Jetty Number 4 and Approach, Formerly at Samuel Williams and Company, Dagenham Dock

Details

971/0/10009 CHEQUERS LANE 09-JUN-06 Jetty No. 4 and Approach, formerly at Samuel Williams and Co, Dagenham Dock

II Coaling jetty. 1899-1903, for Samuel Williams & Sons Ltd. Built to designs by L. G. Mouchel & Partners, British agents for Hennebique's patent reinforced-concrete constructional system. Extended one bay in 1906-7, to designs by Arthur E. Williams, engineer and son of Samuel Williams, incorporating his patent system for the horizontal casting of reinforced-concrete piles, developed in response to problems encountered with vertically cast Hennebique piles during the construction of this jetty. Jetty about 500ft (150m) long, parallel to north bank of Thames in front of Dagenham Dock. Approach from shore about half as long, angled at about 45 degrees to jetty, running from an easterly point on shore to meet jetty near its east end. Layout can be likened to an asymmetrical T shaped like a handgun. 13-bay jetty has 10 bays west of approach, one bay to east, two bays at junction, each bay being about 40ft (12m) square. Bays west of approach widened to north in mid 20th century, tapering towards west end. Original reinforced-concrete structure largely intact, though obscured by mid 20th-century additions. Trabeated or post-and-lintel construction, with robust cylindrical piers on pile foundations and with cushion capitals supporting platforms or floors framed by grids of girders. High-level and low-level horizontal cross braces link opposed pairs of piers, some broken. Early braces and girders have chamfered arrises. Original construction clearly visible on approach, 10 bays, similarly built, somewhat slighter piers with cushion capitals, platform ramps up slightly from shore to jetty. Piers and one bay of platform at jetty end of approach more robust, having cross braces as on jetty. Girder ends on approach project slightly over pier capitals. Railings renewed, but an original parapet panel with a coped cornice head stands on east side of approach on shore side. Both jetty and approach have disused tracks for cranes and railway wagons. Source: L. T. C. Rolt, 'Samuel Williams & Sons Ltd; 1855-1955', in 'A Company's Story in its Setting: Samuel Williams & Sons Ltd, 1855-1955' (London, 1955). Jetty No. 4 is important as being among Britain's earliest surviving reinforced-concrete structures, with additional interest arising from the invention and early deployment here of Williams's patented piles, an important advance for civil engineering. The reinforcing steelwork and other additions of the mid 20th century and later are not of special interest.

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