Steam Hammer - Royal Victoria Gardens, North Woolwich, London - Preserved Machines on Public Display on Waymarking.com

The preserved steam hammer is displayed at this location as a reminder of the docks and the ship building and repairing industries that formerly dominated this part of London.

A steam hammer is a tool that was used to shape metal plates and other parts in ship construction. It consists of a piston within a cylinder. The piston is pushed up by pressure of steam and then comes down with considerable force when the steam is vented. This one stands about ten foot tall and is painted black. It bears a maker’s plate with “R. HARVEY & Co. - 1888 - GLASGOW.”. It is also embossed “No. 3”.

An information board in front of the steam hammer provided by Newham Borough Council’s Leisure Services department tells us:

“STEAM HAMMER 1888
This steam hammer came originally from the
Blacksmith’s shop in the Royal Albert Dock works of
R.H. Green & Silley-Wier Ltd, ship builders and
repairers. Their works stood on the south side of the
west (London) end of the Royal Albert Dock. This site
is now covered by the London City Airport buildings”.

Royal Victoria Gardens was laid out as a public park in 1890 on what had formerly been the Pleasure Gardens attached to the Royal Pavilion pub. The pub itself survived until fairly recently, but is now demolished. This steam hammer was added during a refurbishment and landscaping of the park in 1994.

Type of Machine: Steam Hammer Year the machine was built: 1888 Year the machine was put on display: 1994 Is there online documentation for this machine: Not listed

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Date Logged Log   06/10/2021 Master Mariner visited it