Growth

Until about 1700 London was physically confined to the walled boundaries of the City of London. However, the population in the parishes to the east of the City was rising and this was reflected by the need to break up the large ancient parish of Stepney into smaller units to provide adequate religious and civil administration; and the creation of the Tower division of Middlesex. It was the industries associated with the River Thames that encouraged growth in the east, and by 1650 Shadwell was a developed maritime settlement.[2] The docks in Tower Hamlets started to reach capacity in the early 19th century and in 1855 the Royal Victoria Dock was opened in Newham. The Tower Division was a liberty, a historical form of local government, in the ancient county of Middlesex, England. It was also known as the Tower Hamlets, and took its name from being under the special jurisdiction of the Constable of the Tower of London. The name "Tower Hamlets" was subsequently used for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets created in 1965. The Tower Division was one of four divisions of the Hundred of Ossulstone. The other divisions were named Finsbury, Holborn and Kensington. Unlike the other divisions the Tower Division was outside the jurisdiction of the Lord Lieutenant of Middlesex, with the Constable of the Tower exercising lieutenancy powers ex-officio. The area's special status ceased in 1889 with the creation of the County of London, and the creation of a Lord Lieutenant for the new county. In 1829 the Tower Division contained the following "parishes, townships, precincts and places": The parish of St Mary, Whitechapel The parish of Christchurch, Spitalfields The parish of St Leonard, Shoreditch The liberty of Norton Folgate The parish of St John, Hackney The parish of St Matthew, Bethnal Green The hamlet of Mile End Old Town The hamlet of Mile End New Town The parish of St Mary, Stratford Bow The parish of Bromley St Leonard The parish of All Saints, Poplar The parish of St Anne, Limehouse The hamlet of Ratcliff The parish of St Paul, Shadwell The parish of St John, Wapping The liberty of East Smithfield The precinct of St Catherine The liberty of His Majesty's Tower of London consisting of: The liberty of the Old Artillery Ground The parish of Trinity, Minories The Old Tower precinct The precinct of The Tower Within The precinct of the Well Close.

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