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]
.
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.
Ipswich is a port town and borough in the county of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is the county town of Suffolk and is the largest settlement in the county, followed by Lowestoft and Bury St Edmunds. It is situated in East Anglia. Ipswich is the second-largest population centre in East Anglia, Norwich being the largest. It is 67 miles (108 km) northeast of London. The Ipswich built-up area is the fourth-largest in the East of England region and the 42nd-largest in England and Wales. It includes the towns and villages of Kesgrave, Woodbridge, Bramford and Martlesham Heath.
The River Orwell flows through the county of Suffolk in England from Ipswich to Felixstowe. Above Ipswich, the river is known as the River Gipping, but its name changes to the Orwell at Stoke Bridge, where the river becomes tidal. It broadens into an estuary at Ipswich, where the Ipswich dock has operated since the 7th century, and then flows into the North Sea at Felixstowe, the UK's largest container port, after joining the River Stour at Shotley forming Harwich harbour.
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.
The Port of Hull is a port at the confluence of the River Hull and the Humber Estuary in Kingston upon Hull, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England.
The Haven ports are a group of ports on the east coast of England. Traditionally, only the three deep-water ports of Ipswich, Harwich and Felixstowe, on the confluence of the River Orwell and River Stour, were included. The name has since changed to mean the following five ports:
The Port of Ipswich can be dated to c.625. The name Ipswich was originally Gippeswyc, referring to the River Gyppes with a suffix derived from the Scandinavian term vik, which had evolved from meaning bay or inlet to mean landing-place, following the proliferation of merchants requiring places to unload their goods and conduct trade. Since 1997 the port has been run by Associated British Ports.
Ipswich Borough Council is the local authority for Ipswich, a non-metropolitan district with borough status in Suffolk, England. It is the second tier of a two-tier system, fulfilling functions such as refuse collection, housing and planning, with Suffolk County Council providing county council services such as transport, education and social services.
Ipswich is the county town of Suffolk, England. It is a medieval port and industrial town with a strong transport history; the urban area has a population of 122,000 and currently offers urban transport services for cars, cycles and buses. In addition there are 3 railway stations and regional coach services. London Stansted Airport is accessible by the airlink coach.
The Ipswich Waterfront is a cultural and historically significant area surrounding the marina in the town of Ipswich, Suffolk, England. The modern dock was constructed in 1842 and the area was a functioning dock up until the 1970s. At the time of completion, the dock was known as 'the biggest and most important enclosed dock in the kingdom'. Although the dock as it stands was constructed in 1842, the area was used for trade as far back as the 7th century. The decline of industry in the town resulted in the area being transformed into a trendy area of Ipswich, the waterfront is now characterised by its marina, known as Neptune Marina, as well as its mix of classical and postmodern architecture which includes multiple high-rise apartment buildings, restaurants, bars and cafés. The waterfront is also home to the main campus of the region's university, the University of Suffolk.
The Port of Grimsby is located on the south bank of the Humber Estuary at Grimsby in North East Lincolnshire. Sea trade out of Grimsby dates to at least the medieval period. The Grimsby Haven Company began dock development in the late 1700s, and the port was further developed from the 1840s onwards by the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway (MSLR) and its successors. The port has had three main dock systems:
The Statute Law (Repeals) Act 2013 is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which repealed the whole of 817 acts of Parliament, and portions of more than 50 others. It is the largest Statute Law (Repeals) Act which has been recommended by the Law Commission.
Edward Packard, senior, was an English chemist and businessperson who founded and developed a major artificial fertilizer industry near Ipswich, Suffolk in the mid-nineteenth century, and became a wealthy and prominent figure in the life of the Borough. His son, Sir Edward Packard, junior developed Packard and James Fison (Thetford) Limited ('Fisons') into one of the largest fertiliser manufacturing businesses in the United Kingdom.
East Suffolk is a local government district in Suffolk, England. The largest town is Lowestoft, which contains Ness Point, the easternmost point of the United Kingdom. The second largest town is Felixstowe, which has the country's largest container port. On the district's south-western edge it includes parts of the Ipswich built-up area. The rest of the district is largely rural, containing many towns and villages, including several seaside resorts. Its council is based in the village of Melton. The district was formed in 2019 as a merger of the two previous districts of Suffolk Coastal and Waveney. In 2021 it had a population of 246,058. It is the most populous district in the country not to be a unitary authority.
Coprolite Street is a street in Ipswich, Suffolk in the Waterfront area. It runs from Duke Street to Neptune Marina, the former Orwell Quay. It was named after the factory which processed coprolite, or fossilised faeces, near Ipswich Docks. This factory was established by Edward Packard on the site of a former mill in 1849. It is believed by local people to be the only Coprolite Street in the country or even the world, and attracts geologists in particular who like to have their photograph taken by the street sign.
Lancaster Port Commission is the statutory harbour authority for the Port of Lancaster. It is now based at Glasson Dock. It was set up by act of parliament to facilitate the role that the port could play in international trade, particularly the Atlantic slave trade. Many of the early commissioners were active slave traders.