Description
Main port of the United Kingdom and, for a long period, the largest and most important commercial and financial center in the world, located on the River Thames.
Year of Foundation or Oldest Source
Founded by the Romans (Londinium) around 50 AD as a trading port.
Country (State or Region)
United Kingdom (England)
Location
London, England, along the River Thames.
Structuring
Extensive river port stretching for dozens of miles along the Thames. Characterized by a complex system of enclosed docks (wet docks) built primarily in the 18th and 19th centuries to overcome tidal variations and accommodate the immense traffic (e.g., West India Docks, East India Docks, St. Katharine Docks, Royal Docks). It included numerous wharves, warehouses, and supporting infrastructure.
Notes
Nerve center of the British Empire and the world economy, especially in the 18th and 19th centuries. It was the second-largest British slave port, after Liverpool, with 2,704 recorded expeditions. Leading financial, insurance, and shipping company center in the world. The development of the docks in the early 19th century was a massive response to river congestion and the need for secure and efficient facilities.
Sources
MARNOT, Bruno. Ports as Tools of European Expansion. Encyclopédie d'histoire numérique de l'Europe [online], 2020.; WIKIPEDIA. Traite négrière à Nantes. [s.d.].
