Blackwall Rock
The Blackwall Rock was a reef in the River Thames in East London. The rock provided a useful shelter for moored vessels, but was also a hazardous obstruction to river navigation. It was removed in the early 19th century following the opening of the adjacent West India Docks.
See Wikipedia entry.
1808 Advert: 'To BUILDERS, ENGINEERS, &c.— STEAM ENGINE, Crushing Stones with Shafts and Gear, Floating Booms and Stages, Buoys, BALLAST BARGES and CRAFT, MOORING CHAINS, Anchors, Cables, and excellent Fir Timber.
By Messrs. CREATON and SON, On the Premises, the BLACKWALL END of the CANAL, on WEDNESDAY next, the 4th Instant, and following DAY, at Twelve,
A Valuable and useful Steam Engine of eight-horse power, two sets of five-feet six crushing stones with shafts and gear, two pugging mills, engineers, and workmens’ barges; 15 craft fitted complete for raising ballast, planks, barrows, implements and utensils, and surplus materials left from the completion of the Contract for the removal of Blackwall Rock, comprising about 12,000 feet of Memel timber, in various lengths and scantlings; booms, spars, and planking; the erection of floating smith's shop, working tools, anvil, forge, and bellows, single and double fluke anchors, mooring chains, and buoys, square and flat bar iron, plate and rod ditto, purchase jacks and crane, large quantity iron screw bolts and nuts, spikes, patent lamps with large lens and apparatus for night signals, &c. &c. To be viewed at the Places expressed in the Catalogues, and Catalogues had at the Canal Office, Blackwall; Three Crowns, Greenwich and Messrs. Creaton and Son, No. 58, Great Tower-street'[1]
1808 Advert: 'First LIQUOR-SHOP, BOW-STREET, COVENT GARDEN; capital STEAM-ENGINE, the good BRIG MARY, FREEHOLD ESTATES, LIMEHOUSE. By JOHN BROMLEY, At the ANGEL and CROWN TAVERN, WHITECHAPEL-ROAD, on FRIDAY, the 17th Inst, at Three, Six Lots,
THAT truly valuable Liquor Shop and Vine Vault, conspicuously situated,... . A capital Steam Engine, six-horse power, with all its apparatus complete, fitted up in the good brig Mary, 200 tons burthen, lately used for the removal of the rock at Blackwall, and now lying in Messrs. Perry's Dock, Blackwall. ....
Particulars may be had at the Orchard House, Blackwal, White Horse, Poplar ; Britannia, Limehouse; Garraway's, Place of Sale; and the Auctioneer, 23, Cannon-street-road, St George’s East.' [2]