(Part of the Digital:Works Archive)

Administrative/Biographical History

"On the Docks: An Oral History Project of London's dock workers" is a collection of oral histories of former dockworkers and their families. These histories were also video recorded and, together with archival footage, they were used to make a documentary about those who worked on London’s docks from the 1930s to 1970s.

Themes covered in the histories and the film are the different jobs on the docks, working conditions, the various cargos coming in and out of London, and the camaraderie among the dockworkers. Also discussed were trade unions and the Tanner Strike of 1889, the General Strike of 1926, and the Chobham Farm dispute in 1972. The project highlights the effects of containerisation and how the docks closing affected dockworkers and riverside communities.

"On the Docks" was a collaborative project between the charity Digital:works and children from Riverside and Westminster Cathedral primary schools. The children learned interviewing and documentary skills while conducting the oral histories. The project includes 22 oral histories and one documentary.

Scope and Content

Material created during the project, 'On the Docks: An Oral History Project of London's dock workers', which was developed and produced by Digital:works. Includes:

• Twenty-two original oral history interviews recorded for the project
• Copy of the booklet which contains pieces by children from Riverside Primary School and Westminster Cathedral Primary School, and a DVD of the documentary created during the project and featuring extracts of the oral histories
• Digital photographs of the individuals who participated in the project.

Note: digital material is stored in the digital drive and can be consulted in the Researchers' area.

Quantity

22 mp3, 22 jpgs, 1 mov, 1 dvd, 1 booklet.