3.2 Lea Bridge and its Environs
The first bridge at Lea Bridge was constructed of timber in 1757, replacing Jeremy's
Ferry. The second Lea Bridge was constructed in 1820, but was itself replaced in 1892. By the 1830s Paradise Dock (later known as Lea Bridge Dock) had been cut
and a more coherent cluster of development had been constructed around along its
sides. Throughout the C19th this was supplemented by further residential, commercial,
and industrial development. The East London Waterworks (Lea Bridge Station) were
also constructed during this period, to the east of the River Lea.
The C19th also shows residential development springing up around the Millfields
Recreation Grounds, although as this is common land (now designated as
Metropolitan Open Land) the buildings around Lea Bridge remained as a distinct
group.
An auction catalogue and plan (see figure 13) from 1902 lists a variety of lots for sale
at Lea Bridge: a glass factory, boat builders (with dressing rooms and club rooms), a
carbonic acid gas factory, an India rubber works, and cottages, as well as the Ship
Aground Beer House. The area around Lea Bridge reflects the many uses of the River
Lea.
In 1935 a furniture works was constructed to the rear of the carbonic acid works to
Otley Terrace. Drawings from this period indicate that the Lea Bridge Dock was still in
use, although by the 1960s it had been filled in.
|
