166
DAGENHAM BREACH.
became the purchaser on the failure 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 upon the war with.
Russia, nothing was done towards the making of the docks.
A new scheme was brought out on 9th August, 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 £10 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, the "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 lime, is under