 |
 Aerial view of Tilbury Docks. © NMM |
When the Tilbury Docks first opened for business, it traded in a number of goods, including madeira brought in by the West Africa Line; casks of sausage skins packed in brine and India chutney. Materials such as bales of jute and packaged timber and wood pulp also passed through the docks.
During the 20th century, Tilbury Docks became well known for their grain trade. The grain terminal, which opened in 1969, was one of the fastest discharging installations in the world, at 2000 tons per hour. The grain silo on land had a 100,000 ton capacity and there were adjacent private flourmills ready to process the grain.
| 3 July 1882 | Parliamentary Act is passed approving the construction of docks by the East and West India Dock Company |
| 17 July 1882 | Construction of Tilbury Dock begins |
| 17 April 1886 | The opening of Tilbury Deep Water Dock. The vessel 'Glenfruin' made the inaugural entry. |
| August 1886 | The Clan Line leaves the Royal Albert Dock and begins to use Tilbury as their base |
| 1 January 1889 | Amalgamation to form the London and India Docks Joint Committee |
| 1908 | Scruttons begin to use an electric conveyor belt to transport bales of jute |
| 1912 | Construction of the extension for P&O berths begins |
| 1916 | The P&O extension is complete |
| 1921 | The 305 metre-long reinforced concrete river cargo jetty is opened |
| 1929 | The impounding stations and a new dry dock is built |
| 1930 | The new Western Lock is constructed. A new passenger terminal opens. |
| 1944 | The Tilbury Hotel is destroyed by enemy action |
| 1957 | The Ocean terminal is complete |
| 1963 | Construction of new dock extensions begin |
| 1966 | Completion of the new dock extensions |
| 1969 | A £6 million grain terminal is opened |
| 1970 | OCL container service begins |
| 1978 | A deep riverside berth for large container ships opens |
| 2004 | Tilbury Docks are still in use, especially for passenger liners |
