Millwall is a district on the western and southern side of the

Isle of Dogs The Isle of Dogs is a large peninsula bounded on three sides by a large meander in the River Thames in East London, England, which includes the Cubitt Town, Millwall and Canary Wharf districts. The area was historically part of the Manor, Ha ...

, in east

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, England, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It lies to the immediate south of

Canary Wharf Canary Wharf is an area of London, England, located near the Isle of Dogs in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Canary Wharf is defined by the Greater London Authority as being part of London's central business district, alongside Central Lon ...

and

Limehouse Limehouse is a district in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in East London. It is east of Charing Cross, on the northern bank of the River Thames. Its proximity to the river has given it a strong maritime character, which it retains through ...

, north of

Greenwich Greenwich ( , ,) is a town in south-east London, England, within the ceremonial county of Greater London. It is situated east-southeast of Charing Cross. Greenwich is notable for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich ...

and

Deptford Deptford is an area on the south bank of the River Thames in southeast London, within the London Borough of Lewisham. It is named after a Ford (crossing), ford of the River Ravensbourne. From the mid 16th century to the late 19th it was home ...

, east of

Rotherhithe Rotherhithe () is a district of south-east London, England, and part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is on a peninsula on the south bank of the Thames, facing Wapping, Shadwell and Limehouse on the north bank, as well as the Isle of D ...

, west of

Cubitt Town Cubitt Town is a district on the eastern side of the Isle of Dogs in London, England. This part of the former Metropolitan Borough of Poplar was redeveloped as part of the Port of London in the 1840s and 1850s by William Cubitt, Lord Mayor of L ...

, and has a long shoreline along London's

Tideway The Tideway is a part of the River Thames in England which is subject to tides. This stretch of water is downstream from Teddington Lock. The Tideway comprises the upper Thames Estuary including the Pool of London. Tidal activity Depending on ...

, part of the

River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the R ...

. It was part of the

County of Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a historic county in southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the ceremonial county of Greater London, with small sections in neighbouring ...

and from 1889 the

County of London The County of London was a county of England from 1889 to 1965, corresponding to the area known today as Inner London. It was created as part of the general introduction of elected county government in England, by way of the Local Government A ...

following the passing of the

Local Government Act 1888 Local may refer to: Geography and transportation * Local (train), a train serving local traffic demand * Local, Missouri, a community in the United States * Local government, a form of public administration, usually the lowest tier of administrat ...

, it later became part of Greater London in 1965. Millwall had a population of 23,084 in 2011 and includes

Island Gardens Island Gardens is a public park located at the southern end of the Isle of Dogs in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets on the north bank of the River Thames. The park was formally opened on 3 August 1895 by local politician Will Crooks. The ...

The Quarterdeck ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

and The Space.

History

Millwall is a smaller area of land than an average

parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one o ...

, as it was part of Poplar until the 19th century when it became heavily industrialised, containing the workplaces and homes of a few thousand dockside and shipbuilding workers. Among its factories were the shipbuilding ironworks of

William Fairbairn Sir William Fairbairn, 1st Baronet of Ardwick (19 February 1789 – 18 August 1874) was a Scottish civil engineer, structural engineer and shipbuilder. In 1854 he succeeded George Stephenson and Robert Stephenson to become the third pre ...

, much of which survives as today's

Burrells Wharf Burrells Wharf is a riverside residential estate, owned by its leaseholders, in London, England. It is situated in Docklands on the Isle of Dogs and the North bank of the River Thames (facing Deptford). The residential estate is one of 18 buildin ...

. It was in this era also that

Millwall F.C. Millwall Football Club () is a professional football club in Bermondsey, South East London, England. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name ...

was founded, in 1885, as Millwall Rovers. First nicknamed 'the Dockers' before becoming 'the Lions', the team moved south of the river to

New Cross New Cross is an area in south east London, England, south-east of Charing Cross in the London Borough of Lewisham and the SE14 postcode district. New Cross is near St Johns, Telegraph Hill, Nunhead, Peckham, Brockley, Deptford and Greenwic ...

in 1910, however a set of amateur football pitches remain, adjoining

alongside the City Farm that was added in the 20th century. Originally known as ''Marshwall'', the area acquired its new name with its breakaway from its former

of Poplar. The replacement was due to the large number of

windmill A windmill is a structure that converts wind power into rotational energy using vanes called sails or blades, specifically to mill grain (gristmills), but the term is also extended to windpumps, wind turbines, and other applications, in some ...

s built on the river wall in the 19th century. Improvements led by the Lord Mayor

William Cubitt Sir William Cubitt FRS (bapt. 9 October 1785 – 13 October 1861) was an eminent English civil engineer and millwright. Born in Norfolk, England, he was employed in many of the great engineering undertakings of his time. He invented a type o ...

in reinforcing the land solved the periodic flooding caused by major snow melt and

spring tide Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the Moon (and to a much lesser extent, the Sun) and are also caused by the Earth and Moon orbiting one another. Tide tables ca ...

s. Corn and wheat were brought along the

to be ground into flour there. On 31 January 1858, the largest ship of that time, the SS ''Great Eastern'', designed by

Isambard Kingdom Brunel Isambard Kingdom Brunel (; 9 April 1806 – 15 September 1859) was a British civil engineer who is considered "one of the most ingenious and prolific figures in engineering history," "one of the 19th-century engineering giants," and "on ...

, was launched from Napier Yard, the shipyard leased by Messrs J Scott Russell & Co. The 211 metre (692 ft) length was too wide for the river, and the ship had to be launched sideways. A section of the concrete and timber substructure from the launch site is now preserved on-site for public display at the modern Napier Avenue. Due to the technical difficulties of the launch, this was the last ship of such a size to be built on the island, though other builders such as Yarrows and

Samuda Brothers Samuda Brothers was an engineering and ship building firm at Cubitt Town on the Isle of Dogs in London, founded by Jacob and Joseph d'Aguilar Samuda. The site is now occupied by Samuda Estate. Samuda Brothers initially leased a premise ...

continued building warships on the island for another 50 years. SS Great Eastern launch ramp

In the 1860s the large

Millwall Dock Millwall Dock is a dock at Millwall, London, England, located south of Canary Wharf on the Isle of Dogs. History The scheme was developed speculatively by a partnership of John Kelk and John Aird & Co.'The Millwall Docks: The docks', in Su ...

was built, extending from the Thames at Millwall into the centre of the Isle of Dogs. The spoil from the dock was left as the

Mudchute Mudchute Park and Farm is a large urban park and farm in Cubitt Town on the Isle of Dogs in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, just south of Canary Wharf. It is a Local Nature Reserve and a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conse ...

. During the 19th century, the area now called ''

'' was referred to as '' North Greenwich'', for the

North Greenwich railway station North Greenwich was a railway station named after the North Greenwich area of the Isle of Dogs in London. It was located on the north side of the River Thames near Island Gardens in the east of the city, and is not to be confused with the pres ...

that was opened in 1872 to connect with the ferry that was the forerunner of the

Greenwich foot tunnel The Greenwich Foot Tunnel crosses beneath the River Thames in East London, linking Greenwich (Royal Borough of Greenwich) on the south bank with Millwall (London Borough of Tower Hamlets) on the north. Approximately 4,000 people use the tunnel ...

. The

Greenwich peninsula The Greenwich Peninsula is an area of Greenwich in South East London, England. It is bounded on three sides by a loop of the Thames, between the Isle of Dogs to the west and Silvertown to the east. To the south is the rest of Greenwich, to the s ...

, previously East Greenwich, is now also known by this epithet for the

North Greenwich tube station North Greenwich is a London Underground station served by the Jubilee line. Despite its name, it is not in the local area historically known as North Greenwich, on the Isle of Dogs, north of the River Thames; a completely different North Green ...

. Like other parts of the

, substantial redevelopment has been more or less ongoing since the 1980s, resulting in modern industrial and commercial buildings and hastily constructed contemporary housing beginning to predominate over the remaining early 20th century "two up, two down" semi-detached and terraced homes that housed the dock workers, often overcrowded with occupants. The loss of the docks, the German campaign of bombings in the area, and the gradual disappearance of the manufacturing and distribution industries lead to a fall in population during the mid-20th century and ongoing problems for local workers who relied on shipping and manufacturing for employment. The post-World War II period saw the area become a focus of regeneration programmes on the former industrial land in Millwall. Initially lead by Poplar Borough Council (eventually absorbed into

Tower Hamlets The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is a London borough covering much of the traditional East End. It was formed in 1965 from the merger of the former metropolitan boroughs of Stepney, Poplar, and Bethnal Green. 'Tower Hamlets' was originally ...

) and

London County Council London County Council (LCC) was the principal local government body for the County of London throughout its existence from 1889 to 1965, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today kno ...

, regeneration efforts focused on council house building until the 1980s when the

London Docklands Development Corporation The London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) was a quango agency set up by the UK Government in 1981 to regenerate the depressed Docklands area of east London. During its seventeen-year existence it was responsible for regenerating an a ...

was created and development shifted to private, even luxury, office and residential buildings. During this period the area's population increased significantly following the above-mentioned mid-century drop. The area is home to a number of council estates including West Ferry Estate, Millwall Estate, Masthouse Terrace, Herperus Crescent Estate and Chapel House Street Estate. The Barkantine Estate, commissioned by the

with the first section opened in 1968, dominates a swathe of the northern section of Millwall. The name "Millwall" retains a negative image owing to associations with

football hooliganism Football hooliganism, also known as soccer hooliganism, football rioting or soccer rioting, constitutes violence and other destructive behaviours perpetrated by spectators at association football events. Football hooliganism normally involves ...

, so many residents now refer to the area as simply "the Isle of Dogs" or "Docklands".

Sport

Millwall is most famous for its football club,

, founded in 1885 as Millwall Rovers. Nicknamed The Dockers (now known as The Lions), the team moved south of the river to

in 1910. Occupying four separate grounds on the

in the 25 years since its formation as a football club, they now play in

Bermondsey Bermondsey () is a district in southeast London, part of the London Borough of Southwark, England, southeast of Charing Cross. To the west of Bermondsey lies Southwark, to the east Rotherhithe and Deptford, to the south Walworth and Peckham ...

and retain the name Millwall despite not having played in the Millwall area for more than 100 years. Millwall Rugby Club was formed in 1995. The first team plays in the

Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and Grea ...

Division 1 league and the seconds are in the Essex Merit Table (Division 2), while the thirds are playing in the Merit Table (Division 5), having won Division 6 last season. They now also have women's rugby - the Millwall Venus girls - and a youth section for boys and girls from eight years old. The Docklands Sailing and Watersports Centre is located at the far west end of the dock where the dock previously connected to the

. It was set up in 1989 by the

and the Sports Council at a cost of £1.2 million.

Politics

Millwall gained some notoriety when, in a council by-election in 1993,

Derek Beackon Derek William Beackon is a British far-right politician. He is currently a member of the British Democratic Party (BDP), and a former member of the British National Party (BNP) and National Front. In 1993, he became the BNP's first elected coun ...

won the

British National Party The British National Party (BNP) is a far-right, fascist political party in the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in Wigton, Cumbria, and its leader is Adam Walker. A minor party, it has no elected representatives at any level of UK gover ...

's first council seat there. After a major anti-fascist campaign, the BNP lost the seat at the following full council election. In September 2004, Tower Hamlets' Respect party fought its second council election in the borough, standing local activist Paul McGarr. In this previously 'solid'

Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...

seat, Labour were pushed into third place, and the local

Conservative party The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from center-right to far-right. Political parties called The Conservative P ...

took its first ever seat on Tower Hamlets council. In the 2006 United Kingdom local elections, 2006 local elections, the Conservatives took all three seats, defeating former MP Alan Amos. The Millwall ward was subsequently abolished in 2014, largely replaced by the new wards of Canary Wharf and Island Gardens. These retained the Conservative leanings of the old Millwall ward, and as of 2018 they each have one Conservative and one Labour councillor. These are the only two Conservative councillors on Tower Hamlets council.

Demographics

White British people comprise 31% of the population of the Millwall ward of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. This is followed by Other White people (19.9%) and Bangladeshis (14.6%). 45.1% of people living in Millwall were born in England, with a number of other countries represented including Bangladesh (6.8%), India (4.7%), and China (4.3%). The religious make up of Millwall is 32.1% Christians, Christian, 22.0% No religion, 18.0% Muslim, 4.9% Hindu, 1.9% Buddhist, 0.4% Sikh, and 0.4% Jewish. The gender balance in Millwall is 53% male and 47% female.

Amenities

The historical

, opened on 3 August 1895 by local politician Will Crooks, is located almost in front of the former Greenwich Hospital, London, Greenwich Hospital, the Cutty Sark, National Maritime Museum and Greenwich Park.

Landmarks

The Ferry House is a public house, pub on Ferry Street has existed since the Tudor period (1485-1603). The present building dates from 1822, and was used as a drinking establishment by ferry passengers to and from Greenwich until the opening of the

in 1902. The Ship Inn pub was built in 1835, it is thought by two houses merge into a public house, it has been a pub all its history and is next to

, where during his time there

may have frequented The Ship. Today it is run by a local, independently run business. The decision to proceed with the large Barkantine Estate housing estate development was made in March 1965, with first block being opened in 1968, and originally consisted of 634 dwellings. It included a pedestrianized shopping promenade called The Quarterdeck, and a pub called the Tooke Arms, relocated and rebuilt at the same time. The Space is located inside a former Presbyterian church that was built in 1859 for the Scottish Presbyterian congregation who had migrated to the Isle of Dogs to work in the shipyards, which was designed by Thomas Knightley.

Industry

A large site on the north side of

Outer Dock was occupied by the West Ferry Printing Works, the largest newspaper print works in Western Europe.''Times Online''
15 February 2004, ''Desmond's double whammy'', says "Westferry is the biggest printing works in western Europe."

Education

Transport

South Quay DLR station, South Quay, Crossharbour DLR station, Crossharbour. Mudchute DLR station, Mudchute and Island Gardens DLR station, Island Gardens on the Docklands Light Railway, and Canary Wharf tube station, Canary Wharf on the London Underground with the Jubilee line serving the nearby

estate. Routes London Buses route 135, 135, London Buses route 277, 277, London Buses route D7, D7, London Buses route D8, D8, London Buses route N550, N550 all operate within the area. The nearest pier is Masthouse Terrace Pier for London River Services. Millwall is connected to the Roads in the United Kingdom, National Road Network by the north-south Westferry Road A1206 road (Great Britain), A1206. On the north bank of the

is the National Trail Thames Path for both cyclists and walkers, and the National Cycle Route 1 on the National Cycle Network, running from Dover to Shetland.

References

{{LB Tower Hamlets Millwall, Areas of London Port of London Districts of London on the River Thames Places formerly in Middlesex