The roar of the Silvertown explosion still echoes. Seventy-three souls perished. Hundreds more were injured. It was January 1917. A massive TNT blast devastated this very area.
Welcome to Silvertown. A place of industry a place of resilience. A place etched in history. For centuries before the factories the land was marshy. Cattle grazed here. Then in 1852 Stephen William Silver arrived. He established rubber works. This marked the beginning of Silvertown as we know it. His factory initially produced waterproof clothing. It later expanded creating submarine cables.
Silver’s factory wasn’t just about rubber. It was a hotbed of labor activism. In 1889 a twelve-week strike shook Silvertown. Three thousand workers demanded higher pay. Tom Mann and Eleanor Marx were leading figures in this strike. It ended with workers returning to work. Many faced victimisation. Silver’s declared a dividend.
Silvertown’s industrial identity deepened. Sugar refineries joined the scene. Henry Tate arrived in 1877. Abram Lyle followed in 1881. They were bitter rivals although they never met. Their companies merged in 1921 forming Tate & Lyle. This giant still dominates the Silvertown riverside.
The early 20th century brought challenges. Road congestion strangled Silvertown. Its location between the Thames and the Royal Docks was a problem. Lifting bridges and level crossings worsened the situation. Trains frequently closed crossings. This led to the creation of Silvertown Way. One of London’s earliest urban flyovers.
The Blitz further tested Silvertown’s spirit. Tate & Lyle’s refinery suffered damage. So did the Silvertown Rubber Works. They endured immense destruction. Yet Silvertown survived.
Silver’s factory ultimately closed in the 1960s. It’s now a different industrial estate. The area faced decline. Shops closed. The post office went. So did the local social club and library. The area changed.
Today Silvertown is undergoing a major transformation. A £3.5 billion redevelopment is underway. This aims to create offices a tech hub and thousands of homes. A new bridge will connect West Silvertown to Crossrail’s Custom House station. This is Silvertown a place of contrasts. A place of industry. A place of change. A place with a vibrant history.