The Manganese, Bronze & Brass Company Limited established a manufactory at St Georges Wharf in 1876, on the borders of Deptford and Rotherhithe. By 1905, they had acquired further premises on the opposite side of the river at St Davids Wharf. They were specialists in the manufacturing of ships’ propellers. Many of the Cunarders, including the Mauretania, had propellers made by this company.
After the Second World War, the Wharf was taken over by Associated Lead Manufactures. Today, Consort House and Dominion House, the easternmost buildings of the St Davids square residential development, occupy the site. This was the site of the Millwall Lead Works. A chemical works had been established here in the early 1840s by Pontifex & Wood but lead production, especially white lead for paint, soon became the main activity.
The lead industry had been established on the Isle of Dogs for a long time and this lead manufactory became the largest in the area.
By the 1950s, Associated Lead Manufacturers had taken over adjoining wharves and premises until a long stretch of the riverfront was given over to lead production. The manufactory closed in the early 1980s and the site was cleared by 1987. It remained vacant until 1999 when work began on a major residential scheme called Locke’s Wharf by the developers St George. Designed by the architects Phillip Randall and Parkes, the development contains four large apartment buildings facing onto the river, with ‘waveform’ roofs, and a further four taller blocks behind.
Key Facts
Developer: St George
Architects: Phillip Randall & Parkes
Nearest transport link: Island Gardens DLR
Why would I want to live in St Davids Square?
A riverfront location is a fine thing to experience, particularly as the Isle of Dogs is such a quiet part of London. The on-site facilities are great and Island Gardens DLR is just up the road, so getting around London is easy. Being at the southerly end of the Isle of Dogs, and therefore as far away from Canary Wharf as you can get without crossing the river, may sound like a poor location but in reality Canary Wharf is just 6 or 7 minutes away on the DLR. St Davids Square is in fact ideally located to enjoy what ‘The Island’ has to offer, being just a few minutes’ walk from the Greenwich Foot Tunnel - and therefore Greenwich, its market, museum and park – whilst Millwall Park and Mudchute Park & Farm are close by too.
Rental values at St Davids Square
One bedroom apartments: from £300 per week
Two bedroom apartments: from £425 per week
Three bedroom apartments: from £525 per week
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