At one time I cam into the Port of London after 8 months at sea into a strike, as a young man I was then selfish and didn’t realise the importance of what was happening, I cursed because I had to lose my leave (I was indentured to the shipping Co) for that now I sincereley apologise.

Has I grew older I understood the politics and was at the ending of many shipping companies under the Red Duster, as always the politiscians and greed of bankers and their business ilk did for us and only for them.

Mr Ross if |I had my time again I stand on those picklet lines with you all, Bless you and yours and all that was once the East End,

I am doing research at University into the lives of the Dockers at the London and St Katherine’s Docks just at the point of closure (66-69). Are there any dockers out there that worked the docks that then moved downstream, or left the industry? It is so hard to get the voices of the dockers into the historical record – one docker told me he was too old and people just forgot him but too young for his story to be re-told ( from the archives) – I really want to help change this.

For our project we are recording the history of people who worked on the docks, getting them to come and meet small groups of primary school children in London to talk about their working lives. If there are any of you who worked on the docks who would like to get involved please have a look at our website and get in touch.

http://www.thamesdockers.org.uk