1881 – Gallions Hotel, Royal Albert Dock, London

A Grade II* listed building, restored in the 1990s after sitting derelict – it had lain vacant since 1972. The Gallions had a tunnel by which P&O Captains and passengers could make their way to the Company’s ships berthed in the Royal Albert Docks, which could then take passengers ships up to 12,000 tons – the largest ships afloat. The Great Eastern Railway ran a passenger service from Fenchurch Street to the hotel.

“This building is now in course of erection at the Galleons Station of the new Royal Albert Dock, opposite Woolwich. The materials used for facing are red brick with handcut mouldings for the basement and ground-floor stories and the chimneys; rough-cast of a buff tint for the front floor, and tile hangings for the overhanging upper portion. Over the large dining-room is a billiard-room, with access to a promenade formed by the balcony over the verandah of railway platform, from which a fine view of the docks and shipping will be obtained.” Published in The Building News, July 22 1881.

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