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History

The Port of London Authority (PLA) was created to bring order to the chaos and congestion that prevailed on the Thames as rival wharfs, docks and river users battled for business in the late 1800s.
In the 16th century, a merchant ship sank to the bottom of the Thames. It was undisturbed for 500 years until its discovery.
The Port of London Authority has changed a lot in the past 100 years. Here's a contrast of the PLA's past and present plus some interesting facts about 1909 and 2008.
Did you know, that at its peak (in the 1930s), the area of the PLA’s enclosed dock water area amounted to 713 acres - equivalent to 2506 Olympic sized swimming pools...
The Port of London Authority archive is held and managed by the Museum of London Docklands.