Canary Wharf Group plc

1200s

In Medieval times, the Isle of Dogs was known as Stepney Marsh and in the 13th Century was drained to support meadows and pastures as well as cornfield.

1500s

In the late 1500's, the Port of London was alive with activity, trade was expanding and Docklands became a point of departure for merchant ventures - in 1620 the Mayflower set sail from Rotherhithe to America.

1800s

In 1802 the West India Docks opened and were considered to be the country's greatest civil engineering structure of its day.

1920s

In July 1921 the King George V Dock in the Royal Docks was opened by the King.

1930s

By the 1930's the Port of London carried 35 million tons of cargo, worth approximately £700m carried by 55,000 ship movements and served by more than 10,000 lighters.

1940s

Mass bombings of Docklands begin during the Second World War including Black Saturday, 7th September: 430 dead, 1,600 seriously injured, 10,000 homeless.

1960s

1961 saw the peak year for the docks when over 60 million tons of cargo was handled.

1970s

New technology and containerisation meant that London Docklands couldn't keep up with its competitors and by the early 1970's most of the docks had closed - West India Dock closed in 1980.

1980 - 1981

The London Docklands Development Corporation was created by the local Government Planning and Land Act 1980.

1982 - 1985

The Isle of Dogs becomes an Enterprise Zone which offered tax allowances to both investors and developers. The enterprise zone designation had a 10 year life cycle.

1987

Docklands Light Railway opened. London City Airport opened. Canary Wharf contract signed. The Newham Compact signed.

1988

Construction begins at Canary Wharf.

1990

Steel pyramid is placed at top of One Canada Square.

1991

First tenants (State Street) move to Canary Wharf.

1992

Olympia & York Canary Wharf Ltd goes into Administration.

1993

Working population 7,000.

1994

27 shops and restaurants.

1995

DLR weekend service commences.

1996

Citibank signs deal for 560,000 sq ft new building to be constructed.

1997

Working population 19,000.

1998

80 shops and restaurants.

1999

Canary Wharf Group plc ("CWG") floats on London Stock Exchange.

2000

Canada Place retail mall opened, 100% pre-let.

2001

Lehman Brothers agrees to lease 1 million sq ft in Bank Street.

2002

Waitrose Food & Home store opens 100,000 sq ft branch.

2003

CWG and London Underground Limited announce future improvements to Jubilee Line to provide an overall increase in capacity of up to 45%.

2004

Offer from subsidiary of Songbird Estates plc declared wholly unconditional.

2005

British Waterways names CWG as preferred partner in mixed use -development of Wood Wharf site, to East of Canary Wharf.

2006

CWG pre-sells leasehold interests in 20 Churchill Place.

2007

CWG announces that exchange of contracts with Barclays Capital to lease over 300,000sq ft at 40 Bank Street.

2008

Cabot Place West 38,000 sq ft retail development opens in Canary Wharf with Zara as the anchor tenant.

2009

Construction starts on Crossrail project.

2010

Drapers Gardens, First building constructed by CWG in City of London, successfully let to BlackRock.

2011

Boisdale of Canary Wharf opens in Cabot Place; it is one of London’s largest restaurants, complete with nightly live jazz, the greatest whisky and cigar on the planet, and the finest Scottish food

2012

CWG acquires Wood Wharf Partnership to the east of Canary Wharf. When developed, Wood Wharf will expand the existing Estate by a third with a new, mixed use community comprising 4.6m square feet

Our History

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