Place    From 1651  To 1960

Hay's Wharf

Categories: Commerce, Food & Drink

The land between Tooley Street and the Thames has been occupied by wharves and warehouses since the middle ages. Hay's Wharf originated as a Tooley Street brew-house of which Alexander Hay took ownership in 1651. In 1656 Hay let part of the wharf and buildings to the New River Company.  This became known as Pipe Borers’ Wharf and here trees were hollowed out to make London’s first water mains. The Hay's Wharf Company grew to own most of the complex between London and Tower Bridges.  

The current Hay's Wharf Buildings were constructed in 1856 by Sir William Cubitt on the site of the 18th century wharf. Hay's Wharf was one of the earliest complexes to incorporate fireproofing, using incombustible floors of brick arches on cast iron beams. Despite this Hay's Wharf was destroyed in the great fire of Tooley Street of 1861, and then largely rebuilt. The wharf handled all cargoes except tobacco, but specialised in provisions and tea. In the 1860's the use of cold storage was pioneered here and the area became known as "London's Larder". 75% of the bacon, butter, cheese and canned meat needed for London was stored here. In the 1960s the cargo business was revolutionised by the introduction of container ships and it all moved away from the centre of London. Incidentally, don't believe anyone who says the word "wharf" is an acronym for "warehouse at river front". Complete rubbish; the word has an eminently respectable etymology from Old English.

2021: A London Inheritance has an excellent post on Hay's Wharf and nearby.

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Hay's Wharf

Commemorated ati

Glaziers Hall

The Glaziers Hall The land in this area formed part of the site of the cloist...

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Great fire of Tooley Street

2021: This plaque has been replaced with a similar plaque, re-branded to prom...

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Hay's Wharf - riverside

Hay's Galleria In the mid 1850's, following the steady rise of the River Tham...

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Hay's Wharf - Tooley Street

The little plaque that you can see at the top of the picture is disappointing...

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Hay's Wharf war memorial

To the memory of those members of the staff of the proprietors of Hay's Wharf...

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Show all 6

This section lists the memorials created by the subject on this page:
Hay's Wharf

Creations i

Silver Jubilee - Montague Close

This monument, built with the aid of funds donated by the Pilgrim Trust, was ...

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Other Subjects

Trustees of Borough Market

Trustees of Borough Market

Borough Market is a charitable trust, run by a board of volunteer trustees. They ensure that the activities of the market meet the trust's clearly defined responsibilities.

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2 memorials
Sinclair Beecham

Sinclair Beecham

Co-founder of Pret a Manger with Julian Metcalfe, who he met at the Polytechnic of Central London.

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1 memorial
LEO - Lyons Electronic Office

LEO - Lyons Electronic Office

The world's first business computer was built and operated by J. Lyons & Co. The LEO website provides: In October 1947, the directors of J. Lyons & Company, a British catering company famo...

Concept, Commerce, Science

1 memorial
Grice's Granary

Grice's Granary

A Grade II listed building, built around 1780 and extended during the following two centuries. It contains some 200-year-old beams which were originally parts of ships. The building now houses Sand...

Building, Commerce

1 memorial
Bakers Chop House

Bakers Chop House

A tavern/restaurant at 1 Change Alley. 2019: We were kindly contacted by Raymond Cross who told us that his great great uncle, William Mann Cross ( ? - 1919) was the owner and proprietor of this r...

Building, Commerce, Food & Drink

1 memorial