London Districts: Wapping (Documentary)

Subtitles available under video via CC button. Series Soundtrack available at yeththar.bandcamp.com/follow_me. Watch #LondonDistricts on TV @ Sky 117, Freeview 8, Virgin Media 159 and YouView 8 via London Live.
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Full Series Playlist - bit.ly/2CcZFSA
Facebook fanpage - LondonDistricts/
Twitter - / dewyneuk
Instagram - dewynelindsay
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Wapping is a district in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets within what is known as the Docklands. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames sandwiched between the City and Shadwell and opposes Rotherhithe and Bermondsey over the river to the south.
The presence of the Thames has defined this area’s strong correlation with all things Maritime; it has long been occupied by boat builders, mast makers, sailors, instrument manufacturers and purveyors of alcohol; all trades associated with seafarers.
Wapping’s association with seafarers is preserved through its riverside public houses and steps. These stairs each have names such as the Wapping Stairs, and the Pelican Stairs found at the ends of narrow alleyways in between buildings. They lead directly down to the riverbed and also unveil the most famous part of Wapping, Execution Dock.
The Admiralty had jurisdiction over crimes exclusively at sea for 400 years. Prisoners would often be executed in groups after being paraded over London Bridge, pass the Tower of London, towards Execution Dock. It's where the infamous pirate Captain Kidd clumsily lost his life in 1701 over his antics.
They marched him in front of crowds of people through the city to hang him gruesomely on the gibbet. After they let him swing from the noose, it snapped and he fell into the muddy bank alive so they roped him back up and hung him again. When he finally stopped breathing, they simply left him swinging. After being submerged by three tides, his dead body was completely black and bloated. This then became tradition.
It is because of the area’s tidal or littoral zone that there is public access to flotsam and jetsam where amateur and professional archaeologists come and unearth relics of the past hitherto hidden for centuries by the murkiness of the Thames and it’s muddy banks.
The Prospect of Whitby is well-documented as London’s oldest riverside pub since Henry the eighth‘s reign during the mid-16th century. As you can see, it still has a flagstone floor, pewter-topped bar and beams line every ceiling. The history often overshadows the food here, which has seen plenty of legendary patrons since 1520. All the usuals are on offer; fish and chips, steak and ale pie... but the quality is just better than your average.
It was also the new site of Rupert Murdoch’s £80 million 'News International' printing and publishing works of 1986. There were violent protests and clashes with the police here after over 5000 print workers were sacked due to the introduction of computers which made their roles obsolete.
Originally built in the 19th century to store tobacco from the New World, this multi-storey warehouse, Tobacco Dock, is now an events venue, complete with an outdoor space and its own pirate ships. It's leading the way for the new, vibrant Wapping bringing wine & gin fairs, tattoo conventions, meat weekends, all-night raves and cultural festivals.
St Katharine Dock was primarily a marina from 1828 handling luxury goods like rum, tea, spices and wine. It's the only central London marina. Nowadays, it is better served by yachts and old barges and its waterside walkways link offices, luxury homes, bars, eateries and shops. One of it's main being the well-known Dickens Inn. Head here on a Friday for a food market covering almost every desired cuisine between £5 and £8 with generous portion sizes.

[@CiaoHandy]

I proposed to my (now) wife outside the Prospect of Whitby 17 years ago!

[@bt4086]

Love the way you say "generous portion sizes". Heaven.

[@davidtaylor789]

DUDE...Amazing! You are the man. This should be in a festival.

[@leetraquair1498]

Beautifully done Mr Lindsay. Really relaxing and peaceful.

[@LondonDistricts]

We both made it nice. Great atmosphere out shooting and great account of history to go with it - Thank you mate.

[@Nayson]

This series is spellbinding. I'm an out of towner but I've worked in NW1 for 15+ years and have really only spent the last two or three exploring the city properly and finding these videos has been an inspiration. Beautifully shot, great music, interesting facts. Keep it up.

[@LondonDistricts]

Pleased they are assisting you in your discoveries.

[@nox6948]

1:40 No one gonna comment on the two ladies that vanished into thin air!??

[@LondonDistricts]

A terrible occurrence.

[@Mrrobackenson1]

Used to work in Wapping in the 90s. Used to drink in the Prospect etc. Great place & so peaceful. Happy days.

[@johnconaboy9461]

These always have such a great beautiful feel to them, as always wonderful our lovely London boroughs

[@linettestanding8071]

Lovely documentary. It will always be home for myself and my family (Josy Harriott) 😗

[@LondonDistricts]

Thank you

[@Resilient492]

Mr. Lindsay, I have seen mostly all of your videos and they are breathtaking, when I visit England, I will check it out and this music on this video is tailor made. Thank you!

[@LondonDistricts]

You are very welcome.

[@greyhound1racing]

Excellent, enjoyed that Dewyne 👍👍

[@scottstevens1919]

Just a great job on your videos! Well produced and very informative. Heading to London in May and you're doing all the work for me! Thanks!

[@Jasmineliketheflower]

very informative and thoroughly enjoyable. Thankyou!

[@gsotoaz]

GREAT video, very informative. Thank you for posting.

[@atom999]

Another awesome video. Loving your work!

[@LondonDistricts]

Thank you very much!

[@mussiebeyene8834]

Just binged your Videos. First of all loved your playful editing, second, I consider my self a Londoner' as I've been here since the early 90s. I love nothing more then taking a walk in a area that I don't normally know or have little knowledge of. That's the best way to see London. Thank you for sharing your views and Pleasures with us. Bless. Wandsworth residence. 👏🏽👏🏾👊🏾🙏🏽

[@LondonDistricts]

Welcome aboard! We like to have a bit of fun with it for sure. I can relate to you. New places are very impressionable on the mind. Blessed. (Great name too!)

[@dolorespinto3106]

evocative, atmospheric, thoughtful. Love it.

[@LondonDistricts]

Thanks for listening

[@tomlyons3846]

I preferred wapping in the seventies long before development, a mysterious atmosphere was its attraction, a ghost town, much of what was original has long been lost...

[@NailaRose]

thanks for the documentary very interesting!

[@LondonDistricts]

Thank you.

[@alanjacks9081]

Another great video taking me back to the 1960's Dewyne. I used to drive from Charlton through the Blackwall tunnel to Wapping. We used to go to the Prospect of Whitby or the Town of Ramsgate, where I believe a body was washed up. Another pub was the Watermans Arms which was owned by a TV presenter. The thing is that Wapping was nothing like this in my days, just dilapidated and empty warehouses mostly. Did you see that couple snogging in the background at 1-25. It took me back a bit in time !

[@PfhorShark]

Thank you for your videos. Looking for a flat in new areas to me, this is really helping me have a better idea of what is where.

[@octoysruskid]

Excellent doc ✌️🇺🇸

[@FrederickaChopin]

Trippy shots!! Ladies disappearing and airplane going forward/backward. Kept me on my toes to watch this. Thanks for cool info.

[@LondonDistricts]

Glad you enjoyed it! More to come.

[@easyneos]

nicely done.

[@patrose6501]

As a wappingite I think you should know that the prospect of Whitby is the oldest riverside inn,the Town of Ramsgate may well be the oldest pub😀

[@lalo4224]

Amazing.....

[@paulmorris3613]

Very enjoyable and lots of information factoids,

[@LondonDistricts]

Thanks for the feedback Paul.

[@alisonjones9089]

These are real tonic and just the right amount of information Not sure about music in Wrapping ipisode! Have you covered Putney and TW1? (My old haunts)

[@darganx]

Great commentary, you sound like Norman Jay!

[@LondonDistricts]

Thanks, I think?

[@nox6948]

My parts. thanks for this vid.

[@LondonDistricts]

Any time!

[@alexthewoo]

Oh I do love London 1:35

[@LondonDistricts]

he does too.

[@973Marcelino]

Lovely! Have you got South Kensington coming soon ?

[@johanrijhkelaar3627]

This year I spent 3 weeks in Wapping working for a telecom contractor laying fibre to the housing blocks on the area , every afternoon me and my fellow workmates would go to Shadwell to have a sight on the beautiful lake, such a nice and calm area it is, nice video pal 🤙🏻

[@LondonDistricts]

Every household needs fibre nowadays. That lake view was a small token of appreciation! Thanks for the comments.

[@johanrijhkelaar3627]

@@LondonDistricts With new brands of fibre coming in there will be loads and loads of work to be done 🤣🤙🏻

[@CesarPantoja0]

@@johanrijhkelaar3627 I may well be watching this video with the fibre you helped install 👀 thank you so much for your service 🙏

[@johanrijhkelaar3627]

@@CesarPantoja0 We installed it this year ( around March or May) Community Fibre brand, if that’s one thanks pal 🤙🏻

[@CesarPantoja0]

@@johanrijhkelaar3627 yep, indeed it is :) had been waiting for a decent connection since I moved here a couple of years ago. Before that, the best I could get was a crappy 10mbps Openreach dsl line. I must have been one of the first customers 😆

[@mharrisonism]

Nice work, would you ever make one in north west London?

[@LondonDistricts]

You'll see shortly...

[@RobRoyBoaz]

Very nicely done. Most enjoyable. Have already put on my list for a visit on my next trip to London. Please, can you tell me what the background music is? Many thanks. Greetings from South Africa.

[@LondonDistricts]

Thanks. The music is a tailor made incidental soundtrack piece for Wapping. It'll be on the London Districts OST album soon.

[@LondonDistricts]

Check out the new London Districts Soundtrack here yeththar.bandcamp.com/follow_me

[@CARLIN4737]

Tower Hamlets is one of the most deprived areas in this country.

[@chrisclapham184]

What is the title of the soundtrack please?

[@thomasdeas1941]

I put forth Cardi B was talking about London, England before things got better Oliver Twist.