Plaque Wording: This plaque commemorates 335 years of the tea industry in the City of London, which in its heyday controlled over 85% of the world's tea trade.
The City's trade opened with the British East Indian Company which had a monopoly over the importation of tea from China & India. As a result of the growing tea trade in the City, St Katharine Docks opened on 25th October 1828, with Butler's Wharf following 65 years later in 1893 on the opposite side of the River Thames. At this time, St Katharine Docks was at the centre of Britain's roaring commercial trade and, alongside Butler's Wharf, was recognised as the main tea storage and processing centre in London.
During its 140 years as working docks, St Katharine Docks regularly welcomed tea clippers such the famous 'Cutty Sark' in addition to more modern steam ships. The Docks gained prominence due to its prime location on the River Thames, ensuring ease of access to the main tea companies in the City.
Tea trading was central to Britain's commercial trade in the 1800s as tea was the second largest commodity after wool, with tea warehouses receiving 120,000 tea chests annually. These chests were transported by ships into the docks and then lifted by manual chain pulleys to the platforms and storage floors. At its peak, Butler's Wharf handled 400,000 tea chests a year.
This plaque was generously donated by.....

Plaque Wording: The Mercer's Maiden is the symbol and coat of arms of the Mercers' Company and adorns the exterior walls of buildings on sites belonging to the Company.
The above stone is the earliest surviving Maiden property mark dating from 1669. It was reinstated on this site during redevelopment works by USS Ltd, completed in 2004.

Plaque Wording: unfortunately illegible

Plaque Wording: This garden covering the Medieval Chapter House and cloisters was created with the support of the City of London Corporation 2008

Plaque Wording: Lisa Pontecorvo is shown holding the scroll

Plaque Wording: The Trafalgar Way Destination - The Admiralty
On Monday 21st October 1805 the Royal Navy decisively defeated a combined French and Spanish fleet off Cape Trafalgar on the south west coast of Spain. This victory permanently removed the threat of invasion of England by the armies of Napoleon Bonaparte
The first official dispatches with the momentous news of the victory, and the death in action of Vice Admiral Lord Nelson, were carried to England on board H. M. Schooner PICKLE by her captain, Lieutenant John Richards Lapenotiere.
Lapenotiere landed at Falmouth on Monday 4th November 1805 and set out "express by post-chaise" for London. He took some 37 hours on the 271 mile journey, changing horses 21 times at a total cost of £46 19s 1d. Lapenotiere delivered his dispatches here to the Secretary of the Admiralty, William Marsden, at 1 a.m. on Wednesday 6th. Shortly thereafter a summary of the news was posted here and a crowd soon gathered. The news was passed to the Prime Minister and the King at once and special editions of newspapers were published later the same day to inform the nation.

Plaque Wording: The Trafalgar Way Brentford & Chiswick
On Monday 21st October 1805 the Royal Navy decisively defeated a combined French and Spanish fleet off Cape Trafalgar on the south west coast of Spain. This victory permanently removed the threat of invasion of England by the armies of Napoleon Bonaparte
The first official dispatches with the momentous news of the victory, and the death in action of Vice Admiral Lord Nelson, were carried to England on board H. M. Schooner PICKLE by her captain, Lieutenant John Richards Lapenotiere.
Lapenotiere landed at Falmouth on Monday 4th November 1805 and set out "express by post-chaise" for London. He took some 37 hours on the 271 mile journey, changing horses 21 times. The last of these was at Hounslow late at night on Tuesday 5th. His orders were to lose no time in reaching the Admiralty so, as the horses were still fresh, he pressed on through fog in Brentford and Chiswick toward Whitehall. Over the following four weeks other important messages arrived from the fleet with further details of the victory and anxiously awaited information on casualties. All the dispatches were landed at Falmouth and their couriers followed the same route through Brentford and Chiswick where horses and hospitality were available from the inns to all travellers on what is now the Trafalgar Way.

Plaque Wording: (according to London Remembers) Half-a-mile from Tyburn Gate

Plaque Wording: The circular stone on the traffic island 300 paces east of this point marks the site of the ancient gallows known as Tyburn Tree. It was demolished in 1759.

Plaque Wording: {left}Presented by 600 inhabitants of Teddington as a memento of the Jubilee of 1887
{right}Restored by the residents of Teddington as a memento of the jubilee of 2002 ansd 2012

Plaque Wording: (brass plaque, photo on left) From near this spot, December 19 1606, sailed with 105 'adventurers': The 'Susan Constant' 100 tons. Capt. Christopher Newport in supreme command; The 'Godspeed' 40 tons. Capt. Bartholomew Gosnold; The 'Discovery' 20 tons. Capt. John Ratcliffe. Landed at Cape Henry, Virginia April 26 1607. Arrived at Jamestown Virginia May 13 1607 where these 'adventurers' founded the first permanent English colony in America under the leadership of the intrepid Capt. John Smith, Edward Maria Wingfield President of the Council, the Reverend Robert Hunt and others. At Jamestown July 30 1619, was convened the first representative assembly in America. Erected by the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities in 1928 in commemoration.
(on Marble Base, photo on right) Virginia Quay. The Virginia Settlers Memorial tablet was unveiled in 1928 on the wall of Brunswick House which formerly stood about 100 yards to the west of this point. In 1999 Barratt Homes Limited reinstated this monument and commissioned the mariner's astrolabe by Wendy Taylor C.B.E.

Plaque Wording: Whales in the Thames
[top centre] Occasionally whales and seals are seen in the Thames. Since 1986 Common Seals have been spotted as far up as Richmond. A Lesser Rorqual Whale has been seen as well as a Bottle-Nosed Dolphin which was stranded at East India Dock. Such incidents have offered exciting distractions for the people of London over many centuries. [top left] Several incidents of whales in the Thames were recorded by John Evelyn, Deptford's famous 17th century diarist. In 1658 he noted that "a large whale was taken betwixt my land abutting on the Thames and Greenwich, which drew an in the concourse to sea it, by water, coach and on foote. It appeared first below Greenwich at low water, for at high water it would have destroyed all the boats.
[top right] After a long conflict it was killed with a harping yron, struck in the head, out of which spouted blood and water by two tunnels and after a horrid groan it ran quite on shore and died." Again in 1699 Evelyn wrote "After an extraordinary storm there came up the Thames a whale fifty-six feet long". In 1842 the capture of a young fin whale about 20 feet long provided quite an attraction. It was killed off Deptford Pier one Sunday by a number of watermen and its two ton body was displayed at the Bull and Butcher public house on the corner of Old King Street nearby. A printer in Flagon Row, Deptford quickly printed up some bills to advertise this "Extraordinary and Surprising Novelty" for sight-seers.
In 1965 there was great excitement when a school of about 20 whales was sighted off Woolwich pier. Billy Smart's Circus tried to catch one and enlisted the support of skin-divers, a gigantic fishing net and a rubber dingy {stet} to inflate under the unfortunate captive. They planned to take the whale to a temporary pool on Clapham Common then to a permanent aquarium at Windsor. All was frustrated when a policeman pointed out that anything caught in the Thames becomes property of the Queen and under the Whaling Industry Act you cannot catch a whale in British waters. The whale catchers were last seen edging the whales out of the river, hoping to catch one in the open sea.

Plaque Wording: (On the outer arch:) Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.
(On the inner arch:) Whosoever will let him take the water of life freely.
Erected 1860 by one unknown yet well known. Removed from old church railing and re-erected on present site AD 1879.

Plaque Wording: {around the top}The gift of Sam Gurney M.P. 1859
{in the centre}The first metropolitan drinking fountain erected on Holborn Hill in 1809 and removed when the viaduct was constructed in 1867
{at the bottom}Replace the cup

Plaque Wording: The Adelphi This building stands on the site of Adelphi Terrace built by the brothers Adam in 1768 - 1774. Among the occupants of the Terrace were Topham and Lady Diana Beauclerk, David Garrick, Richard Doyly Carte, Thomas Hardy & George Bernard Shaw, The London School of Economics and Political Science and the Savage Club also had their premises here. LCC 1951

Plaque Wording: The Aldgate Pump A well for fresh drinking water has been on this site since the 13th century. The Aldgate Pump has long been a landmark point for visitors to east London, mentioned by Charles Dickens and in traditional rhyme and song. In 1876 the pump's water was connected to the mains water supply after the old well was found to be contaminated. The current Portland stone obelisk dates from the 18th century. The brass wolf's head spout is 19th century. The lantern on top is a handmade replica of the original lost around 1900. Repaired and restored in 2019 by the City of London with the assistance of the Heritage of London Trust and a gift from Miss Anthea Gray.

Plaque Wording: Anchor Iron Wharf In 964 King Edgar granted this land to the abbey of St Peter's in Ghent, Flanders. Henry V re-possessed it in 1414. After the English civil war Charles II granted the land to Sir William Boreman in 1676. He was clerk to the Board of Green Cloth and involved with the design of Greenwich Park. He also founded Green Coat School. In 1699 his widow sold the estate of Old Court Manor to Sir John Morden. He had already built Morden College in 1695 to accommodate merchants who had lost their estates by accidents and perils of the seas. In 1705 Sir Ambrose Crowley, an iron-maker, moved to a riverside mansion which he renamed Crowley House and built Crowley's Wharf. In 1953 Charles Robinson moved his premises to what became Anchor Iron & Crowley's Wharf. The principal cargoes were scrap iron, lead ingots, metal and glass.

Plaque Wording: Dined at my Lord Treasurer's, the Earle of Southampton, in Bloomsbury where he was building a noble square or piazza, a little towne" John Evelyn's diary, 1665.

Plaque Wording: Bell Moor Hampstead Heath - The surface of the soil is here 435ft 7" above sea level or 16ft 7" higher than the top of Saint Paul's Cross

Plaque Wording: {left-hand plaque}Metropolitan Borough of Chelsea
{right-hand plaque}Erected 1906-8
W. J. Mulvey JP - Mayor 1905-6
Hon. W. Sidney JP - Mayor 1906-8
Maj. W. F. Woods JP - Chairm. of Comtee. Thomas Holland - Town Clerk ES

Plaque Wording: {Bottom Right} This plaque is presented with much pleasure by China Travel Services (H.K.) Ltd to commemorate the unveiling of two Chinese Lions by HRH the Duke of Gloucester on the 29 October 1985 (during the quatercentenary year of the City of Westminster) at the formal opening of Gerrard Street China Town. The unveiling ceremony was attended by His Excellency Hu Ding Yi the Ambassador of The People's Republic of China, the Right Worshipful the Lord Mayor of Westminster Councillor Roger Bramble, Mr Colvyn Haye, CBE, the Hong Kong Commissioner and Mr Harry Chi-Cheung Lee President of the China Town Chinese Association (London).
The two Chinese Lions were generously donated by the People's Republic of China. The Sculpture of the Chinese characters on the Gateways were sponsored by the Hong Kong Government. The Chinese Couplets on the Gateways were composed by Mr B. Tran Huynh. The 29th day October 1985.
{on Left}This plaque was unveiled on 7th February 2000 by HRH the Prince of Wales on the occasion of the Royal Visit to London Chinatown to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year of the Dragon Millennium 2000. Presented by Mr Tim Yau, MBE, President London Chinatown Chinese Association.
{Top Right} This plaque was laid by Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall on Thursday 1st November 2007 with warmest affection from Mr Chu Ting Tang, President The London Chinatown Chinese Association and The Chinese Community in Britain

Plaque Wording: This building was erected by voluntary contributions for a dispensary and soup kitchen. It was intended as a thank-offering to Almighty God for his special mercy in sparing this parish during the visitation of cholera in the year 1849. The site was purchased in 1850 and the building completed in 1853. He shall deliver thee from the noisome pestilence. Thomas Ainger M.A. Incumbent

Plaque Wording: This bank of earth was raised and formed to support the Channel of the New River. And the frame of timber and lead which served that purpose 173 years was removed and taken away.
MDCCLXXXVI {1786} Peter Holford Esquire, Governor