GSNC Wharf, River Thames 1960s

This authentic 1960s colour photograph captures the industrious atmosphere of Irongate Wharf in the Pool of London, several years before the area was cleared for modern development. Serving as the major London base for the General Steam Navigation Company (GSNC), the oldest shipping line in the world to start with seagoing steam vessels, the wharf is a hive of activity. The scene is dominated by the grand, six-storey Victorian warehouses and a forest of cranes used for unloading cargo from the GSN’s fleet of short-sea traders. At this time, the wharf also served as a departure point for popular Thames excursion steamers, a business GSNC monopolised until the mid-1960s. Tower Bridge looms in the background, its Victorian Gothic architecture perfectly complementing the historic riverfront. Unlike later photos showing the site as a construction zone for the Brutalist Tower Hotel, this image preserves the wharf as a fully operational maritime landmark of the East End. This digital download is a rare record of the Thames’ working heritage, perfect to print for yourself as a piece of powerful vintage wall art.