The red sails of a Thames barge sails through
Woolwich on 27 August 1978. Large numbers of these vessels worked the Thames,
Medway and East Coast.
Photograph. John King |
Oil and tar The barges drift With the turning tide Red sails Wide To leeward, swing on the heavy spar. The barges wash Drifting logs Down Greenwich reach Past the Isle of Dogs. Weialala leia Wallala leialala From 'The Waste Land'
T. S. Eliot. |
Another barge sails through Woolwich with
the northern shore in the background with tower blocks, and the cranes
of the Royal Docks. The large 'COURAGE' sign belongs to the Royal Pavilion
public house in Pier Road, North Woolwich. At night illuminated red it
shone out over the river to be clearly seen on the southern shore. The
pub looked in a very dilapidated condition for a long time, and has now
been demolished.
27 August 1978. Photograph. John King |
Looking downstream this time to another
barge. The two tall pylons to the rear of the ship carried power from Belvedere
power station accross the river as part of the national grid. They were
over 700ft high.
27 August 1978. Photograph. John King |