Dock - in pictures 1

On 16 August 1836, the first meeting of the Southampton Dock Company agreed to buy mudland next to Town Quay to build the town's first dock. This location was chosen because the water was deeper than at Town Quay so larger ships could berth. The foundation stone of the Open (or Tidal) dock was laid on 12 October 1838 in a ceremony watched by over 20,000 people.