Museum of London-Docklands

 

The Museum of London Docklands is housed in No.1 Warehouse of the West India Docks on the Isle of Dogs. The Warehouse exhibit contains objects, storyboards, and videos to illustrate the activities of the dockworkers at the Port of London. These workers, known as dockers, unloaded the ships and stored goods like sugar, rum, and tobacco in the warehouse.

Barrels and large scales are examples of the objects.

The West India Docks were the largest group of docks in the world in the early 1800s.

Recreated scenes  illustrate aspects of life in the docklands with objects like tools, lanterns, ropes, and furniture.

London's docks were bombed during World War II. Small steel Consul shelters were provided for those who needed to work on the docks.

Consul Shelter

WW II Bomb

The museum includes educational information on the slave trade. Some of the goods stored in the warehouse were came from the Caribbean where African slaves worked the plantations. Those who traded in goods such as sugar became rich in part because of slave labour.

 Slavery was abolished in the British Empire in 1833. The African slavery system lasted about 300 years but the effects of the slavery system continue. 

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Google Map showing the location of the Museum of London Docklands

 

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HMS Belfast on the Thames London England UK

 The HMS Belfast is a World War II Royal Navy warship on the Thames River in London. It is an IWM (Imperial War Museum) site on the Queen's Walk near Tower Bridge. I took the photo above in 2021.

After paying for my visit at the dockside office, you walk past the small gift shop and down a ramp to the main deck and the commemorative bell. My photos are from 10 November 2021.

The tour route is marked with arrows. Entering a door, I arrive at one of the many gun turrets. HMS Belfast was one of the ships firing over the beaches of Normandy on D-Day.

As you walk about the ship, you glimpse life 

as it was for the sailors decades ago.

Toilets

Workroom

A massive kitchen...

Stores (a nice look back at old products)...

a dentistry

and a bunk for some kip

There's plenty of ammo below.

Of course, there's a ship's cat.

I took a break for a light lunch before seeing a few more rooms and guns.

You can walk about nine decks.

Get a pilot's view...

and appreciate an amazing experience.

So, it's easy for me to recommend a visit to HMS Belfast and the other IWM locations.

Here's a view of HMS Belfast and the area from the Shard, which I took in 2018.

Photo: HMS Belfast on the Thames with the

 Tower of London upper right and Tower Bridge to the Right (East)

Notes

On board HMS Belfast

  Arrows mark the tour route.

  Numbers indicate what numbers to press on the included audio guide

  Some areas require ladders or small steps.

  There are toilets on board

  There is a café on board

  There are activities for families--see the website

Tube stations:  London Bridge, Tower Hill

Google Map of the area

Address: The Queen's Walk, London, SE1 2JH

The 5 IWM (Imperial War Museums)

IWM LONDON

CHURCHILL WAR ROOMS, LONDON

IWM DUXFORD

IWN NORTH- MANCHESTER

HMS BELFAST, On the Thames in London

 Visit Places Nearby

Tower Bridge

The Tower of London

the Shard

Cruise the Thames

Learn More About HMS Belfast

HMS Belfast at D-Day

HMS BELFAST 1938-2018: Commemorating the 80th Anniversary.

HMS Belfast Books Google Link

Models of HMS Belfast on AMAZON

Rylands Library Manchester England, UK

The Rylands Library is stunning. After the death of multimillionaire John Rylands in 1888, his widow Enriqueta Rylands had this fabulous neo-Gothic building constructed in his honor.

The collection began with the 1892 purchase of the private library of the Second Earl Spencer. Today the library includes many rare books and prints.

The long name is the John Rylands Research Institute and Library and it's located in central Manchester. As you approach it, it looks like a Cathedral.

 Also among the holdings are medieval manuscripts, an original Gutenberg Bible, and the oldest known fragment of the Gospel of John (see fragment link)

The Rylands Library also houses a collection of art works in addition to the art in old prints and manuscripts. Visitors will see paintings, sculptures, ceramics and glass objects. According to artuk, artists represented include: Albrecht Dürer, Lucas Cranach the elder, Andrea Mantegna, Hans Holbein the younger, Rembrandt van Rijn, William Hogarth, William Blake, and William Morris.

The Rylands Library is now part of the University of Manchester.

Notes on the inside

Coffee shop

Book and gift shop

Toilets

Special exhibitions vary - see the website for details 

There was no charge to enter in 2021 

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Resources

Rylands Website link

Google Map for the Rylands Library in Manchester

Historic notes

The Rylands Library took 10 years to build.

It opened 1 January 1900.

Enriqueta paid £210,000 in 1892 for the 2nd earl Spencer's collection.

Enriqueta paid £155,000 in 1901for the earl of Crawford's collection.

The Rylands Library is the third largest academic library in the UK.

Enriqueta Augustina Rylands was born in Havana, Cuba 31 May 1843. She lived in New York and Paris before coming to Manchester in the 1860s. She became a companion to Martha who was John Rylands' second wife. After Martha died, Enriqueta and John married 6 October 1875. Read more at this link.

Related Posts

Manchester Art Gallery

Visit Manchester England

Visit Manchester England, UK

 

Manchester is a large industrial city in Northwest England. The city is part of an urban county known as Greater Manchester within the historic county of Lancashire.

In the 2011 census, the Greater Manchester Population was 2,682, 528.

I arrived at Victoria Station from Liverpool and stayed downtown. After stowing my luggage, I took the bus to the Imperial War Museum-North. It's worth a visit if you are interested in the history of Britain at war since 1900.

Outside the museum, you see the river and bridge at the top of this page. I walked over to the Lowry Centre and couldn't resist the bargains.

Manchester has a lot to offer. I spent several hours at the Manchester Art Gallery.

Photo: The Chariot Race c 1882 by Alexander von Wagner

Photo: Writing desk c 1865

One fascinating place is the John Rylands Research Institute and Library known as The Rylands. The founder was Enriqueta Rylands. Enriqueta was born in Cuba in 1843. After the death of her parents, she went to England and was a companion to Martha Rylands who died in 1875. She then married John Ryland who made his millions in cotton manufacturing. Following John Rylands' death, Enriqueta build the Library, which opened in 1900. In 1972, it became part of the University of Manchester.

On another day, I took a trip up to Bury. There's a lot to see in Bury--including a ride on the historic East Lancashire Railway.

And the nearby Bury Transport Museum

So, there's a lot more to see in Manchester.

 The National Football Museum (Soccer for US friends)

 Science and Industry Museum

 The Manchester Museum

 People's History Museum

 Manchester Cathedral

 And there are parks, canals, and places to shop

Click on the highlighted links to learn more of my visit to Manchester

Google Map of Manchester

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Bury Transport Museum England

 

The Bury Transport Museum is packed with historic vehicles as advertised. The collection is housed in the building pictured above--the restored Castlecroft Goods Warehouse dated 1848. I recommend a visit if you are in the area. The museum is across the street from the East Lancashire Railway--the Bury Bolton Street Station.

Storyboard provide information on the history of British Transport in this area.

The large collection includes Rail...

Lorries

Busses and coaches

Automobiles

And more...

Notes

Entrance Fee - Free admission, donations requested

Google Map Link

Museum Website 

There is a small Gift shop

A few items are outdoors