Greenwich Marsh
Despite its recent industrial history, Greenwich Peninsula was originally marsh and wetland known as Greenwich Marsh or Bugsby’s Marsh.
It was rich in wildlife but unsuitable for farming as it flooded at high tide. Locals trapped eel and hunted wild fowl, and ‘watermen’ ferried passengers and goods by boat.
The first painting, circa 1830, shows how rural the area was even into the 19th century. The boat on the right is a Peter boat, a distinctive Thames and Medway fishing craft.
Image credits:
1. Greenwich from Blackwall Reach © National Maritime Museum, London
2. View of the Thames, Blackwall Reach and Greenwich Marsh from One Tree Hill © National Maritime Museum, London
From the Collection of
