| • Science | • People | • Locations | • Timeline |
Woolwich (pronounced 'Woolitch') is a town in south-east London, England in the London Borough of Greenwich, on the south side of the River Thames, though the tiny exclave of North Woolwich (which is now part of the London Borough of Newham) is on the north side of the river. It is home to Britain's first McDonald's in 1974.
It is notable as a river crossing point, having the Woolwich Ferry (and the lesser-known Woolwich foot tunnelThe Woolwich foot tunnel is a tunnel crossing under the River Thames in east London from Woolwich in the London Borough of Greenwich to North Woolwich in the London Borough of Newham. The tunnel offers pedestrians an alternative way to cross the river whe), and as the one-time home of the Woolwich Building Society (now relocated in BexleyheathBexleyheath is a place in the London Borough of Bexley. It was originally called Bexley New Town and is in the traditional county of Kent. The modern town area today offers a bingo hall, cinema, hotel, magistrates court, reference library, six-a-side foot and owned by Barclays Bank).
Its history is strongly associated with Britain's military past. It was home to the Woolwich DockyardWoolwich Dockyard was an English naval dockyard founded by King Henry VIII in 1512 to build his flagship Henri Grace a Dieu Great Harry , the largest ship of its day. Like its counterpart at Deptford, it was probably chosen for its position on the south b (founded in 1512), the Woolwich ArsenalThe Woolwich Arsenal was an armaments manufacturing facility on the south bank of the River Thames in Woolwich in south-east London. It was formally established as an Ordnance Storage Depot in 1671 on a 31 acre (125,000 m²) site, the Warren in Tower Place (dating back to 1671) and the Royal Military AcademyThe Royal Military Academy was founded in 1741 in Woolwich, south-east London. It was intended to provide an education and produce good officers of Artillery and perfect Engineers''. Notable teachers at Woolwich included Peter Barlow, Samuel Hunter Christ (1741); it still retains an army base and military museum.
Football club Arsenal F.C.Arsenal F. also known as Arsenal The Arsenal or The Gunners is a north London football team founded in 1886. They play at Arsenal Stadium, Highbury. History Early years Arsenal were originally called Dial Square . The club later changed its name to Woolwi was founded in Woolwich in 18861886 is a common year starting on Friday (click on link to calendar) Events January 18 Modern field hockey is born with the formation of The Hockey Association in England. January 29 Karl Benz patents the first successful gasoline-driven automobile. March by workers at the Arsenal - the club was initially known as Dial Square then became Woolwich Arsenal, dropping the Woolwich prefix sometime after 1891Events January 1 ? Paying of old age pensions begins in Germany January 20 James Hogg becomes the first native Texan to be governor of that state. January 29 Liliuokalani proclaimed Queen of Hawaii March 9 ? 12 ? Powerful storm off England?s south coast;. It moved to Highbury in north London in 1913.
Woolwich Polytechnic , founded in 1892, after merging with other colleges, became Thames Polytechnic in 1970. In 1992 it was granted university status as the University of Greenwich.