| Royal Albert Dock | |
|---|---|
 Waterfront of the Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool | |
  Location of Royal Albert Dock within Liverpool | |
| General information | |
| Location | Liverpool |
| Coordinates | 53°24′1.08″N 2°59′33.72″W / 53.4003000°N 2.9927000°W |
| Current tenants | The Beatles Story, Merseyside Maritime Museum, Tate Liverpool |
| Construction started | 1841 |
| Completed | 1846 (official opening), 1847 (structural completion) |
| Cost | £782,265 |
| Owner | Albert Dock Company Ltd |
| Technical details | |
| Floor area | 1.29m sq ft (warehouse space), 7.75 acres (dock basin area) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Jesse Hartley, Philip Hardwick |
The Royal Albert Dock[1] is a complex of dock buildings and warehouses in Liverpool, England. Designed by Jesse Hartley and Philip Hardwick, it was opened in 1846, and was the first structure in Britain to be built from cast iron, brick and stone, with no structural wood. As a result, it was the first non-combustible warehouse system in the world.[2] It was known simply as the Albert Dock until 2018, when it was granted a royal charter and had the honorific "Royal" added to its name.
At the time of its construction the dock was considered to be revolutionary in its design because ships were loaded and unloaded directly from or to the warehouses. Two years after it opened it was modified to feature the world's first hydraulic cranes.[3] Due to its open yet secure design, the dock became a popular store for valuable cargoes such as brandy, cotton, tea, silk, tobacco, ivory and sugar. However, despite its advanced design, the rapid development of shipping technology meant that, within 50 years, larger and more open docks were required, although the Albert Dock remained a valuable store for cargo.
During the Second World War, the dock was requisitioned by the Admiralty serving as a base for ships of the British Atlantic Fleet. The complex was damaged during air raids on Liverpool, notably during the May Blitz of 1941. In the aftermath of the war, the financial problems of the owners and the general decline of docking in the city meant that the future of the Albert Dock was uncertain. Numerous plans were developed for the re-use of the buildings but none came to fruition and in 1972 the dock was finally closed. Having lain derelict for nearly ten years, the redevelopment of the dock began in 1981, when the Merseyside Development Corporation was set up, with the Albert Dock being officially re-opened in 1984.
Today the Royal Albert Dock is a major tourist attraction in the city and the most visited multi-use attraction in the United Kingdom, outside London.[4] The five warehouses which make up the complex cover 1.25m sq ft in size, the biggest such group of Grade I listed buildings anywhere in the UK.
- ^ "Liverpool's Albert Dock gets royal title". BBC News. 6 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
- ^ Jones 2004, p. 83
- ^ Jones 2004, p. 46
- ^ "Albert Dock: The Present Day". Albert Dock Company Ltd. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2008.