers by little wooden ferry-boats. The rowers had to stand as the boats were piled high with fish-boxes. Rowers refused to wear their bulky cork lifejackets because it slowed down their rowing. At first the fast fifty-foot gaff cutters with great booms projecting beyond the sterns were employed to race the fish to port to get the best prices.
Until about 1870 the trade was mostly in live fish, using the welled smacks
Well smack
A well smack is a type of traditional fishing boat that has a well amidships. The well was filled with circulated external water, which kept fish alive until delivered to land and sold...
in which the central section of the hull, between two watertight bulkheads, was pierced to create a 'well' in which seawater could circulate. Cod caught live were lowered into this well, with their swim bladders pierced, and remained alive until the vessel returned to port, when they were transferred to semi-submerged 'chests,' effectively cages, which kept them alive until they were ready for sale. At this point they were pulled out and killed with a blow on the head before being despatched to market, where because of their freshness they commanded a high price. People who practised this method of fishing were known as 'codbangers.' By 1850, there some 220 smacks, employing some 1,370 men and boys. The Barking boats of this period were typically 75 feet (22.9 m) long carrying up to 50 tons. During the wars of the 17th and 18th century they were often used as fleet auxiliaries by the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, based at nearby Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway and of which two-thirds is in Gillingham and one third in Chatham, Kent, England, came into existence at the time when, following the Reformation, relations with the Catholic countries of Europe had worsened, leading to a requirement for additional...
. The opening of direct rail links between the North Sea ports and London meant it was quicker to transport fish by train from these ports straight to the capital rather than waiting for ships to take the longer route down the east coast and up the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
to Barking. In addition, by the 1850s the Thames was so severely polluted that fish kept in chests quickly died. Consequently, the Barking fishery slipped into decline in the second half of the nineteenth century. The decline was hastened by a storm in December 1863, off the Dutch coast, which caused the deaths of 60 men, and damage estimated at £6–7000. Many of its leading figures, including Hewett & Co, moved to Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
and to Grimsby
Grimsby
Grimsby is a seaport on the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire, England. It has been the administrative centre of the unitary authority area of North East Lincolnshire since 1996...
. By 1900, Barking had ceased to exist as a working fishing port, leaving only street and pub names and a large modern steel sculpture entitled "The Catch" as a reminder of its former importance to the town. The sculpture is sited in the roundabout at the end of Fanshawe Avenue. The local fishing heritage is recorded at Valence House Museum
Valence House Museum
Valence House Museum is the only surviving example of the five manor houses of Dagenham. The timber framed museum building, partially surrounded by a moat, is situated in Valence Park off Becontree Avenue, in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, London, England.The museum contains permanent...
.
Economic development
Boat building has a long history at Barking, being used for the repair of some royal ships of Henry VIIIHenry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
. In 1848, 5 shipwrights, 4 rope- and line-makers, 6 sail-makers and 4 mast-, pump-, and block-makers are listed in a local trade directory. Hewett & Co continued in boat building and repair until 1899. Other industries replaced the nautical trades, including jute spinning, paint and chemicals manufacture. By 1878 Daniel de Pass had opened the Barking Guano
Guano
Guano is the excrement of seabirds, cave dwelling bats, and seals. Guano manure is an effective fertilizer due to its high levels of phosphorus and nitrogen and also its lack of odor. It was an important source of nitrates for gunpowder...
Works (later de Pass Fertilisers Ltd, part of Fisons
Fisons
Fisons plc was a leading British pharmaceutical, scientific instrument and horticultural chemical manufacturer. The Company was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index but it was acquired by Rhone-Poulenc in 1995....
) at Creekmouth
Creekmouth
-External links:**...
. Creekmouth was also the site of the major Barking Power Station
Barking Power Station
Barking Power Station refers to a series of power stations at former and current sites within the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham in east London. The original power station site, of the coal-fired A, B and C stations, was at River Road, Creekmouth, on the north bank of the River Thames....
from 1925 until the 1970s, burning coal shipped in by river; the current station known as Barking is further east near Dagenham Dock
Dagenham Dock
Dagenham Dock is a place in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham in London, England. It is located to the south of Dagenham and on the River Thames. It was once the site of a large coaling port and continues to be the location of a small terminal licensed to handle coal off-loading...
. In the 20th century new industrial estates were established, and many local residents came to be employed in the car plant at Dagenham
Dagenham
Dagenham is a large suburb in East London, forming the eastern part of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and located east of Charing Cross. It was historically an agrarian village in the county of Essex and remained mostly undeveloped until 1921 when the London County Council began...
.
Thames disaster
On 3 September 1878 the iron ship Bywell Castle ran into the pleasure steamer in Gallions Reach, downstream of Barking CreekBarking Creek
Barking Creek joins the River Roding to the River Thames. It is fully tidal up to the Barking Barrage, which impounds a minimum water level through Barking in Barking. In the 1850s, the creek was home to England's largest fishing fleet, and the Victorian icehouse - where the fish were landed and...
. The paddle steamer was returning from the coast, via Sheerness
Sheerness
Sheerness is a town located beside the mouth of the River Medway on the northwest corner of the Isle of Sheppey in north Kent, England. With a population of 12,000 it is the largest town on the island....
and Gravesend
Gravesend, Kent
Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. It is the administrative town of the Borough of Gravesham and, because of its geographical position, has always had an important role to play in the history and communications of this part of...
with nearly 800 day trippers on board. She broke in two and sank immediately, with the loss of more than 600 lives, the highest ever single loss of civilian lives in UK territorial waters. At this time there was no official body responsible for marine safety in the Thames, the subsequent enquiry resolved that the Marine Police Force
Marine Police Force
The Marine Police Force, sometimes known as the Thames River Police and said to be England's first Police force, was formed by magistrate Patrick Colquhoun and a Master Mariner, John Harriott, in 1798 to tackle theft and looting from ships anchored in the Pool of London and the lower reaches of the...
, based at Wapping
Wapping
Wapping is a place in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets which forms part of the Docklands to the east of the City of London. It is situated between the north bank of the River Thames and the ancient thoroughfare simply called The Highway...
be equipped with steam launches, to replace their rowing boats and be better able to perform rescues.
Town centre
The regeneration intends to achieve a more sustainable economy for Barking town centre by investing in new quality retail outlets and by creating a business centre. The regeneration aims to enable people to widen their employment prospects, mainly through creating new "retail and business accommodation" which will provide employment and increase the income for both existing and new residents. The regeneration also aims to improve people's skills. This is mainly achieved through the Barking Learning Centre
Barking Learning Centre
The Barking Learning Centre, in Barking, East London, is a community-based learning facility. The centre hosts a library, a cafe, an art gallery, a one stop shop for enquiries, and offers a range of courses and qualifications...
; which aims to improve literacy, numeracy and other basic skills people may be lacking due to a previous lack of educational development. It currently acts as a borough-based learning facility. The Barking Learning Centre
Barking Learning Centre
The Barking Learning Centre, in Barking, East London, is a community-based learning facility. The centre hosts a library, a cafe, an art gallery, a one stop shop for enquiries, and offers a range of courses and qualifications...
was officially opened on 10 June 2008 by John Denham, the then Secretary of State for Innovation, University and Skills.
The Barking town centre development also intends to improve the quality and range of housing within the area. The regeneration will aim to create 4,000 new homes in the town centre. 25% of these homes will be classed as intermediate housing, and will therefore be affordable for local residents to buy. The will also be 4,000 socially rented homes, making it easier for first time buyers and people with low incomes to rent a property. To help make the development more sustainable, all private sector homes were to meet the Government’s decency standards by 2010.
Plans for the new town square were unveiled in September 2007. The development is part of the Mayor of London
Mayor of London
The Mayor of London is an elected politician who, along with the London Assembly of 25 members, is accountable for the strategic government of Greater London. Conservative Boris Johnson has held the position since 4 May 2008...
's 100 Public Spaces.
There are also two new places to eat within the Barking Town Centre development. Oishi external link to Oishi website, a Japanese restaurant and Barking Apprentice external link to Barking Apprentice website, a social enterprise restaurant, open during the day.
Riverside
The Barking Riverside development is part of the larger London RiversideLondon Riverside
The London Riverside is a new development area in north east London, England and part of the larger Thames Gateway redevelopment zone. The London Riverside area forms part of the Green Enterprise District, a project to create a low-carbon economy region in Greater London.It is one of two zones...
project, which aims to regenerate the riverside area of East London through providing new homes, jobs, and services. Barking Riverside is a 350 acres (1.4 km²) brownfield land and therefore needs site clearance and the removal of overhead power lines before it can go ahead. Construction began in 2008, and the development is due to be completed around 2025. It will construct 10,000 new homes in the area, which will house around 25,000 people. New transport links will also be provided, including as the East London Transit
East London Transit
East London Transit is a part-segregated bus rapid transit whose first phase opened in 2010, with an additional phase planned to open in 2013. The scheme has been developed by Transport for London due to the existing and anticipated demand for public transport in northeast London caused by the...
and the extension to the Docklands Light Railway
Docklands Light Railway
The Docklands Light Railway is an automated light metro or light rail system opened on 31 August 1987 to serve the redeveloped Docklands area of London...
at Barking Riverside DLR station
Docklands Light Railway extension to Dagenham Dock
The Docklands Light Railway extension to Dagenham Dock is a proposed, and as yet unfunded, extension of the Docklands Light Railway to Dagenham Dock in east London. It was anticipated that the project could be completed and open for use by 2017. However the public inquiry has been postponed due to...
. The development will also provide new public facilities, creating "a variety of living, working, leisure and cultural amenities". Two new primary schools and one secondary school will also be built. Residents of Barking and Dagenham will also gain access to use of 2 kilometres Thames river front for the first time. Barking Riverside are also developing two new primary schools and a secondary school.
Transport
River Roding
The River Roding is a river in England that rises near Dunmow, flows through Essex and forms Barking Creek as it reaches the River Thames in London....
near its confluence with the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
in east London. The South Woodford to Barking Relief Road (part of the A406 North Circular Road) runs through the Roding Valley, and access to the town centre is by its junction with the A124, which until the late 1920s was the main route to and from London. Barking station
Barking station
Barking station is a railway station served by National Rail and London Underground services. It is located in Barking in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham in east London, England. The station is in Zone 4, has nine platforms, and is managed by c2c. It has been proposed that ownership of...
is a local transport hub and is served by the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
, London Overground
London Overground
London Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
, National Rail
National Rail
National Rail is a title used by the Association of Train Operating Companies as a generic term to define the passenger rail services operated in Great Britain...
operator c2c
C2c
c2c is a British train operating company that is part of the National Express Group. It provides passenger rail services on the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway line from Fenchurch Street railway station in the City of London to east London and the entire length of the northern Thames Gateway...
and many London Bus
London Buses
London Buses is the subsidiary of Transport for London that manages bus services within Greater London, UK. Buses are required to carry similar red colour schemes and conform to the same fare scheme...
routes. The east of Barking is served by Upney tube station
Upney tube station
Upney tube station is a London Underground station on the District Line. It is located on Upney Lane, Barking in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham in east London. The station is in Zone 4....
.
Culture
"A Man Needs a Maid" and "There's a World" were recorded by Neil Young with the London Symphony OrchestraLondon Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:...
at Barking Assembly Hall for Youngs classic album Harvest, which was released in 1972.
Barking F.C.
Barking F.C.
Barking Football Club is am English football club based in Barking, Greater London. The club are currently members of the Essex Senior League and play at Mayesbrook Park in Dagenham.-History:...
are a non-league side, and records indicate they were founded as early as 1865. The team merged with East Ham F.C. to form Barking & East Ham United
Barking & East Ham United F.C.
Barking & East Ham United FC was a football club that formed in 2001 after the merger of Barking and East Ham United. The club initially played in Division One of the Isthmian League, and then Division One North after league reorganisation in 2002. In 2004 they transferred to Division One East of...
in 2001. Barking has also produced numerous successful football players, including Bobby Moore
Bobby Moore
Robert Frederick Chelsea "Bobby" Moore, OBE was an English footballer. He captained West Ham United for more than ten years and was captain of the England team that won the 1966 World Cup...
and John Terry
John Terry
John George Terry is an English professional footballer. Terry plays in a centre back position and is the captain of Chelsea in the Premier League...
. This club later struggled and went out of business, but Barking F.C. was later reformed once again. Cricket, basketball and hockey are also popular sports in the area.
See also
- List of people from Barking and Dagenham
- List of schools in Barking and Dagenham