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Limehouse Hole has been a traditional plying place for London's Watermen from the 17th Century onward. There were two sets of river stairs in 1687, but it was only those at the end of the passage that became Thomas Place that survived. In 1843 watermen attempted to recover some of the business lost to the steamboats by erecting a floating pier at Limehouse Hole stairs - this was gone, however, by 1860. A new pier, built on 3 pontoons, was placed there in 1870. It too was removed with the building of Dundee Wharf in 1901. In 1905/6 the LCC (London County Council) constructed a new pier, consisting of two lengths of lattice/girder walkway on a pontoon, as one of several river piers erected for the 'Penny Steamer' service. This was removed in 1948, but the stairs, though closed, remained until 1990. |
