1 66 DAGENHAM BREACH. 



became the purchaser on the faikire of the firm of Fry and 

 Chapman. 



In 1848, Mr. Charles Hulse (brother of Sir Edward) and Mr. 

 Edward Sage, of Furze House, Marks Gate, took a lease of the 

 Gulf and cottages for forty-two years. They spent ^2,000 in 

 erecting a large ice-house, for the supply of the London market and 

 the Barking fishermen, who then used 10,000 tons per annum in 

 icing their flat fish. This building was 100 feet long, 45 feet wide, 

 and 22 feet in height. This ice-house has been pulled down, and 

 also the old Breach or Beach House, the view of which, taken in 

 1790 for the " European Magazine," is so familiar to print collectors. 



In 1854, a plan of Dagenham Dock was made by George 

 Remington, engineer; and in 1855, an Act of Parliament obtained 

 to form a dock, with Sir John Rennie as engineer. Of this scheme 

 the directors named in the Act were Sir Edward Hulse, Bart., 

 Charles Hulse, Edward Sage, and two others ; but owing to great 

 derangement in the money market, attendant ppon the war with 

 Russia, nothing was done towards the making of the docks. 



A new scheme was brought out on 9th Augpst, 1862, called 

 " The Dagenham (Thames) Dock Company," with Sir John Rennie, 

 C.E., F.R.S., and John Murray, M.I.C.E., as engineers. The 

 proposal was to raise ^300,000 capital in ^j^io shares, to purchase 

 the lake and about 80 acres of land, making 140 acres in all, for 

 the sum of ^50,000, and then to construct a dock deep enough for 

 the largest vessels, with an entrance 70 feet wide, and with 2,000 feet 

 of wharf frontage. A portion of the work was begun, but it was 

 ultimately abandoned. Another proposal for docks was made in 

 1868. In 1875, ^^^ "Gulf" and land, in all about 184 acres, was 

 sold. 



The "Gulf" has for many years been the resort of anglers, and 

 known as "The Dagenham Lake Subscription Water." A great 

 variety of fish, such as carp, roach, bream, perch, eels, pike, etc., 

 abound, and some of large size have been taken. Many years ago 

 Mr. Edward Sage caught a pike scaling over twenty-three pounds. 

 The perch are often over four pounds, and one of his captures is 

 preserved which weighed six pounds one ounce. 



Mr. Samuel Williams is the present owner, and material is now 

 being brought down to fill up the saltings, for which hydraulic 

 machinery and plant has been erected. 



The management of these levels, at the present time, is under 



