Commercial Road Goods Depot Aldgate E1

[erci]

Hi everyone. I'm a new boy on the block. Slightly stymied since, even after reading 'how to make a posting', to me the instruction is not clear.

I seek contact with anyone or any source of information that can provide me with info/images of a very large goods depot site with attached enormous warehouse, the site known as 'Commercial Roads Goods Depot' sat at the junction of Aldgate's Commercial Road, and Gowers Walk in the same area.

Nearby in Hooper Street was/is an hydraulic accumulator building. Commercial Road site is now occupied by the HQ of the Nat West bank.
Thanks

erci

[AndyRush]

Hello there

GLIAS produced a journal totally devoted to this site, 'London's Industrial Archaeology' 1980 Number Two ISSN 0142-6273. The editor was Tim Smith.

I have a number of unscanned negatives from partial surveys undertaken in 1975 and 1976

Regards

Andy

[erci]

Thanks for your reply.

I literally lived in the shadow of Commercial Road Warehouse when a young lad, but fortunately was away when the north end was struck by a bomb. My bedroom window in Gowers Walk looked out on to the eastern side of the building.

I would be interested in seeing/buying prints/copies of what you have, or seeing/buying any publications in which they occurred.

I also have great interest in the Hooper Street railway buildings (to the south of Commercial Road warehouse), part of which are now 'listed'. I saw the basement level in use when trucks were drawn by capstans across Hooper Street itself.

Regards, and thanks for commenting.

P.S. if needed, how do we exchange contact data without making it public?

[52D]

Use the pm icon at bottom of reply

[MoraviaGuy]

Hi Everyone
I've only just come across this posting, but it is of special interest to me since my parents took over the site in the Forties. The actual address was 17 Commercial Road, and they converted it into "Robert's Restaurant", where we remained until October 1962, when the site was compulsorily purchased by the Council for the major Gardiner's Corner road network redevelopment.
What had been administration and storage areas above the ground floor had been converted into our residential quarters. What I remember most and, indeed miss the most - is the huge cellar with alcoves shaped like railway arches. Because I am also a family historian, I, too, am seeking any pictures or documentation related to the Goods Depot. Unfortunately, I have not had any success thus far.
Here's a picture of how the site looked when replaced by our restaurant.

[StevieG]

Not sure if it'll be of much interest MoraviaGuy, but (hoping this doesn't duplicate what you already know / have seen), you may like to see if you can access a copy of the 1990 Irwell Press book "Great Eastern In Town & Country" (the original book; not Vols. 2 or 3), by Chris Hawkins [ISBN 1 871608 16 3.].
Therein, chapter 2, "Mean Streets", includes, on page 42, a 1922 photo looking west from just east of Christian Street, which shows the junction, adjacent to the eastern end of Pinchin Street, of the lines into the C.R. depot from the Great Eastern Railway's main line, and approx. the first 60 yards of the depot lines thronged with goods vehicles.
Also, between pp.44 & 45, there is a long fold-out 1890s plan of the railway Fenchurch Street - Stepney East - Blackwall. This appears to be reproduction(s) from large-scale O.S. mapping - probably at about 1:2500 - and includes the area of the above junction and around 170 yards-worth of the north-heading depot lines with the surrounding streets and buildings.

[duncanbowers]

Thanks for your reply.

I literally lived in the shadow of Commercial Road Warehouse when a young lad, but fortunately was away when the north end was struck by a bomb. My bedroom window in Gowers Walk looked out on to the eastern side of the building.

I would be interested in seeing/buying prints/copies of what you have, or seeing/buying any publications in which they occurred.

I also have great interest in the Hooper Street railway buildings (to the south of Commercial Road warehouse), part of which are now 'listed'. I saw the basement level in use when trucks were drawn by capstans across Hooper Street itself.

Regards, and thanks for commenting.

P.S. if needed, how do we exchange contact data without making it public?

Hello Erci,
Did you ever manage to get hold of the unscanned negative Andy Rush talked about in this posting?
I am also interested in the history of the LTSR Good Deport..
Thanks in advance,
Duncan

[Bongo]

I have a few snaps that I took in about 1970 after the depot had closed. They are not very good, but are all that I have.

[Bongo]

A few more: