London 1982

Peter MARSHALL


Angerstein Wharf, Scrap metal works, East Greenwich, Woolwich. 1982
30m-33: scrapyard, car parts, crane

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John Julius Angerstein (1735 - 1823) was a Russian born businessman, thought to have been the son of Empress Anna of Russia and London businessman, Andrew Poulett Thompson who he worked for when he came to London aged 15. He made a vast fortune from slavery, both from slave estates in Grenada and from the insurance of the trade by Lloyd's, much of which went into buying fine art - and 38 of his pictures were bought after his death by the government to set up the National Gallery. His only son John Angerstein (1774-1858) was MP for Greenwich from 1835-7.
 
John Angerstein realised the potential of the riverside site and bought up the land and in 1851 planned a railway line to connect Angerstein Wharf with the North Kent Line which was being built. The line opened in 1852 and was leased to the South Eastern Railway company who bought it in 1898. Although Angerstein had hoped it would be used for passengers as well as freight, this never happened, though occasional excursions for rail enthusiasts have run on it - I went on one some years ago, though there were few opportunities for photography.