Stretched out along the River Thames and the River Roding, Barking is a rapidly growing residential area in East London.
The history of Barking and Dagenham is certainly storied too. Below are a few interesting facts about Barking and Dagenham that we thought worth sharing!
Barking Abbey and its powerful Abbess
Barking’s roots can be traced back to Barking Abbey. Although, in present day, it’s been reduced to a set of ruins albeit a set of ruins surrounded by the stunning Abbey Green, in its heyday, Barking had one of the most influential abbeys in the country, with close ties to the king and his royal family.
In a time when women had very little power, Barking’s Abbess held as much control over the people of Barking as the Queen – perhaps more, since her influence was practical in the day-to-day running of the town. As a woman with land and influence (or in holding of the king by barony, in antiquated terms), the Abbess was even required to perform military service when summoned by the king – which actually happened in the 13th and 14th centuries!
Somewhere around the 10th century, a woman called Wulfhilda attracted the unwanted attention of King Edgar the Peaceable.
The story goes that she shunned Edgar in favour of God – a decision that could have stemmed from a holy disposition or from Edgar himself – and rejected his advances.
Not used to rejection, the king made Wulfhilda’s aunt, fake sickness in order to trap Wulfhilda into talking to him.
According to the tale, the attempt ended with the young woman escaping through the drains.
Perhaps viewing this rapid retreat as a sign from God, Edgar finally accepted a ‘no’ and appointed Wulfhilda the Abbess of Barking instead.
Codbangers and the Shorth Blue Fleet
‘Codbangers’ was the title given to Barking fishermen who sold live fish to the market in the 19th century.
Barking’s skiffs travelled far and wide to dredge up the cod that fed the town, and in the 1800s, there were no high-tech coolers to keep the fish fresh on the way home. Their solution was a kind of skiff with a ‘well’ in the centre, filled with water and used as a tank for live fish as they were carted back to port. These fishermen would then be able make port in Barking Pool, scooping the fish out of the water once they got there.
Barking’s lively fishing scene gave birth to the Short Blue Fleet – the largest and, today, the oldest fleet of fishing boats in the world.
The fleet was formed in 1764, when a fisherman called James Whennel bought his first fishing skiff in Barking, with no idea that his grandson-in-law would eventually use his ships to revolutionise the whole industry of fishing in the North Sea.
Remember those high-tech coolers? Whennel’s grandson, Samuel Hewett, was actually the very first fisherman to consider using ice to preserve fish at sea – an approach that would eventually lead to the invention of freezer trawlers decades later.
With fish preserved on ice, there was no longer a need to cart heavy tanks across the ocean, and the fishing industry truly began to boom.
A Quick History of Barking Station and it’s Effect on Barking’s Fishing Sector
In 1854, Barking was taken by surprise by a new and super-efficient mode of transport: the railway.
The first trains started to move through the town in April, bringing fish across the land barrier from the rich waters of the North Sea. The fishing industry that grew and thrived around the Thames was unable to hold up against this barrage of fresh trade, and Barking’s marine era slowly faded away.
The fishermen of Barking began to sell up or move away, and the remaining few found themselves quickly out of work – a sad end to a thriving industry.
Modern Barking: A Commuter Town
Modern Barking is a place popular amongst commuters, students and business owners, thanks to its excellent transport links.
A town where small business owners and bright-eyed professionals looking for their first break are able to thrive,
If you have a business in Barking and could use a bit more space, Barking is also home to one of our Attic Self Storage locations, so please feel free to enquire about one of our storage units if you need one.
Posted on 25th March 2025 by Shanaiqua Desa
