Wapping

Wapping
The Prospect of Whitby is a Wapping landmark.
Wapping Location within Greater London
Population	12,411 (2011 Census.St. Katharine's and Wapping Ward)[1]
OS grid reference	TQ345805
London borough	Tower Hamlets
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Region	London
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	LONDON
Postcode district	E1W
Dialling code	020
Police	Metropolitan
Fire	London
Ambulance	London
UK Parliament	Poplar and Limehouse
London Assembly	City and East
List of places UK England London 51°30′26″N 0°03′40″W / 51.5073°N 0.0610°W / 51.5073; -0.0610

Wapping (/ˈwɒpɪŋ/) is an area in London, England and is located in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is in East London and part of the East End. Wapping is on the north bank of the River Thames between St Katharine Docks to the west, and Shadwell to the east. This position gives the district a strong maritime character.

The area was historically composed of two parishes, St George in the East, and the much smaller St John's. Urbanisation of the shoreline began in earnest after the draining of Wapping marsh, and the consolidation of the river wall in the late 16th century. Many of the original buildings were demolished during the construction of the London Docks and Wapping was further seriously damaged during the Blitz. As the London Docklands declined after the Second World War, the area became run down, with the great warehouses left empty. Some were demolished, but others such as Tobacco Dock survive. The area underwent further change during the 1980s when warehouses started to be converted into luxury flats.

Rupert Murdoch moved his News International printing and publishing works into Wapping in 1986, resulting in a trade union dispute that became known as the "Battle of Wapping".