The Ipswich Docks, Ipswich wet dock and the wet dock, are a series of docks in Port of Ipswich located at a bend of the River Orwell which has been used for trade since at least the 8th Century. A wet dock was constructed in 1842 which was 'the biggest enclosed dock in the United Kingdom' at the time. A major regeneration of the area has taken place since 1999. [1]
Although Ipswich had enjoyed "a great trade" in the sixteenth century, by the seventeenth century this had gone into decline. This in turn had led to the neglect of basis facilities, such as the Common Quay, which was no longer accessible by vessels with a draft of 8 feet or more: such vessels had to transfer their cargoes into lighters three miles downstream at Downham Reach. [2]
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In 1837 an act of Parliament (7 Will. 4 & 1 Vict. c. lxxiv) allowed the Ipswich Dock Commissioners to construct a new wet dock whilst also placing certain conditions on them. In addition to building the wet dock and providing a diversion for the river Orwell along a 'New Cut' to the west of the dock the commissioners were to allow all persons, with cattle and carriages, may thereby have free access to the dock and quays and the sides of the said new cut and channel and also to contribute to the health and recreation of the inhabitants [of Ipswich]. The Ipswich Dock Commission was provided with investment of £25,000 and the right to borrow a further £100,000 but needed a further loan of £20,000 and also an additional levy of six pence per tonne on all imported coal to fund the project. [4] The dock opened in 1842; the original lock gates entered the dock from the New Cut opposite Felaw Street. [5] The new custom house (now known as the 'Old Custom House') was completed in 1845. [6]
The development attracted new industries to the dock area such as the coprolite factory founded by Edward Packard in 1849. This factory gave its name to Coprolite Street in the docks area. [7]
The Ipswich Docks Act 1877 (40 & 41 Vict. c. ccxvi) allowed for the construction of a new lock in their present position to facilitate access to the dock and allow trams to operate along the length of the 'Island' between New Cut and the dock. [8] The new lock gates were constructed by the time of the 1898 act which authorised the construction of a swing bridge. [9]
Ipswich Docks Act 1913 (3 & 4 Geo. 5. c. cvi) allowed for the construction of a new entrance to the docks comprising inner and outer gates and a swing bridge, a quay and various tramways and also allowed for the 'stopping off' of various rights of way. There was however a condition that work had to be completed within 10 years and following World War I an extension was granted by an act of Parliament (8 & 9 Geo. 5. c. lvii) in 1918. [10]
| Ipswich Dock Act 1971 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act to authorise the Ipswich Dock Commission to construct further works; and for other purposes. |
| Citation | 1971 c. xiv |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 30 March 1971 |
Status: Current legislation | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
The Ipswich Dock Act 1971 (c. xiv) authorised the development of the West Bank to allow ro-ro ships to dock.
The Ipswich Dock Commission was reconstituted as the Ipswich Port Authority in 1973 [11] when the first stage of the development was completed, further work was carried out in 1977 and 1979 and then again in 1998. [12]
| Ipswich Port Improvement Act 1805 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act for improving and rendering more commodious the Port of Ipswich, in the County of Sufffolk. |
| Citation | 45 Geo. 3. c. ci |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 10 July 1805 |
| Other legislation | |
| Repealed by | Ipswich Port Act 1837 |
Status: Repealed | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Ipswich Port Act 1837 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act to amend an Act of the Forty-fifth Year of the Reign of King George the Third, for improving and rendering more commodious the Port of Ipswich, and for constructing a Wet Dock there. |
| Citation | 7 Will. 4 & 1 Vict. c. lxxiv |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 30 June 1837 |
| Other legislation | |
| Repealed by | Ipswich Port Authority Act 1986 |
Status: Repealed | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Ipswich Dock Commission Act 1841 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
| |
| Long title | An Act to enable the Ipswich Dock Commissioners to raise a further Sum of Money. |
| Citation | 4 & 5 Vict. c. lii |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 21 June 1841 |
| Other legislation | |
| Repealed by | Ipswich Port Authority Act 1986 |
Status: Repealed | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Ipswich Dock Act 1843 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
| |
| Long title | An Act to enlarge the Powers of the Ipswich Dock Commissioners. |
| Citation | 6 & 7 Vict. c. xx |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 9 May 1843 |
| Other legislation | |
| Repealed by | Ipswich Port Authority Act 1986 |
Status: Repealed | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Ipswich Dock Act 1852 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
| |
| Long title | An Act to consolidate and amend the Acts relating to the Ipswich Dock, to allow certain Drawbacks, and for other Purposes. |
| Citation | 15 & 16 Vict. c. cxvi |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 17 June 1852 |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Ipswich Dock Act 1877 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
| |
| Long title | An Act to confer further powers on the Ipswich Dock Commissioners. |
| Citation | 40 & 41 Vict. c. ccxvi |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 10 August 1877 |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Ipswich Dock Act 1898 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
| |
| Citation | 61 & 62 Vict. c. cxciii |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 2 August 1898 |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Ipswich Dock Act 1913 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Citation | 3 & 4 Geo. 5. c. cvi |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 15 August 1913 |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Ipswich Dock Act 1918 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
| |
| Citation | 8 & 9 Geo. 5. c. lvii |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 21 November 1918 |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Ipswich Port Authority Act 1979 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
| |
| Long title | An Act to extend the time for the completion of the works authorised by the Ipswich Dock Act 1971; to increase the borrowing powers of the Ipswich Port Authority; and for connected purposes. |
| Citation | 1979 c. ix |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 26 July 1979 |
| Other legislation | |
| Repealed by | Ipswich Port Authority Act 1986 |
Status: Repealed | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Ipswich Port Authority Act 1986 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
| |
| Long title | An Act to extend the time for the completion of the works authorised by the Ipswich Dock Act 1971; to increase and amend the borrowing powers of the Ipswich Port Authority; to confer further powers on the Authority; to accord priority of passage to certain vessels passing to and from the port of Ipswich over certain other vessels not so passing; and for connected and other purposes. |
| Citation | 1986 c. xv |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 25 July 1986 |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
Many notable local individuals were dock commissioners.
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The West India Docks are a series of three docks, quaysides, and warehouses built to import goods from, and export goods and occasionally passengers to the British West Indies. Located on the Isle of Dogs in London, the first dock opened in 1802. Following their commercial closure in 1980, the Canary Wharf development was built around the wet docks by narrowing some of their broadest tracts.
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